I-130 Proof of "Bona Fide" Marriage?!?!

[judester 0]

Hi!

On the I-130 filing instructions #7 second section 4) "Affidavits sworn to or by third parties having knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship...".

Has anyone got an outline of what they had written by friends or relatives in this affidavit?

I KNOW it says "OR" after #1, 2 & 3 and these are not required, but we would like to include a couple of these letters in our petition.

Thanks everybody!

Judester

[Dr_LHA 3]

You don't need affidavits, just give them what they ask for: A copy of your marriage certificate. Thats all you need to prove your marriage at this point.

Edited March 12, 2007 by dr_lha

[elgringo 0]

I included a letter from my sister. It basically just said that she knows both me and my wife, and that we have known each other for 3 yrs and have been married for 4 months, and that she lives with us and we have a "bona fide" marital relationship. You can just put something like that. I think they want a statement, not a book, so its probably good to keep it short and sweet. Dont forget to put the person's full name and address and whatever else the form asks for.

[Dr_LHA 3]

I'm sorry - where in the I-130 does it say that they want an affidavit? The only place I can find is as a replacement for "missing documents".

If you have everything they ask for on the I-130 then you don't need to go to all this extra trouble of getting affidavits. There's enough to do in this process without making extra work for yourself.

Edited March 12, 2007 by dr_lha

[elgringo 0]

In the instructions for the I-130 it says:

7. What Documents Do You Need to Prove a Family Relationship?

Then it says you need to include the marriage cert and blah blah and then under that it says:

NOTE: In addition to the required documentation listed above, you should submit one or more of the following types of documentation that may evidence the bona fides of your marriage...

Number 5 there says: Affadavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of your marital relationship. (Each affadavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affadavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner of beneficiary, if any, and complete details explaining how the person aquired his or her knowledge of your marriage...)

Who knows, maybe it makes it less likely that they'll make you do an interview if you supply affadavits saying that your marriage is real.

Edited March 12, 2007 by elgringo

[brightsunshine 0]

I'm sorry - where in the I-130 does it say that they want an affidavit? The only place I can find is as a replacement for "missing documents".

New form. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-130.pdf, page 2, lower left - upper right.

After some googling, this is what I came up with. Others please feel free to chime in to modify:

"I, [NAME], born [DATE OF BIRTH] in [PLACE OF BIRTH], currently residing at [sTREET ADDRESS], in [sTATE] MAKE OATH AND SAY THAT:

1. I am [RELATION TO PETITIONER/RELATIVE] of [PETITIONER / RELATIVE NAME] and have personal knowledge of the matters herein referred to.

2. I have known [PETITIONER / RELATIVE] since [DATE] under [CIRCUMSTANCE].

3. [OTHER STATEMENTS ABOUT KNOWLEDGE OF COUPLE AND BONA FIDES OF MARRIAGE]

4. A copy of [RELEVANT PICTURE / DOCUMENT*] is attached to my affidavit at Exhibit "A".

SWORN BEFORE ME at the City of [CITY], in the state of [sTATE], this [DATE] day of [MONTH], [YEAR], [sIGNATURE], [NAME] (affiant)

[sIGNATURE & NAME OF NOTARY PUBLIC] (notary public)"

* For example, lease/deed if it's someone who lives together with the couple.

[judester 0]

I'm sorry - where in the I-130 does it say that they want an affidavit? The only place I can find is as a replacement for "missing documents".

New form. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-130.pdf, page 2, lower left - upper right.

Thanks!

This looks good. I think there may be some confusion out there due to the fact that the I-130 has an updated form. The one linked from VJ is NOT the most recent form. If any administrators from VJ can see this... please update the link. The most recent form can be found directly through www.uscis.gov

Thanks,

Judester

[KarenCee 3]

In the instructions for the I-130 it says:

7. What Documents Do You Need to Prove a Family Relationship?

Then it says you need to include the marriage cert and blah blah and then under that it says:

NOTE: In addition to the required documentation listed above, you should submit one or more of the following types of documentation that may evidence the bona fides of your marriage...

Number 5 there says: Affadavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of your marital relationship. (Each affadavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affadavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner of beneficiary, if any, and complete details explaining how the person aquired his or her knowledge of your marriage...)

Who knows, maybe it makes it less likely that they'll make you do an interview if you supply affadavits saying that your marriage is real.

Um...we didn't submit any affidavits from anyone. Only the marriage certificate. Obviously they think our marriage is "bona fide" since my husband's AOS was transferred to CSC.

[Dr_LHA 3]

In the instructions for the I-130 it says:

7. What Documents Do You Need to Prove a Family Relationship?

Then it says you need to include the marriage cert and blah blah and then under that it says:

NOTE: In addition to the required documentation listed above, you should submit one or more of the following types of documentation that may evidence the bona fides of your marriage...

Number 5 there says: Affadavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of your marital relationship. (Each affadavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affadavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner of beneficiary, if any, and complete details explaining how the person aquired his or her knowledge of your marriage...)

Who knows, maybe it makes it less likely that they'll make you do an interview if you supply affadavits saying that your marriage is real.

AH! They changed the damn form. Sorry.