Applied 6 months ago - received letter asking for more evidence

[NikLR 13,227]

I think you guys are looking from an irrelevant point of view. The govt cannot discriminate against age, health condition, sex, or personal preference. They do not consider a child as the main proof of bona fide marriage because not everyone can have children, some people get married later in their lives, same-sex marriages, or simply couple may not want to have a child. it has nothing to do with anyone can lay down together or roommates having oopsie moments.

They have to apply same rules for everone. That's why financial comingling is big but alone would not prove anything if the couple live at the opposite sides of country for a long while without seeing each other. Same residence, shared moments, joint bank accounts, purchased properties, joint policies, witnesses, pretty much everything counts.

This

[Darnell 8,478]

do you have any other suggestions for things I can do on short-ish notice to add to my evidence?

1. get on a pc with internet access

2. click on the link labeled 'advanced search' in the upper right corner

3. search terms = 'financial'

4. member name = 'Darnell'

5. click on 'display as posts'.

study all. going back 5 years. Report back, when able. and........................... Go Get Em, and Good Luck !

[Sukie 1,460]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here so I hope I'm as clear as possible.

My husband is from Hungary and we were married in October of 2012. We received his 2 year conditional green card the following year, which was a ton of work and we were so happy to get it. Now it is time to renew for the 10 year visa and remove the conditions (I-751).

We sent in everything we could back in June. Joint health and car insurance documents, joint lease, utility bills and just general bills sent to our address, married-filing-jointly tax returns for the past two years and as many pictures and letters as I could come up with. We aren't wealthy people... we've been living in the same apartment this whole time. Also, we've had separate bank accounts because I wanted him to learn to manage his own finances here (he never had a bank account in Hungary because he was 17 when he came to the US and never got an account of his own when he arrived). I helped him set up his own account and credit card so he could earn a credit score. We have done very well not to accumulate debt or liabilities, but now that I received this letter from the USCIS I'm feeling like they WANTED us to take out a bunch of loans together this whole time and that's what they wanted to see to approve his application.

I'm extremely distressed about this situation. They are requiring more evidence by April 1. I don't have much else to give them, but here is a list of everything I can think of to send them. I would like to know if there is anything else someone can suggest to us that will help our case:

1. I added him as a joint to my bank account the same night we received the letter. Obviously, previous statements will not have his name listed as an account owner, but anything in the future will.

2. I went to the DMV yesterday morning and added him as a joint owner on my car title (the updated one will take 4-6 weeks to arrive). It is the ONLY true asset I own. We own no property.

3. We financed a car as of November of 2015. I can send them the loan documents from my credit union and the bill of sale for the car, both of which will have our names on it.

4. I also am trying to get an official document from my employer showing that my husband is the beneficiary on my life insurance policy.

I also called and spoke to an immigration officer who told me that currently, it looks like our relationship is more of a "roommate" situation. I was shocked to hear this, but all I can do is try to appease them. I'm going to send in all of this additional stuff ASAP, but I'm worried because it doesn't show much for the duration of our marriage (more than three years). If anybody has ANY suggestions or advice for proving that we've intermingled our finances or assets for this amount of time, I would be so so grateful. I'm terrified that they could deny my husband's application when I am trying to hard to prove that we really are marriage out of love and not some scam.

Thank you for reading!

It's true: USCIS wants people to combine finances as the primary proof that they are a couple and not just "roommates".

I believe your best bet is to write a letter much as you have written here. Emphasize that the two of you have lived together (trace the payments you each have made), but that since your husband did not have any experience managing an account, the two of you decided on how you would build his credit history, and stay fiscally responsible.

Acknowledge that if circumstances had been different, you might have made different decisions, but you had a thoughtful plan to not incur any debt, and the way you did that was to <describe>.

If your parents are alive, and know of your situation (and especially if they taught you how to manage money - sounds like you do a FABULOUS job of it!), get them to write an affidavit to support your choices.

I think the most important thing is to let them know that your situation might look different from a "typical" American marriage where everything is co-mingled, but that you both had a plan and agreed that this was the best way for you to manage without debt.

Best of luck to you. It always hurts when people doubt our relationships.

Sukie in NY

[ricnally 258]

I agree with those who've said that setting up wills, p of a and so on at this late date will not help. Look at it from their point of view: you could set those things up now, and then, as soon as you get your 10 yr card, you could reverse them. As far as evidence goes, you have what you have. If they don't like it, they'll call you for an interview and the bonafides of your marriage will be proven. Try not to be so stressed/offended/indignant/frustrated over the whole thing.

