RFE after 9 months of Vermont doing nothing

[h13rma 35]

Vermont does nothing for 9 months then sends an RFE for more info despite having 2 car loans, 3 years joint tax returns, joint health cover evidence that we are both each others beneficiary on work life insurance. We have a joint account that we use to pay the mortgage and cars, but my wifes salary still goes into an account in Texas as all her payments were pre-set from it. proof of several joint vacations

So we can send, Drivers licences with same address on them, copies of credit cards in both names, we have joint health insurance this year only as it was cheaper than each going with our own companies. My wife already had a house and mortgage, electricity etc so we never changed them.

How do we go about getting affidavits from friends/relatives do they need to be witnessed by notaries? It would be so much easier just to have an interview, what a waste of time scrabbling for bits of paper that if one was making a false claim would be so much easier to fabricate.

[sunshinestate2013 136]

h13rma, I am curious, how many statements of your joint checking account did you send with your application?

[rjgacek 6]

I 100% agree with you. 9 months of waiting to finally get something you don't want an RFE. why it takes this agency so long to do such simple tasks is beyond explanation. I too am in fear of them doing this to our case also, I felt I was pretty successful in sending them everything but the kitchen sink, but I fear they might find something else they need. I wish you luck.

[h13rma 35]

6 months of joint statements but we couldn't send previous ones as we had moved bank.

[rjgacek 6]

I sent in a very, very large packet. I sent them 24 monthly bank statements showing we are both joint. Probably and over kill, but I look at it this way , what they cant use they will shred. I sent photos, could not get joint on my credit cards but had authorized user for both me and my wife. Had a Last Will and testament, sent in a bunch of mailings that came to our home in our names trying to show co residency. Sent them 2 rental leases, our auto loan and insurance is joint, sent those.

I am on medicare so the only thing I was able to send them was my wife works and has me as beneficiary on her Life insurance and I am on her vision plan. I also have had a small insurance policy for over 3 years with my wife as beneficiary. I sent in my wife's paystubs, probably irrelevant but shows her filing status as married and her current address on her paystubs. Drivers license with both our addresses on them.

I sent much more, not knowing how much of it will be relevant in my case, but, again, I figure, what they cant use, they will dispose of.

Again, my friend, good luck. I am early in the process. We sent our I-751 in on March 4th, her greencard expires May 16th. Already received her one year extention letter, now next in line is the biometric appointment. Then like you, probably a very long waiting game from there, wishing I dont get an RFE or a Interview.

rjgacek

[nitehero 6]

6 months of joint statements but we couldn't send previous ones as we had moved bank.

That might the reason why u got the RFE, they usually want joint statements that cover most of your time together as a married couple. If it is possible, go to your old bank and ask them to give you a letter showing you had a joint account there, also stating the period of time the account existed. 6 month statements doesn't cover a long period of time. Write an explanation letter when sending the RFE too.

[h13rma 35]

Thanks for that, we have managed to get a load more stuff together, trouble was that when filling was post a break in and a lot of paper work was missing, we'll get an affidavit from my sister in law, and the neighbor, we do have joint insurance now, and if it comes to it our Congressional Representative lives down the street and is at least a passing acquaintance of us both.

[Pitaya 2,577]

I feel your pain. We were about at the 8 month mark after sending in our initial novella to CSC when we got our RFE for more "marriage bonafides" since the inception of the marriage. We literally scrounged up anything document statement, etc, for the RFE response. The one thing that I keep thinking that really helped us was hooking up with legal zoom.com and getting our wills, DPOA, Living wills prepared. We included copies of those documents, along with the kitchen sink and were approved. It is a good thing now, and likely very useful down the road.

YMMV.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[ali.cha 18]

No need to notarized. We received RFE this february. We added 3 affidavits from our friends who had known us at least a couple years. They have to write letter how long they have known you and how they witnessed your relationship, to assure USCIS that is real people ask your friends to provide address of their residence, status in the country and contact information in case if USCIS want to contact them. In a week or so you should be approved.

[751 1]

How do we go about getting affidavits from friends/relatives do they need to be witnessed by notaries? It would be so much easier just to have an interview, what a waste of time scrabbling for bits of paper that if one was making a false claim would be so much easier to fabricate.

