Questions about Affidavit of support for an I-751 petition

[tina17 3]

Hi everyone, my husband and I just received an RFE on our I-751 petition from the Vermont office after 9 months of waiting. They said that we did not submit enough documentation to represent a joint and bona fide relationship.

Can someone provide some more detailed information on exactly how to proceed to create affidavits of support. Sample letters? Links to the topic? Any information that you may have would be appreciated.

Do the affidavits require two witnesses signatures plus the signature of the affiant?

Do we need a notary seal on the documents? There seems to be some difference of opinion on this point.

Can a married couple be used as co-affiants on one affidavit? Or should they provide two separate affidavits?

Also, we were told in the RFE that we provided only partial copies of our joint state and federal tax returns with no proof of submission. How do we provide satisfactory proof of submission as requested?

We have more questions, but will start with this.

Thanks so much!

[tina17 3]

Thank you Happy Chic.

According to the RFE:

You submitted the following documents:

- copy of your Permanent Resident Card

- certificate of marriage

- partial copies of joint state and federal tax returns for 2013 and 2014 with no proof of submission

- paycheck records, dated from March to June 2015, in your name

- joint rental agreement for July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015

- joint checking account statements, dated December 2013, and May 2015

- proof of enrollment in BMC Health Net Plan (2013) with insurance cards in each of your names

- letter from Minuteman Health with ID card, dated January 21, 2015 in your name

- Comcast bill, dated May 23, 2015 in your name

- Infinity offer, in your name

- Well Sense Health Plan, effective September 1, 2014 in your spouses name

- utility bills, dated May 14, 2015 in your spouses name

- affidavits; and

- photographs

Edited March 24, 2016 by tina17

[Cathi 5,748]

affidavit of support is a document for the petitioner proving they are financially able to support a beneficiary when immigrating. Do you means affidavits attesting to the validity of your relationship? If that's the case no, the don't need to be notarized, and yes they need to be separate. In the letters they need to include their contact information including full name, address and contact phone numbers.

It seems that some of the evidence you submitted were no joint. Ultilty bills, CC and bank statements, insurance and so on need have both names on them. remember you are trying to prove co-mingling of finances

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Joint account information from the entire span of your marriage, not just 2 bank statements. Get IRS tax transcripts, and if you already filed for 2015, send in the joint tax transcript or a complete copy of the return with all forms, schedules, W-2s and/or 1099s.

Are you named as beneficiaries on anything? Insurances? Wills? Copies of IDs showing the same address? Any mail address to you both? Send anything you can think of that shows co-mingling of finances and co-habitation for the entire length of your marriage.

[tina17 3]

Joint account information from the entire span of your marriage, not just 2 bank statements. Get IRS tax transcripts, and if you already filed for 2015, send in the joint tax transcript or a complete copy of the return with all forms, schedules, W-2s and/or 1099s.

Are you named as beneficiaries on anything? Insurances? Wills? Copies of IDs showing the same address? Any mail address to you both? Send anything you can think of that shows co-mingling of finances and co-habitation for the entire length of your marriage.

No, I am not a beneficiary on anything. We own no property, do not have life insurance, no will, no assets to speak of. I do not have a US drivers license therefore I am not on my husband's car insurance policy.

Because I didn't have Social Security card till late 2013 I was unable to get my name added to the utility bills. My name was added to the checking account and my payments from work are directly deposited there as well as my husband's, so will make sure that we have complete bank statements for the entire time we were together.

[tina17 3]

affidavit of support is a document for the petitioner proving they are financially able to support a beneficiary when immigrating. Do you means affidavits attesting to the validity of your relationship? If that's the case no, the don't need to be notarized, and yes they need to be separate. In the letters they need to include their contact information including full name, address and contact phone numbers.

It seems that some of the evidence you submitted were no joint. Ultilty bills, CC and bank statements, insurance and so on need have both names on them. remember you are trying to prove co-mingling of finances

Yes, I meant affidavits attesting to the validity of our relationship. My name appears on my husband's bank account and the statements do have my name on them. He has one credit card, my name is not on it. Should he add me to the account?

We had a lot of problems trying to get my name added on to the utility bills. The problem was I didn't have a Social Security number yet, I do now. Should we try to change and add my name to the utility bills now?

We have no life insurance, no property, no significant assets.

[tina17 3]

The reason why you got an RFE is because you didn't submit documentation from the inception of your marriage to the time of filing. You have good evidence but you selected very few statements and you also seem to have sent evidence where you were not joint. It seems to be a recent trend with USCIS that they like to see evidence spanning the entire 2+ years since marriage.

Do you have joint cell phone plans? Have you considered making joint health care power of attorneys for each other? Wills? Renter's insurance? Auto insurance?

No, we have one phone, and it is an old, pay as you go trac phone.

How would we go about making a joint health care power of attorneys for each other? Can this be done for free?

No renters insurance.

Auto insurance is in my husband's name. Could I still have my name added to his insurance policy if I do not have a license?

We have not submitted any affidavits from third parties yet. Could this be a big part of the reason why we received the RFE?

Thanks so much Happy Chic, we will follow your advice!

[Harmonia 211]

You have good evidence, but its very incomplete. Having 1 or 2 examples just isn't enough.

Don't worry too much about the utilities. In my state, they won't even put 2 names on the electric or the gas bill.

Get a copy of your joint lease for the entire duration of your marriage. Get rent receipts, if available, or voided checks with both your names on it. This will be part of your bank statement.

If you don't have a license, take a photocopy of your state ID and his license to show you have the same address.

You need bank statements for a minimum of every 3 months for the entire duration of marriage. They are BIG on bank statements showing activity. You should be able to print them online.

I imagine you printed your tax return from taxslayer.com or the like. They want an IRS transcript, which previous posters described how to obtain for free. That's the proof of submission.

[tina17 3]

Thanks everyone for your help!

[tina17 3]

Hi everyone,

We just completed putting together all documents in response to our RFE. Could anyone please advice us how to do the cover letter?

Also, what should we put on the envelope apart from the address?

And how should we post it? As standard post or priority?

Thank you so much for any suggestions and advice

[NikLR 13,227]

Do the cover letter rather like the original one. State that you're replying to an RFE. Send it so you can get notification of receipt but not with a signature. I would put ATTN: I-751 RFE Response

[tina17 3]

Do the cover letter rather like the original one. State that you're replying to an RFE. Send it so you can get notification of receipt but not with a signature. I would put ATTN: I-751 RFE Response

Thank you so much, it really helps!

[tina17 3]

Hello everyone,

Finally we managed to post the packet in response to our RFE. The date that this RFE was due was June 13th 2016. We checked online and tracking shows the package was delivered on the 3rd of May to the Vermont Office. We also checked the online case status on the USCIS website and the status hasn't been updated since last June.

Can anyone please explains what happens next? I am just a bit worried and concerned because I have a letter from June 23rd 2015 extending my Green Card for one year. That date is getting very close now, should I be concerned? Should I contact them? I have heard here on the forum that the Vermont Office is very backed up.

Any advice or information anyone has would be appreciated.