lack of proof of bona fide marriage at interview????

[lanaandkarim 0]

hi everybody,

Today we had the interview at indianapolis. We thought we were prepared and had everything we needed but we didn't. well here is the story:

After the officer called my name we followed her to her office we swore the sat down, she asked about our id's gave her my state id and my passport and i had the i-94 which i told her about, then wife gave her idshe asked me those questions name adrress and if i ever was a member of a communist party or a terrorist organization and all that stuff which was the answer no to all. she asked my wife job she hasn't worked for a while after her accident, she asked me where do i work and how much do i make i gave her a letter from the company saying when did i start working there and how much do i make an hour which is a little above the poverty line. then she asked about tax return if we filed , and yes of course we had the file she asked if we had a copy which we didn't so she said it's ok she would make a copy. she asked when did we meet and when we got married while we answered i offered her to see our two albums where we have pics of marriage and some trips and some with family ...etc she asked about proofs that we live together , we gave her the lease contract and a letter from where i work saying my wife is the benificiary of my life insurance. she asked if we had some more we said like what . she said like bills of insurance or something like that . well all utilities in my apt are included so we don't pay any utulities and phone and cable are on my name and not on my wife's name . we have separate bank accounts because my wife had a bank account before i came here in virginia before she moved here to indiana andkept and i opened my own when i started working here i tried to add her as joint but they didn't accept at the bank because of a past bad check. the officer left us for a long while before that to go make copies then came back ased us like i said for some more evidence and then left again and came back with the application for my finger prints and asked me to fill it in and then again left and came back with another paper saying that additional documentation is necessary; which is proof of bona fide marriage and shared life together...

then she took me to the waiting room so i can go get my finger prints done and kept my wife at the office ask her some more questions. i was kind of surprised , never heard it happen before after i was done with finger prints found wife waiting and she was like do u know why she kept me there i said i don't know she said they thought you beat me because her arm on a sling after she had an operation on her shoulder (rotary cup) !!!!

anyway don't know what to send them now and i have 6 weeks to provide more proofs and i don't think there is any lack of proof it just the officer who is ayoung lady probably in her first month there and who can't make BIG decision like this and need some more time and help to make her decisions

p.s i got my i-94 back ; bad sign isn't it?!!!

sorry to be long and good luck to everybody

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

Go open a bank account togther, add your wife to any bills (ie, credit card, cable etc) that you can and send those in. You can also get statements from people who know you as a couple and send those in too.

[akim oda 0]

I feel so sorry for you and your wife. I hope everything goes well. Like Jane says, open bank acct. together and put both your names on some bills. I'd get busy, 6 weeks can fly by. Lots of luck.

[together2love 0]

Yes, open a joint account ASAP what others have posted very soon, because it takes a month to go through before you get your statements on them. Car insurance? property insurance? gym memberships?, videostore cards?

[rebeccajo 14]

In addition, you might want to see if you can get the medical records from your wife's surgery for her arm, including the diagnosis report from her GP and any notes from the surgeon.

Personally, I think your AO crossed the line a bit in her effort to be prudent.

Edited April 3, 2007 by rebeccajo

[shoe 0]

Get a magazine subscription together and @ the Doctors office get a copy of the Hipaa forms showing each other as theperson who can call to find out your medical condition if need be. Did you file yur taxes together as married? just curious.Good luck

[mRx 16]

Thats absolutely ridiculous. How much "evidence" do they want??? I mean come on, the fact that both husband and wife are present at the interview should be enough to prove "bonafide marriage"... When i go to my interview, ill bring my neighbors dog, as evidence, because spot will attest to barking at both my wife and I as we enter and leave our apartment. And that will prove bona fide marriage right?

uscis

Sorry you had to go through that... Hope you get it all sorted out.

[Mags 112]

Thats absolutely ridiculous. How much "evidence" do they want??? I mean come on, the fact that both husband and wife are present at the interview should be enough to prove "bonafide marriage"... When i go to my interview, ill bring my neighbors dog, as evidence, because spot will attest to barking at both my wife and I as we enter and leave our apartment. And that will prove bona fide marriage right?

uscis

Sorry you had to go through that... Hope you get it all sorted out.

Just the husband and wife showing up for interview does NOT constitute a bona fide marriage. Anyone can turn up, do a bit of good acting (especially if they have done it before) and pretend to be married. I'm sorry that the OP had to go through this, but with the amount of fraudulent marriages on the rise I think that having to provide additional information like utilities and bank statements is perfectly warranted.

[youngie 0]

Thats absolutely ridiculous. How much "evidence" do they want??? I mean come on, the fact that both husband and wife are present at the interview should be enough to prove "bonafide marriage"... When i go to my interview, ill bring my neighbors dog, as evidence, because spot will attest to barking at both my wife and I as we enter and leave our apartment. And that will prove bona fide marriage right?

uscis

Sorry you had to go through that... Hope you get it all sorted out.

How naive !!!

[lavloze 0]

I think you will be just fine, send them every evidence you took to the interview plus the following:

1. Notarized statement from at least 2 people atesting to the authencity of your marriage.

2. Go open a joint checking account at another bank and request some kind of statement.

3. Magazine subsriptions like TIME, Newsweek cost less than $30 per year.

4. Gym membership if you can afford it.

5. Sam's Club or Costco membership card....

All these are things you can get done in less than a week and mail to them ASAP. I'm sure your welcome letter will be the next.

[notrepetiteashley 0]

Thats absolutely ridiculous. How much "evidence" do they want??? I mean come on, the fact that both husband and wife are present at the interview should be enough to prove "bonafide marriage"... When i go to my interview, ill bring my neighbors dog, as evidence, because spot will attest to barking at both my wife and I as we enter and leave our apartment. And that will prove bona fide marriage right?

uscis

Sorry you had to go through that... Hope you get it all sorted out.

Just the husband and wife showing up for interview does NOT constitute a bona fide marriage. Anyone can turn up, do a bit of good acting (especially if they have done it before) and pretend to be married. I'm sorry that the OP had to go through this, but with the amount of fraudulent marriages on the rise I think that having to provide additional information like utilities and bank statements is perfectly warranted.

I totally agree. It's all the fakers out there that are the cause of the need for all this documentation. Always a good idea to have VJ check your list of what you're taking to your interview.

Good luck

[Ta Ta 1]

I wish you the best, please keep us posted.

[Cécy 44]

It seems you got someone who is really picky.

Good luck. I'm sure it will work out.

I heard that 60% of people who ask for a Green Card through marriage are fake couples (an immigration lawyer told me that) so it's not wonder they get more and more suspicious.

[maya62 7]

All of the ideas above are good. Also check to see if you have any mail that is addressed to you, the non-USC, at the same address as your wife. Any mail addressed to both of you is even better.

If I were you, I'd also get a few, brief, notarized letters from family and/or friends who know you as a couple, just saying how they know you. It would be a good idea (imho) to give their daytime phone number just below their signature on the letter.

Good luck!

Maya

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Other proof can include each writing your wills and including the other as your beneficiary; listing each other on health insurance policies, car insurance/ownership listing both individuals; joint membership in AAA; if you have cell phones check into a 'family' plan where you can call each other at no extra charge and both names are listed on the bill; hospital documents noting you as next of kin (ask the hospital for a copy); doctor's office statement that list you as your wife's spouse; any joint credit cards, etc.