[charmander 692]

By the way, you mentioned they want the evidence by April 1. Not sure if you are going to wait until then but If you are planning to file your 2015 taxes soon and have no balance due, IRS says the transcripts become available 2-3 weeks after submission (for electronic filing). You have enough time to even include your 2015 tax return. https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Transcript-Availability

[flfreddy 92]

Do what they want, not what you want. When you have the green card, then do what you want. First thing people do is open a joint account and a joint lease or title ownership to something. Then have some medical cards with 2 names. Invitation cards and Xmas cards with 2 names also great. These is the 2 years to do it the AMERICAN way of a couple... then after you get your GC, you can do your cultural way. Remember, the person approving it is an american used to american way and thinking. That person probably does not have a Master or Phd. So think lower and dumber to get thru this hurdle.

[sahd0w 4]

By the way, you mentioned they want the evidence by April 1. Not sure if you are going to wait until then but If you are planning to file your 2015 taxes soon and have no balance due, IRS says the transcripts become available 2-3 weeks after submission (for electronic filing). You have enough time to even include your 2015 tax return. https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Transcript-Availability

Thank you for the suggestion. I was actually going to try and file my taxes early for this reason. I actually ordered some tax transcripts today for the previous two years (I wasn't sure if I should order the tax "account" or tax "return" so I got both) and will include those. I can't send in anything until I get my updated car title with my husband's name on it as a joint owner, so that leaves me 4-6 weeks to compile everything else I can. Ideally, I want to mail everything out by March 1st at the LATEST. I just hope I can get everything done that I need to before then!

[NikLR 13,227]

Fwiw, my husband and I sent in wills that were signed the day we mailed off the package. Having them only helps. Granted we had other strong evidence as well.

[sahd0w 4]

Update: Ok everyone!

I sent in our packet of stuff. Got a bunch of more evidence in there that I am hoping and praying won't be questionable. Car loan, car title, joint bank account statements, etc.

Last night I had a nightmare that they sent us another letter saying "You should be ashamed of yourselves for trying to fool us!" as if they didn't believe anything we sent them was real It was absolutely horrible. If they say we have to come in for an interview I'm going to die. I just want this to be over with. I love my husband so much and don't want any trouble anymore.

[sunshinestate2013 136]

Update: Ok everyone!

I sent in our packet of stuff. Got a bunch of more evidence in there that I am hoping and praying won't be questionable. Car loan, car title, joint bank account statements, etc.

Last night I had a nightmare that they sent us another letter saying "You should be ashamed of yourselves for trying to fool us!" as if they didn't believe anything we sent them was real It was absolutely horrible. If they say we have to come in for an interview I'm going to die. I just want this to be over with. I love my husband so much and don't want any trouble anymore.

I'm sorry you are going through this stressful situation. But don't worry. Worst case scenario you go in for an interview. If your marriage is legit you have nothing to worry about. Goodly luck.

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

Don't worry too much. Worse case scenario, you get an interview. You have a genuine marriage, you have nothing to worry about!

[QueenComley 295]

Sounds like GREAT stuff you sent in! They requested more evidence and you supplied it..... I think now you can sit back and relax... job done

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

I just saw on another thread, somebody posted a link to official statistics. Only 2% of I-751 filings are denied. You are in good shape.

[sahd0w 4]

Sounds like GREAT stuff you sent in! They requested more evidence and you supplied it..... I think now you can sit back and relax... job done

Thank you so much. I've been stressing out about this like crazy for the past week now, feeling so helpless, so your post made me feel a lot better. I guess I just need a little encouragement Honestly, our situation doesn't seem nearly as complicated as a lot of other peoples' which I have seen on here (going through a divorce, children with prior lovers, living across the country, in jail, etc.) We have literally just been married happily and living together since we moved into our apartment, low key, but also without many problems which I'm grateful to say. Maybe they are questioning us because it seems too blissful and nice to be true? It's really just that simple though lol.

[sahd0w 4]

I just saw on another thread, somebody posted a link to official statistics. Only 2% of I-751 filings are denied. You are in good shape.

Thank you again. This made me feel so much better. We really don't have any complications or issues (like I said on my previous post, some peoples' situations are way more complex than ours - meaning they are going through a divorce, have children with other lovers, haven't lived together, etc) which makes me feel comforted in that we really don't have anything to be questioned on. I mean, of course they can question us, but we will definitely have a true answer to give them. I just want this to be over so my husband can start studying to become an American!