If the statements are notarized, it's better. Even if they are not, it's not a deal breaker. I had affidavit from my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law (wife's sister).

I 100% agree with you. 9 months of waiting to finally get something you don't want an RFE. why it takes this agency so long to do such simple tasks is beyond explanation. I too am in fear of them doing this to our case also, I felt I was pretty successful in sending them everything but the kitchen sink, but I fear they might find something else they need. I wish you luck.

The process is really slow, at least it was for me. I filed for removal of conditions in summer 2013 with VSC. VSC transferred the case to CSC because of work load. CSC asked for RFE and I compiled. CSC transferred the case to local field office for interview. I had my interview today at the field office after waiting for the interview date for more than 24 months. The interview went well and the immigration officer said that he would recommend us to his supervisor and we should hear something within a month.

[cdneh 3,112]

Thanks for that, we have managed to get a load more stuff together, trouble was that when filling was post a break in and a lot of paper work was missing, we'll get an affidavit from my sister in law, and the neighbor, we do have joint insurance now, and if it comes to it our Congressional Representative lives down the street and is at least a passing acquaintance of us both.

You don't counter an RFE with a congressional representative.They cannot help you with this. You give them what they want. What they want for ROC is proof of finacial co-mingling. You aren't trying to prove you have a relationship, or that you are married. that's all been done. 6 months of bank statements is inadequate. Not Vermont's fault.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

although she already had a house and mortgage, you can be added to the deed by doing a simple quick claim deed and filing it at county court. i did this when my husband was still in the visa process as immigration was telling us to co-mingle funds and specifically asked for us to show a signed rental or property owned together. He had never been to the US. Quick claim deed forms are online / filing this form costs me a whole $12.

if you changed banks, can you show joint ownership on the former account?

they accepted only the 3 papers from me showing i had added him to account. Again he was still in his country and i did this with POA and ITIN / he was on my accounts for 5 years before getting his visa and coming to US.

I know many say these things do not have to be done until AOS but we had to do them for embassy interview

He was 5 years on tax returns, beneficary of insurance and in my will before he was in US

[IcezMan_IcezLady 582]

For only 6 months?? Even a K-1 applicants hardly get around with documents for that short period. You submitted insufficient proof of financial co-mingling docs.

VSC was hiring towards the end of last year.. They are understaffed.

[Leo7777 243]

although she already had a house and mortgage, you can be added to the deed by doing a simple quick claim deed and filing it at county court. i did this when my husband was still in the visa process as immigration was telling us to co-mingle funds and specifically asked for us to show a signed rental or property owned together. He had never been to the US. Quick claim deed forms are online / filing this form costs me a whole $12.

Technical point . . . but there is no such thing as a 'quick' claim deed.

It is 'quit' claim deed.

Yes, yes I know; many people mispronounce it, even people in real estate.

[squareleg 69]

I'm not sure if I follow "..filling was post a break in and a lot of paper work was missing". Most of the documentation you would need to provide, would be available online (and from third-party: bank, township office, insurance company etc.).

I would not advise to send more bank statements. USCIS, I am sure is smart to understand that you have joint account. I had only included 3-4 in my package. Anyways, just make sure that you include them over the time-span that you are trying to cover, if you have just sent the consecutive statements and have not covered the period under consideration.

If your wife has mortgage, utility bills etc., it shows that she is solely managing the household. Can you get your name added to various utility services? Subsequently, print the evidence.

Taxes - included tax transcripts.

Children - if you have any, include any 529 Plan statements.

Life Insurance - do you have one listing other spouse as beneficiary?

Auto Insurance - include for the duration of the period. The policy documents lists drivers and carries addresses.

Auto Loans - are they jointly held? Are you also the borrower or just your wife? Submit statements from the auto loan lender. You have to show co-mingling of finances and not just one spouse managing the household.

Deed/Property - include yourself on the documents and submit the evidence.

You have to make USCIS comfortable that it is not two people living in household, rather, it is a married couple living (managing assets and liabilities) in the household.

Good luck!!

Edited March 17, 2016 by squareleg