Evidence of a Bonifide Marriage

[GooseHoel 2]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and I am very thrilled about all the information that there is to guide you through the process.

 

There are though a couple of things I am curious about, and if anyone else have any experience, or knowledge about it, I appreciate all the information and help I can get.

 

Me (Norwegian) and my wife (US citizen), are working on assembling our I-130 package and need some help when it comes to the evidence for our marriage. We will

include personal statements from third parties, and photos showing how we have connection between the two families. My question then is, how many personal statements should we

include, and how many photos would be reasonable to include?

 

Thank you for any answer,

 

Oerjan

 

[Khallaf 650]

1 hour ago, GooseHoel said:

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and I am very thrilled about all the information that there is to guide you through the process.

 

There are though a couple of things I am curious about, and if anyone else have any experience, or knowledge about it, I appreciate all the information and help I can get.

 

Me (Norwegian) and my wife (US citizen), are working on assembling our I-130 package and need some help when it comes to the evidence for our marriage. We will

include personal statements from third parties, and photos showing how we have connection between the two families. My question then is, how many personal statements should we

include, and how many photos would be reasonable to include?

 

Thank you for any answer,

 

Oerjan

 

I included 4 personal statements, 2 from those witness to my wedding, 1 from a personal friend in USA, 1 from my mom, and I wrote a 2 page letter myself. I included 5 photos from each visit. and passport style photos of both.  

[Crazy Cat 42,543]

We included 2 statements.  We included about 4 photos.  Statements don't carry much weight.  You will need evidence of co-mingled finances, joint legal documents, etc.

[Ryan H 3,834]

Third party statements are not required and carry little to zero weight in the overall evaluation of a file.  Additionally, USCIS as well as a CO at the Embassy will not expect nor require a couple living apart in separate countries to have joint finances or joint legal documents.  The poster who said “you will need evidence” of such items gave an incorrect statement.

 

Your focus should be evidence of time spent together in-person; that is your strongest evidence.

[Crazy Cat 42,543]

9 minutes ago, Ryan H said:

Third party statements are not required and carry little to zero weight in the overall evaluation of a file.  Additionally, USCIS as well as a CO at the Embassy will not expect nor require a couple living apart in separate countries to have joint finances or joint legal documents.  The poster who said “you will need evidence” of such items gave an incorrect statement.

 

Your focus should be evidence of time spent together in-person; that is your strongest evidence.

You're right......My mistake.......thanks for correcting me.

Edited February 18, 2018 by missileman

[GooseHoel 2]

Thank you for all of the contributing answers. It is great to get to know what others have had for evidence and what not. Even though we are now applying, living in different countries, we do have a bank account together in the US and we also have a rental lease with both our names on it showing that we have lived together for at least two years in the US. This and photos spanning more than five years I would think are good evidence?

[ms_bobdog 501]

5 hours ago, GooseHoel said:

Thank you for all of the contributing answers. It is great to get to know what others have had for evidence and what not. Even though we are now applying, living in different countries, we do have a bank account together in the US and we also have a rental lease with both our names on it showing that we have lived together for at least two years in the US. This and photos spanning more than five years I would think are good evidence?

I think evidence that you have lived together would be good proof. Another suggestion is to add each other to your insurance. We did that. And I hold a retirement account in my home country and I nominated my husband as the beneficiary.

[bakphx1 789]

Ideally include as much (but not too much) from each category:

 

1)  Travel documents (airline tickets, visa stamps from the trip, hotel confirmations) 

 

2)  contact - - texts, messaging prints... enough to show a regular flow, not entire conversations) 

 

3)  pictures... I corresponded pictures with each trip.  Note the date and people. 

 

4)  financial, if any. 

 

This is what we call "front loading", and seems to help.  It means having to answer less later.  I included 3 statements from friends and family.