Check List - additions

[Lucy NY 1]

Dear all,

Here is my check list so far: would appreciate any additions you can think of:

1) Joint Title of Property (only his name on morgage due to me not working at time of buying house)

2) Joint House Insurance

3) Joint Car Insurance

4) Joint Medical Coverage - me on his.

5) Life Insurance with each other as beneficiaries

6) Pensions- each other as beneficiaries.

7) Joint Loans - he cosigned for me for auto loan

8) Joint Utility bills to the house - water - gas and electric

9) Joint Taxes

10) Joint Property and School Taxes to the town

11) photos, cards,

The only thing I am missing is joint bank stuff, we both keep seperate accounts and have credit cards?!

Anything else?

Thanks Folks

[markiweiss49 4]

don't forget to make a copy of your greencard. make copy of front and back of greencard. also, make copy of both of yours DL. if you don't have a DL, make copy of your state ID from both of you with the same address.

[Navyk 78]

don't forget to make a copy of your greencard. make copy of front and back of greencard. also, make copy of both of yours DL. if you don't have a DL, make copy of your state ID from both of you with the same address.

Must be having Driver License (mentioned that you took loan for vehilce). Send the copies of both your DLs only if both have the same addresses else ignore it, as you have enough evidence of living together and inter-mixing of finances.

USCIS tend to issue RFE if one do not have joint Bank Accounts (because most of the applicants send those), so explain why you didn't get that done and because you have other solid evidence, they shopuld be fine with your explanation. I think if don't explain that in your cover letter, you may get a RFE but I am not sure. Hope someone who didn't submit joint bank accounts responds with their experience/s.

[Audy_Rob 26]

Did you take any joint vacations? Do you have hotel bills, boarding passes with both names, etc... visa stamps showing in the same country if you went out of the country?

Do you have any close friends that can fulfill the Affidavit. I know many people say the Affidavit is useless. We used one affidavit.

[Lucy NY 1]

Thanks for all the replies!

As for joint bank accounts, we kept them seperate because of circumstances to us, I understand many people say that once married, your money is my money and so forth but we each don't see it like that. We have a joint account ( but I think I am just beneficiary) that we use to pay bills and each keep our own sepearte accounts. I have printed and highlighted those account statements for the last 2 years where you can see our each sepearte account paying in the same amounts as each other for the last 18 months. We are both l;isted as beneficiaries on each other accounts though.

Driving license is a little difficult because even though I submitted our change of address ( after we bought the house) and DMV have not chnaged address yet!! I am also going to ask for a copy of joint lease when we were renting after we got married. I also have membership to many spouse support groups of my husbands work - that I have documents for. So I will use that. I also have lots of photos of trips together and joint passport stamps, in particular my sisters wedding this year gone int he Carribean.

I just dont have a such listed joint bank account with him or credit card because we dont use one.

I am going to gain references from many people, my sister in law, work collegues, and also our joint marriage advisor who we have seen a few times to help us through this insane process!!!

I feel like I am missing something......

[Audy_Rob 26]

As for joint bank accounts, we kept them seperate because of circumstances to us, I understand many people say that once married, your money is my money and so forth but we each don't see it like that.

I wish my wife was more like you. She subscribes to the old school of thought, "Her money is her money and my money is also her money."

Good luck

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

LOL Rob. We (me and my husband) are like the OP exactly. We have one joint account to which we put money every month, equal amount, and we pay utilities from it. But we also have our own account that we had before we got married, and we maintained and we still have it that way. Indeed, even our payments go to there, and then we transfer certain amount to our joint account. Is this really odd? And in terms of the DLs, we have changed the address so both of us are on the current one, but DMV changes it electronically, and does not issue a new DL until it has not expired. And the thing is, I just renewed my DL in 2010, and turns out, my husband renewed his also in 2010, so our DLs will expire in 2015. >.<

[Lucy NY 1]

No its not unusual I would think, especially if both partners work and earn similar salaries. The reason we did it was mainly to keep our sanities...i dont want to have to be worried if he wants to spend a stupid amount of money on cars or whatever it is he spends it on and he doesnt want to have to be concerned how much I spend on getting my hair done!!! Despite being married, you are still enititled to your own money

[Lucy NY 1]

And it also irriates me a little that USCIS would not understand that!!!!!!

[Lucy NY 1]

By the time I file, I should have my license to my current address also. I have also pulled out things such as joint vet bills because we have two dogs etc. I know to some they are only dogs, but to us they are like our kids!!

[Audy_Rob 26]

Relax Lucy. I think you will be fine having the single joint account that you both contribute to and use to pay bills. The USCIS should be fine with that. I would expect them to understand the situation, it does not affect the way people would look on a genuine marriage which is what you are really trying to prove.

I am very envious.

Good luck