RFE!

[ali.cha 18]

Hi everyone,

Recently I received RFE for ROC. Husband and I filed last july and we gathered some information:

- Husband's tax returns

- Pictures

- Lease contract

- Medical insurance cards

However it looks like we didn't assure USCIS that our marriage was bona fide. In RFE letter they require to add copies of bank statements, joint account, utilities of bills like water, gas, cable and etc. Since I came to the US I have been a housewife and hence wasn't working. All bills were issued on husband's name. I'll explain: My husband works on commission based job and in order not to ruin my credit history he kept all bills on his name. We also never had a joint account. For now we gathered:

- three affidavit letters from his co-workers and my friend

- current lease contract

- pictures with my mother's visit last year

- Explanation letter WHY we didn't sign my name on utility bills.

What do you think would be this enough? We just don't have anything else to present.

[Georgia16 2,858]

Can't you just open a joint account?

Do you have wills?

[Lee&Ana 88]

You need to show that you are in a real marriage. You and your husband may know that you are but USCIS doesn't based on your evidence. You need to be on all the bills and have a joint account with your husband.

[NikLR 13,227]

Wills

Medical powers of attorney

Living wills

Btw having your name on these things improves your credit. As of now with no credit cards, loans, etc you have zero credit.

[ali.cha 18]

My husband has had financial difficulties, so he didn't want me to have same problems as he always paid bills with delay. Anyway we are going to write explanation why this happened.

I just don't get one thing they require to submit documents from the date of marriage... why? I entered the US almost in a year after getting married.

[NikLR 13,227]

Submit what you have. If you can do it from date of marriage thats good but date from entry on a spousal vusa is also good. I did from entry date as they had previous evidence because of our spousal visa.

[lilsweetie 31]

How about life insurance or 401k listing you as beneficiary?

[Advanced Aardvark 82]

Financial co-mingling is an important part of a bona fide marriage.

Open a joint checking account. This will give you debit cards drawing against the same account. Put your name on all utility bills. Go to LegalZoom and make a will.

If your documentation will not convince a reasonable person that your marriage is genuine, it will not convince USCIS either.

Good Luck

[Daveykins 17]

Tax transcripts are preferred over returns. You can get them in about a week from the IRS: https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[NikLR 13,227]

In reality worse comes to worse, you go for an interview. If you're genuine, you have nothing to fear.

[flfreddy 92]

Basic stuff, open a joint account, have some in out cash like a few thousand, medical plan, 2 names, insurance beneficiary .. can buy those term life like $20 a month thing, beneficiary cross each other, lease or condo registration, include 2 names, car title or insurance, 2 names. These can be done in like a few days.

Will takes longer but not necessary. filing 1040 tax is if together prior to dec 31 year before.

[andy78 178]

There are two reasons for them to require documents from the date of marriage even though you entered the US a year after the marriage: First, the RFE they sent you is a general RFE that they send to most people, they do not change the wording for each case. Second, you may have evidence from the one year when you were living outside the USA showing communications between you, such as letters, greeting cards, e-mails, online gift certificates, phone records, Facebook communications and posts, etc... anything you can think of.

I completed my ROC process without joint bank accounts or joint credit cards, and my case was a divorce waiver ROC. In my response to my RFE, I explained why I didn't have joint bank accounts/credit cards. I also explained other things, like why I didn't have a will naming my spouse as a beneficiary. The reason was that the law automatically made her the sole beneficiary in case of my death, because I didn't have kids, which means I didn't need a will unless I wanted to add other people as beneficiaries.

Also, other examples of documents you can use:

- You didn't say you have driver's license or IDs of you and your husband showing same address. You can include those.

- Joint car insurance.

- Letters from banks or companies in your name, and similar letters in his name, to show that you both have the same address.

- Any tickets showing the two of you traveling together (plane tickets, bus tickets, etc.)

- If you have a landlord or property manager who knows you and your husband, they can write an affidavit.

In my case, I sent them most of what I have, got the RFE, sent them some more stuff, got an interview, then got approved few days after the interview. Your case should be easier since you are married and you can still generate new evidence if you need to.

Edited February 8, 2016 by andy78

[Maria2012 16]

Um, your credit history is not ruined like that. You actually should be added to your husbands credit cards to build credit. Make sure to create credit for yourself otherwise if you get divorced you won't even be able to rent a place. If you get a Capital One, Discover or American Express card you can see your FICO score for free.

Take action now!

Hi everyone,

Recently I received RFE for ROC. Husband and I filed last july and we gathered some information:

- Husband's tax returns

- Pictures

- Lease contract

- Medical insurance cards

However it looks like we didn't assure USCIS that our marriage was bona fide. In RFE letter they require to add copies of bank statements, joint account, utilities of bills like water, gas, cable and etc. Since I came to the US I have been a housewife and hence wasn't working. All bills were issued on husband's name. I'll explain: My husband works on commission based job and in order not to ruin my credit history he kept all bills on his name. We also never had a joint account. For now we gathered:

- three affidavit letters from his co-workers and my friend

- current lease contract

- pictures with my mother's visit last year

- Explanation letter WHY we didn't sign my name on utility bills.

What do you think would be this enough? We just don't have anything else to present.

[lkerky 25]

Don't bother with the utility bills, I'd focus on more important evidence. Most companies will only allow one name on the bill/account anyway.

[ali.cha 18]

Don't bother with the utility bills, I'd focus on more important evidence. Most companies will only allow one name on the bill/account anyway.

Do you think affidavit letters, lease contracts and explanation for bills would be enough for RFE?