I-751 Request for Additional Evidence - limited shared financial history

[LostGraduation 0]

Hello All,

We just received a request for additional evidence on our I-751. We were a bit surprised, and

upset.

I am concerned that some documentation they request are things we would have to make

NOW. Will this disqualify it as relevant support? Specifics are below. If anyone can provide insight

or information it is greatly appreciated.

We submitted:

Evidence of Shared health benefits

2013-2014 Jointly filed tax returns

Joint savings account opened in 2015

Bills coming to both of us at current residence

2 Signed affidavits, one from a close friend wh attended our wedding, and one from my mother

Photos spanning several years, included overseas trips

The letter indicated we did not show a significant shared financial history. Which thinking on it,

we did not, both of us are working, and we had little need to share a checking account.

We not yet have any children.

Documents They Requested:

We can provide are below. I have some specific questions about them, highlighted in bold, and any help is greatly appreciated.

1) -Lease to our current apartment - Question: We have lived here for 3 years, but my wife's name was finally added only this year, Is that a problem?

2) Shared Checking Account - Question: We can make a joint account now, is it too late?

3) Will and Testament - Question: If I make out a will naming her as beneficiary now is it too late?

4) Phone Bills - Question: These come addressed to only one of us, but at this residence, and with both our phones on the same account. Is this relevent?

5) My wife's bank statements with our current mailing address (this is not a joint account, just hers)

6) Shared Savings account (updated statements)

7) Life insurance policy naming wife as beneficiary

8) Additional 2015 tax return

Other Evidence Not Specifically Requested:

9) Passports showing travel to Italy and Japan in the past year

10) Additional Photos of travel

11) Updated Affidavit

Would any of that other documentation help?

Thank you for any support you can offer

[Ortolan 381]

You can also do Living Wills that name each other; Power of Attorney, again naming each other. Do you have drivers' licenses showing the same address? Highlight your wife's number on the phone statements.

Try to include as many documents from the time you began your married life together as possible; what they want is a sort of evidence chain of actually having a life together.

[LostGraduation 0]

You can also do Living Wills that name each other; Power of Attorney, again naming each other. Do you have drivers' licenses showing the same address? Highlight your wife's number on the phone statements.

Thank you very much for the quick response. I will look into a Living Will. Regarding driver's licenses, we are in NYC, so my wife did not ever get a license.

Try to include as many documents from the time you began your married life together as possible; what they want is a sort of evidence chain of actually having a life together.

My concern is I cannot think of any financial documents aside from joint tax returns from the beginning. We didn't really think about it, so aside from her own bank statements, most all of our utilities were all addressed to me. Are there any other documents aside from bills commonly used to show residence?

[Ketsuban 1,034]

What you need to do is send what you have. I would make wills and medical power of attorney documents anyway since those are important to have. You could send them off to USCIS, but as you said, these were only just created.

For other documentation they've requested that you do not have, you should create a letter explaining why you do not have them. You can then either expect an approval or an interview letter. They shouldn't deny your petition without an interview, and the vast majority of these interviews go without a problem.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

They like to see co mingled financial evidence such as monthly bank statements from joint accounts from inception of marriage.

If you don't have it then write a note and explain why you do not have it.

Joint credit cards, gym cards, wills, power of attorneys, 401K, car loan, car titles, life insurance etc.....whatever you can generate now is fine but

of course they want to see things from the inception of your marriage. If you don't have it then you don't have it, can't show what you

don't have so mingle what you can now. What you bolded is not a problem.

Trips and photos also help. Yes, the phone bills with both names shows a mingled life, it's not only about showing the same address.

Think mingled !

Look over the VJ ROC guide and see what you may not be thinking of from the list.

[TBoneTX 45,825]

Thread is moved from the AOS/Family-Based main forum to the Removing Conditions forum.

[LostGraduation 0]

Thank you all for the kind replies. I feel like we have a clearer plan going forward.

Will move forward with making everything we can, and work on a letter for the things we lack history on.

Does anyone know if this type of letter is best to be highly detailed or just to the point? Not sure if the

reviewers want more info, or brevity.

For other documentation they've requested that you do not have, you should create a letter explaining why you do not have them. You can then either expect an approval or an interview letter. They shouldn't deny your petition without an interview, and the vast majority of these interviews go without a problem.

Thank you, am relieved to here that in the worst case, we would like just have to go through the interview process.

Look over the VJ ROC guide and see what you may not be thinking of from the list.

Thanks, will check that again, and thanks for pointing out gym membership, we do share one and I had not thought of that.

[lilsweetie 32]

I always include a letter with my package of documents to serve as a table of contents as well as to clarify things that may be confusing to the officer.

I try to be brief and to the point. Just explain as clearly and concisely as possible. The less time they have to spend figuring out what you mean, the better.

