Evidence necessary?

[Fischkoepfin 1]

I'm confused about the requirements for the interview. For some reason, I was under the impression that I did not need to bring evidence to prove that my marriage is a bona fide marriage, so I didn't bring anything with me to Germany.

It's not like we don't have evidence. We've been living together since 2001 and we started going out in 1999, which is probably why it never occurred to me that anyone would doubt our relationship. We rent an appartment together, my husband shares my US-bank account, and so on. But because we talk every day over an international flatrate, there is no evidence of our daily phone conversation. We also exchange emails, but they are mostly for fun.

So, should I try and collect some evidence (even though most of it is somewhere among my things in the US)? If so, what type of evidence would be best? Or does it not matter that much?

Edited January 31, 2006 by Fischkoepfin

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If you rent(ed) an apartment together, a copy of that lease agreement would be a good start. Joint bank account records would be cool as well. Any kind of mail addressed to either or both of you at the same address might be helpful. Don't worry too much about detailed phone records if you can show that you are signed up for an int flat-rate plan. Private communication such as e-mails is nothing that you need to present either. Pictures of the two of you together would be good. Wedding pics?

Just bring what you have. Anything. I'm not sure thay they won't dig too awefully deep seeing that this is a long-term relationship (and that you're going through the Consulate in Fft). But testing the bona fide nature of marriage based on which you apply for the visa is precisely what you go to the Consulate for.

Good Luck!

Edited January 31, 2006 by ET-US2004

[SOlcayto 0]

We provided close to 10,000$ worth of phone calls, showing the detailed minutes that we talk everyday and we provided about ten or so emails. (We also had marriage certificate, pictures, airline ticket stubs, and so on) And they wanted more emails sent between us. We had to send this with our joint sponsor info, which was total B.S. And we have been married for almost 2 years. So, you never know what they are going to request, so bring everything and be fully prepared. We had over 20,000 emails and my husband printed out pages of just his inbox to show how many we had and then he printed out about 10 full emails and she said it wasn't enough, she wanted to see all of them, so when we sent our joint sponsor stuff we also sent about 300 pages of emails, just to annoy them, lol.

SOL

[aussiewench 9]

so when we sent our joint sponsor stuff we also sent about 300 pages of emails, just to annoy them, lol.

SOL

Yeah they sure went over the top with yours Sol.......least you through it now

As to the OP, yes we have to prove our relationship. We are going for the big one.......the CR-1....with no AOS in the US. This is were its done.

In readiness for my interview I have printed out emails over a range of time. Mostly from hubby but also from members of his family. I have cards and letters from hubby and his family, phone bills, wedding photos plus other various photos with us as well as family.....the list goes on. I am even including a christmas card from a hubby & wife member here who addressed it to both hubby and I, as it is one of the only things I have addressed to both of us I was so surprised when I got that.

[Gigiola 0]

It is highly unlikely that you would be asked for evidence of your relationship in Germany ... I wasn't in Spain. But, take a copy of your lease with you .. and perhaps a photo from your wedding.

And .. Good luck!

[road2kros 0]

Hard evidence, like photographs, marriage certificate, correspondence to demonstrate your relationship to the petitioner. Old letters with their envelopes (from, to, or about you). Remittances, or old if directed to you and sent by the sponsor, and any other documents like, tenancy agreement, household registration etc.

[munchkins 0]

Whilst we are on this subject, even though we do not have to produce the evidence that fiances and spouses do to prove relationships, just birth certs, marriage and divorce etc, because she is my daughter

What I would like to know, if anyone can supply the answer, on the checklist that comes from the Embassy and has to be returned to them is "Evidence of support" do I presume from that that she will have to send me copies of all her tax returns, bank statements etc, (apart from which she will not really be "supporting us" but I understand that in terms of the affidavit of support she has to show that she is above the poverty line, and would she have to send copies of the I-864, it is the only thing that I cannot tick on the form

[aussiewench 9]

Whilst we are on this subject, even though we do not have to produce the evidence that fiances and spouses do to prove relationships, just birth certs, marriage and divorce etc, because she is my daughter

What I would like to know, if anyone can supply the answer, on the checklist that comes from the Embassy and has to be returned to them is "Evidence of support" do I presume from that that she will have to send me copies of all her tax returns, bank statements etc, (apart from which she will not really be "supporting us" but I understand that in terms of the affidavit of support she has to show that she is above the poverty line, and would she have to send copies of the I-864, it is the only thing that I cannot tick on the form

Hi Val,

You should have a complete copy of EVERYTHING to do with the petition. You should also have on hand at the interview the originals of EVERYTHING that was submitted as photo copies. They may not ask to view it but it is requested that you have it all.

Lorelle

[munchkins 0]

Hi Lorelle

must say you are doing a great job of helping around here and thank you for reply. Seeing as how I do not want to see my daughters finances but now know that I will need them for the interview, I will ask her to send them to me in a sealed envelope

Hoping against hope that we hear something this month Lorelle, we should, according to processing times hear towards the end of the month, (unless CSC are on a go slow again )

[Yodrak 7]

Fischkoepfin,

Why would you think that you don't need to prove a bona fide marriage? That's one of the primary requirements for the particular visa that your spouse is seeking.

