Evidence of bona fide Marriage

[GringoMan 4]

Let me give a summation of my situation.

I'm American. My wife is Brazilian. We met in Brazil almost a decade ago and we've been married for almost 7 years (living in Brazil). We got married in Brazil. We also have a 1-year-old son who has dual citizenship. We've been spending more time in the U.S over the last 2-3 years and this year I think we're going to move to the U.S. (currently here visiting now).

In the I-130 document, it mentions "evidence of a bona fide Marriage". One of the options is a birth certificate of a child together. I plan on just using our son's birth certificate. Is that really enough? Should we consider adding anything else or is it just enough to supply the one thing?

I thought about making copies of our old passports where we have identical visa entry stamps on all the international trips we took over the years.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

Marriage certificate, photos of wedding, photos of party after wedding, photos of honeymoon

photos with family, shared accounts like banking, rent, utilities, cards and letters for either/and both of you with same address, son's birth certificate with both your signatures

[B-2-Z 37]

It's better to give them more than asked for instead of getting an RFE.

[GringoMan 4]

The marriage certificate needs to be there so that is already there. However, they don't ask for all those other things. Is that standard to include all of that.?Most people have been saying don't include more than what's asked for. Or is that something more for people who haven't been married for a long period of time. We've been married for nearly 7 years.

Marriage certificate, photos of wedding, photos of party after wedding, photos of honeymoon

photos with family, shared accounts like banking, rent, utilities, cards and letters for either/and both of you with same address, son's birth certificate with both your signatures

Really? Ok. I've been seeing in other threads to not provide more than what's asked. I'm glad I've asked here again.

I think I'll include copies of our visa stamps and pics from some of our travels.

It's better to give them more than asked for instead of getting an RFE.

[B-2-Z 37]

Really? Ok. I've been seeing in other threads to not provide more than what's asked. I'm glad I've asked here again.

I think I'll include copies of our visa stamps and pics from some of our travels.

I mean, within reason. Don't send them hundreds of pages lol. We had to prove an ongoing relationship for our K-1(he had been living in Canada with me for 6 years) so we sent in trips, passport stamps, a lease stating both names, copies showing we filed taxes together(common law in Canada) and cars in both names. We didn't get an RFE the entire time.

[Ryan H 3,834]

Are you going to go through the visa process or the Adjustment of Status process?

[Anh map 2,098]

A child's birth certificate is not much. Anyone can have a child. Raising a child together shows more about the relationship. With a baby show a few photos with relatives, any birth announcement. don't go overboard.

Show the depth and breadth of your relationship. That will pave the way for an easy visa process. Comingling of finances is strong evidence of a bona fide marital relationship. House deeds and/or rental agreements. Your wife being listed on your US tax returns, joint bank and credit accounts, etc. Wills/insurance showing each other as beneficiary.

[GringoMan 4]

LOL! Yeah. I won't send 100s of pages. Thanks for much for the response!

I mean, within reason. Don't send them hundreds of pages lol. We had to prove an ongoing relationship for our K-1(he had been living in Canada with me for 6 years) so we sent in trips, passport stamps, a lease stating both names, copies showing we filed taxes together(common law in Canada) and cars in both names. We didn't get an RFE the entire time.

Adjustment of Status. We're already here in the U.S. So I'm going to file for the AOS next week.

Are you going to go through the visa process or the Adjustment of Status process?

Thanks. On the document it said one of 5 things was sufficient and it had the child's birth certificate as an option. Someone in another thread said it would be easier for us since we've been married for nearly 7 years. However, it's great to get this feedback. I'll add more things. I was just worried because I was reading in another thread where someone said don't send more than asked.

A child's birth certificate is not much. Anyone can have a child. Raising a child together shows more about the relationship. With a baby show a few photos with relatives, any birth announcement. don't go overboard.

Show the depth and breadth of your relationship. That will pave the way for an easy visa process. Comingling of finances is strong evidence of a bona fide marital relationship. House deeds and/or rental agreements. Your wife being listed on your US tax returns, joint bank and credit accounts, etc. Wills/insurance showing each other as beneficiary.

[KayDeeCee 4,896]

~ Moved from AOS from Family Based Visas to AOS from Work, Student & Tourist Visas ~

[Moustafa/Crystal 65]

I would include a brief summary of your relationship...not more than one page typed. Then include 16-20 pics spread out over the time of your relationship...I used power point to make four slides with multiple photos and captioned each photo. Then ran off two slide per page. Financial information is great evidence. Common passport stamps are also great...be sure to include a narrative with your evidence, so they know what they are looking at.

In the end, include the evidence that you think proves your relationship is real.

Good luck!

Edited July 22, 2015 by Moustafa/Crystal

[mallafri76 1,012]

You need to prove to USCIS that you're in a bona fida marriage, even though you've been married for so many years and have a child together. Together with the child's birth certificate, I would also send:

Mortgage/rental agreement with your names on or bills to your address that shows that you both live there

Pictures

Passport stamps from your trips to the US and maybe other places

Any will or insurance that shows the other person as beneficiary

I mean don't over do it, but make sure you have at least like 10 pictures and two or three documents that show you're in a bona fida marriage, along with your child's birth certificate. And make sure the pictures are taken over time, so it's not like 10 pictures all from last year.

Good luck on your visa journey.

[Miss M 54]

GringoMan, my husband and I were living in South Africa and had 2 children when I applied for my visa (he's the US citizen) and we included stuff that I thought pointed to 'an ongoing relationship' as well as a 'bonafide marriage.' We had dated and lived together for 7 years by the time we got married.

The person who helped me with our application at the consulate in Johannesburg told me that some Americans will take a spouse they are no longer with or no longer love with them to the U.S as a trade for being able to coparent with the non citizen spouse and so just a birth certificate or just a marriage certificate doesn't prove anything. He told us to include stuff that spanned the entirety of our relationship and proved that we were still living together and existing as a couple. So, like others have said before me - joint lease agreements, co ownership of assets, mail for each of you received at the same address, joint invitations to events, proof of trips taken together etc..... anything you can think of that would prove to someone who doesn't know you, that you are indeed a couple. Again - within reason.

Good luck!

Edited July 22, 2015 by Miss M