Bank Reference letter - signed by officer

[scottgema 6]

Hello all I am having one hell of a time dealing with Bank of america

the instructions for I134 state

Statement from an officer of the bank or other financial institutions with deposits, identifying the following details regarding the account:

1 Date account opened

2 Total amount deposited for the past year

3 Present Balance.

The bank said they can produce a letter stating that information but because my deposits are split up from my checks I would need 3 letters and they are charging me the $10 fee plus $20/hour for "research" to get a "total". The reference letter they have provides the average monthly deposits for 12 month period but not the total deposits.....has anyone else faced off with them or am I over thinking this?

They won't qoute me an actual price and even though it shouldnt take more than 10 minutes they charge a minimum of an hour per letter requested so at bare min I am looking at $90 in fees for three accounts.

By their own admission it could be more...what did you do if you used Bank of America. If you used another bank it will not help me here so I am hoping to hear from people who did this and used bank of america.

[Glenn & Anne 16]

I use Chase so I can't help you. I just wanted to say your bank is more helpful than Chase because the officers at my bank flatly refused to make any effort to give what is required.

[Tintin and Mike 127]

If you've met the 125% poverty guideline for I-134 then I won't bother getting the letter from your bank. Just need the Letter of Employment, 1040s and W-2, tax transcripts and pay stubs.

[gary9891 10]

If you've met the 125% poverty guideline for I-134 then I won't bother getting the letter from your bank. Just need the Letter of Employment, 1040s and W-2, tax transcripts and pay stubs.

Yep, just what I did. No bank letters just IRS transcripts, several current pay stubs and simple letter (on company letterhead) signed by your boss/manager etc. If you are north of the 125%, these will do.

I did not send any 1040's or W2's, the transcripts serve this purpose.

Edited July 9, 2013 by gary9891

[Mike & Weng 0]

I would just get a letter saying when your account was opened. I don't think you can pull that online.

As for the rest, they are all available with BofA online banking. I bought a house a couple years ago and was able to get everything online. End of year statements going back 3 years prior. I just logged onto my account and it's still the same way, just can't find date of account opened. Might be there and I am just not looking at the right spot, but everything else should save a lot of time and $ if they are charging you for researching.

[scottgema 6]

Thanks for replays everyone

But

Has anyone NOT had a bank letter signed by an officer as the instructions request and been approved?

I found today on my companies work site I actually have a report that shows the gross and net of every pays tub since 2007 so it certainly shows my consistent level exceeding the 125% test but I'm worried the missing bank letter from an officer would be a technicality that a happygolucky bureaucrat would jump on.

I can get a balance statement and show records from a website but because they request a signed letter from and officer of the bank it's got me hesitating....

Anyway. Anyone not have it and still get approved?

[scottgema 6]

thanks again everyone for the info, I just reread some comments and see someone did not use it and had no problem.

Thank you =)

I ended up escalating though to a manager prior to coming back to this and they are doing it for me and for free. =D

I am a good complainer when needed lol.

THANKS!

[Abell 11]

if you list your bank savings on i134 as assets then you have to produce that letter, otherwise you are not even required to have bank account so they don't care about this, you can go through all the trouble to get this letter but if you give it to them it basically goes to the trash since it has no relation to the i134 unless of cause you income is somewhere low and close to the 125%

[scottgema 6]

I appreciate the additional input but since the instructions specifically state it should be there I would rather play it safe then alone without my fiancé

Edited July 12, 2013 by scottgema

[Wes&Charlotte 4]

My fiance is having trouble getting the bank letter too........ I know that I’m supposed to wait for the next correspondence from the embassy but he will be with me in the Cayman islands for the next month and we are trying to get together paperwork prior to him coming here so that we can send it back as soon as possible.

He is trying to get a reference letter from his bank, as evidence for the I-134 but his bank don’t know what information they need to provide. Has anyone obtained this from 'Suntrust' bank before??

[lepageman8 2]

I have bank of America. I am glad that I saved and had/have a years worth of bank statements.

I called and told them what I needed and you are right, you cannot go into a BOA and have them write you a letter. They stopped doing that. What they did send me was a statement saying, date I opened account and my balances. I didn't have to pay for them though?...

[NYBEtt 88]

Is it still the case that a letter from the bank is not really required if income is above 125% of poverty level?

Also, are both tax transcripts AND W2+1099s required for the I-134?