You say that "We've been living together since 2001 and we started going out in 1999". I could say the same thing. But in my case it would be an outright lie.

Whatever your situation, it needs to be supported by appropriate evidence. The USA has been burned before - and burned badly - by visa applicants who turned out to be not quite what they said they were.

Recognize that evidence appropriate for your situation may be quite different from evidence appropriate for people who live apart in 2 different countries. Of course you won't have phone bills and e-mails like those folks do. Why are you even thinking in those terms?

Yodrak

I'm confused about the requirements for the interview. For some reason, I was under the impression that I did not need to bring evidence to prove that my marriage is a bona fide marriage, so I didn't bring anything with me to Germany.

It's not like we don't have evidence. We've been living together since 2001 and we started going out in 1999, which is probably why it never occurred to me that anyone would doubt our relationship. We rent an appartment together, my husband shares my US-bank account, and so on. But because we talk every day over an international flatrate, there is no evidence of our daily phone conversation. We also exchange emails, but they are mostly for fun.

So, should I try and collect some evidence (even though most of it is somewhere among my things in the US)? If so, what type of evidence would be best? Or does it not matter that much?

[Fischkoepfin 1]

Fischkoepfin,

Why would you think that you don't need to prove a bona fide marriage? That's one of the primary requirements for the particular visa that your spouse is seeking.

You say that "We've been living together since 2001 and we started going out in 1999". I could say the same thing. But in my case it would be an outright lie.

Whatever your situation, it needs to be supported by appropriate evidence. The USA has been burned before - and burned badly - by visa applicants who turned out to be not quite what they said they were.

Recognize that evidence appropriate for your situation may be quite different from evidence appropriate for people who live apart in 2 different countries. Of course you won't have phone bills and e-mails like those folks do. Why are you even thinking in those terms?

Yodrak

Yodrak,

I have no idea why this hasn't occurred to me before; I guess I was too busy moving back to Germany and figuring in the ins-an-out of the visa process. The interview was beyond my view. Otherwise, I would have taken the necessary evidence with me.

Last week (9 months after I left the US), I was reading through the forums and suddenly realized that I had somehow forgot about the interview, hence the post. I just wanted to be certain that my new insight was accurate because it is much more difficult to find your evidence when all your belongings are some 6000 km from you.

I do understand why the requirement exists, and I am in the process of collecting the necessary evidence. It does exist; after, all the dates are in my case true. And I also know that just email and phone bills from the last 9 months won't cut it for us because that would not support the long relationship. I mentioned the existence primarily because that seemed to be the most common evidence people provided at their interview.

s

[Yodrak 7]

s,

Sure it's the most common evidence that people submit - but most people are in a different situation than you are! You've got to prove your situation, not someone else's.

Yodrak

Fischkoepfin,

Why would you think that you don't need to prove a bona fide marriage? That's one of the primary requirements for the particular visa that your spouse is seeking.

You say that "We've been living together since 2001 and we started going out in 1999". I could say the same thing. But in my case it would be an outright lie.

Whatever your situation, it needs to be supported by appropriate evidence. The USA has been burned before - and burned badly - by visa applicants who turned out to be not quite what they said they were.

Recognize that evidence appropriate for your situation may be quite different from evidence appropriate for people who live apart in 2 different countries. Of course you won't have phone bills and e-mails like those folks do. Why are you even thinking in those terms?

Yodrak

Yodrak,

.... I mentioned the existence primarily because that seemed to be the most common evidence people provided at their interview.

s

[tom&tata 2]

Just to share what was asked by the CO during my interview (we never live together, except for the visits):

- method of on-going communication (CO asked for email print outs, I said we rarely communicate by email, instead we call each other a lot. I took out my & hubby's phone bill for several months, he barely glanced at it). I also offered him the cards hubby sent for our anniversary, my birthday, new year & the receipts from flowers that hubby sent on various occasions. Most people submitted emails, but the CO seemed to accept that some people are too lazy to write emails & prefer phone calls

- wedding ceremony pictures - I showed him pictures of our wedding ceremony. CO only looked at me the whole time I was mentioning people at the pictures.

Basically that was all the evidence that the CO asked from us. Additionally, they need to see all original documents (marriage cert, birth cert). It was not a stressful interview, but I guess I already look nervous enough to the CO

Good luck !

[Fischkoepfin 1]

s,

Sure it's the most common evidence that people submit - but most people are in a different situation than you are! You've got to prove your situation, not someone else's.

Yodrak

Yodrak,

you're right about that, and I do appreciate that you remind me of the fact that there is more than one way of proving a bona fide marriage to a CO. As I mentioned, I did not yet spend enought time thinking about it, so I think that is great advice.

I still have over a month (or more) before the interview, so I've asked my husband to mail some evidence to me. In addition to wedding picture, we do have pictures from other occasions which we will use as well. We also have a current lease together and there's also a copy of a previous rental contract. My husband will see if the bank can write a statement that I have added him to my bank account a few years back. We'll just have to see what the CO thinks about the evidence and if it is not sufficient (which I doubt) then we need to find more.

s

[geally 0]

Actually, I never considered that I would need to have my husband prove our marriage is for real (other than to prove it is legal...like our marriage certificate and our divorce decrees.) We live here together in the UK and have a joint bank account etc. Would we need to bring our family photo album or something?!