[Snow Crash 0]

How long after you filed your I-751 did you get the RFE notice? I sent in my package two weeks ago (NOA 10/14) and I'm pretty much expecting a RFE, since we don't have a lot of intermingled financial history. There's jointly filed taxes (I haven't been working), joint medical insurance, beneficiary of life insurance, joint car insurance, and a recently opened joint checking account.

I did enclose a note explaining the (somewhat odd) circumstances for my lack of evidence, so we'll see if they read that or not. The only further thing I can provide is a few more months of joint bank account statements, so we're half expecting to be called in for an interview.

[LostGraduation 0]

How long after you filed your I-751 did you get the RFE notice? I sent in my package two weeks ago (NOA 10/14) and I'm pretty much expecting a RFE, since we don't have a lot of intermingled financial history. There's jointly filed taxes (I haven't been working), joint medical insurance, beneficiary of life insurance, joint car insurance, and a recently opened joint checking account.

I did enclose a note explaining the (somewhat odd) circumstances for my lack of evidence, so we'll see if they read that or not. The only further thing I can provide is a few more months of joint bank account statements, so we're half expecting to be called in for an interview.

Just under 11 months. Our NOA date was 11/30/2015, we recieved the RFE on 10/24/16. On my letter, of the things I listed in first post, they viewed "Joint medical insurance"

as proof, and the rest as supporting evidence. Reading posts from other helpful users, I think our letter of explanation for lack of mingled finances may have been lacking, hopefully

yours works better.

[LostGraduation 0]

I wouldn't dwell on writing about/apologizing for things you don't have. Instead focus on making a list on the things you do have and can show as evidence. Technically a cover letter isn't necessary but people include it to look professional and organized. I would keep the cover letter brief and only explain very briefly about any specific document they asked for and that you can't provide for whatever reason.

I always include a letter with my package of documents to serve as a table of contents as well as to clarify things that may be confusing to the officer.

I try to be brief and to the point. Just explain as clearly and concisely as possible. The less time they have to spend figuring out what you mean, the better.

I did include a table of contents and letter last time, but mostly just explained what was included rather than what was NOT, so I'll focus on that. Guess I'll try to keep it brief and

focused on specific documents.

Thank you again!

I wouldn't dwell on writing about/apologizing for things you don't have. Instead focus on making a list on the things you do have and can show as evidence. Technically a cover letter isn't necessary but people include it to look professional and organized. I would keep the cover letter brief and only explain very briefly about any specific document they asked for and that you can't provide for whatever reason.

I always include a letter with my package of documents to serve as a table of contents as well as to clarify things that may be confusing to the officer.

I try to be brief and to the point. Just explain as clearly and concisely as possible. The less time they have to spend figuring out what you mean, the better.

I did include a table of contents and letter last time, but mostly just explained what was included rather than what was NOT, so I'll focus on that. Guess I'll try to keep it brief and

focused on specific documents.

Thank you again!

I wouldn't dwell on writing about/apologizing for things you don't have. Instead focus on making a list on the things you do have and can show as evidence. Technically a cover letter isn't necessary but people include it to look professional and organized. I would keep the cover letter brief and only explain very briefly about any specific document they asked for and that you can't provide for whatever reason.

I always include a letter with my package of documents to serve as a table of contents as well as to clarify things that may be confusing to the officer.

I try to be brief and to the point. Just explain as clearly and concisely as possible. The less time they have to spend figuring out what you mean, the better.

I did include a table of contents and letter last time, but mostly just explained what was included rather than what was NOT, so I'll focus on that. Guess I'll try to keep it brief and

focused on specific documents.

Thank you again!

I wouldn't dwell on writing about/apologizing for things you don't have. Instead focus on making a list on the things you do have and can show as evidence. Technically a cover letter isn't necessary but people include it to look professional and organized. I would keep the cover letter brief and only explain very briefly about any specific document they asked for and that you can't provide for whatever reason.

I always include a letter with my package of documents to serve as a table of contents as well as to clarify things that may be confusing to the officer.

I try to be brief and to the point. Just explain as clearly and concisely as possible. The less time they have to spend figuring out what you mean, the better.

I did include a table of contents and letter last time, but mostly just explained what was included rather than what was NOT, so I'll focus on that. Guess I'll try to keep it brief and

focused on specific documents.

Thank you again!

[Snow Crash 0]

Just under 11 months. Our NOA date was 11/30/2015, we recieved the RFE on 10/24/16. On my letter, of the things I listed in first post, they viewed "Joint medical insurance"

as proof, and the rest as supporting evidence. Reading posts from other helpful users, I think our letter of explanation for lack of mingled finances may have been lacking, hopefully

yours works better.

That's great to know, thank you! Of course having to wait a year is no fun, but it's better to know what to expect. And a year from now, I'm hoping I'll have more evidence to submit.

I got an RFE on my AOS application - my immunization records were insufficient - and once they received the new documents my application was approved within two weeks. So hopefully you won't have to wait much longer!