help with RFE

[pete88 0]

Hi. Me and my fiance just got a RFE and we do not know what to send them. Originally we sent them photographs, facebook chats and letters from friends saying that they have met both of us. in our RFE it says that photographs are secondary evidence of us meeting and facebook chats are not proof. I live in windsor and am a Canadian citizen so i dont have any plane tickets or passport stamps because I am canadian they do not stamp passports. I called the border and they told me I can not get records of me crossing. I was wondering wat can I use for evidence? I am stuck. We have a planned trip we will be going on but its only in my fiances name. Also my bank statements dont show where I have been in the states just sjows the currency exchange rates. I am lost and have no idea what i can send o them that will be good enough that we have met in person. I have been coming to visit her often and all we reall have is photographs but apperently thats just secondary evidence. any info or insight would be great.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

What about credit cards showing transactions in his state? Where do you stay when you go visit him? Affidavits stating you've met from family?

Did you stay in hotels? Buy gas? Eat out?

good luck

[pete88 0]

Im staying at her house everytime I visit. I usallu just take money out of an atm here in the states but my bank statement from Canada dont show any adresses just the currency exchange rates. All I can think of is getting letters from friends and family again saying that i come visit then getting them notirized but for some reason i don think that is good enough.

[Anna Grant 169]

Im staying at her house everytime I visit. I usallu just take money out of an atm here in the states but my bank statement from Canada dont show any adresses just the currency exchange rates. All I can think of is getting letters from friends and family again saying that i come visit then getting them notirized but for some reason i don think that is good enough.

Do you have any of the slips from your ATM withdrawals? Are you bale to ask your bank for a more detailed statement giving the address/bank/town where the withdrawals occurred. My UK statements usually show something like 'US Bank, Geneva, IL'.

Did you make any purchases using a charge card at all?

They are correct in that photos are secondary evidence. You need to show primary factual evidence that you have been together in the 2 years prior to filing the K1 petition.

Oh - and, unfortunately, your planned trip will not help as you need to show primary evidence that you met during the 2 years prior to submitting your petition.

I assume you have driven to the US? Do you have charge card receipts or statements which show you buying gas close to where your fiancee lives?

Edited July 29, 2013 by Anna Grant

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I think you need to respond to the RFE with notarized letters from friends and family members (hers, if available) and a personal letter outlining your circumstances. You are separated by a mere 50 miles - about an hour's drive even though you are in two different countries. You obviously drive and you can explain that you fill up with gas before you go and have enough left after the visit to return on the same tankful. US immigration does not require visas nor issue I-94s for Canadian citizens so you do not need to present anything at the border except your passport, which is not stamped. The border should have a record of your crossing - they take photographs of all car licenses for security checks as they approach the barrier - but they probably will not have a readily available record.

Have you ever gone out for a meal in Highland? To a movie theater or show? To a bar? Have you bought gas along the way? You may not have thought to keep any of those receipts but do a long and hard search - especially in the car - and have her do the same at her house to see if you can come up with anything that shows you spent money in Highland within the required time period. It isn't proof of meeting but it is proof that you were in the area where she was and it is unlikely you would be filing a fiancee petition for someone you haven't met when you only live an hour's drive apart. I think the reviewing officer needs to have a geography lesson so he/she can appreciate that you won't have plane tickets or boarding passes and your proof of meeting is going to be a lot more ephemeral. Canada is not a high fraud country; Canadians and Americans cross the border on a daily basis and cross border relationships are pretty common in border towns.

Include the bank statements. They do show dates and that you paid American dollars on a Canadian account. Your bank may be able to provide more information about where those charges were made. Ask to speak to someone in the bank's management and explain what you need. They may be able to provide a letter that states these charges to your account were made in Highland, Michigan - thus providing evidence you were in the same area as your fiancee lives and that you were certainly able to meet in person - especially if she is the only reason you were in the area. Provide several statements to show it wasn't just a one time visit.

Good luck.

Edited July 30, 2013 by Kathryn41

[pete88 0]

Well I found an old recipte of when I took money out at an ATM in Highland so I'll be sending that. Plus letters from her friends and family (noterized) Letters from us. and also since I go visit so much all the time I opened a joint bank account with her over in the states. If i send them a copy of the bank account also with our names on it I think all the should be enough ya?

[canadian_wife 1,822]

A notary can only verify the signatures are valid, they cannot assure the accuracy of the content. I am not sure if you need them notarized as what value does that place on the letters?

I think you should send in what you have, a joint bank account does show primary evidence, if they ask for primary evidence, show that. Did you have to go to the bank to open the account? If yes, then get a letter from the bank stating you were there to open the account.

good luck

[pete88 0]

A notary can only verify the signatures are valid, they cannot assure the accuracy of the content. I am not sure if you need them notarized as what value does that place on the letters?

I think you should send in what you have, a joint bank account does show primary evidence, if they ask for primary evidence, show that. Did you have to go to the bank to open the account? If yes, then get a letter from the bank stating you were there to open the account.

good luck

Thanks for all the help. I did have have to show up to the bank and give them ID and proof of where I live so I will deffinatly get a letter from them sayying that I showed up in person with my Fiance. with that a couple letters. and a recipte I sure hope to god thats good enough for them.