Finally ready to submit

[John & Rose 7,239]

11 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

This is an extremely common hurdle with the IR/CR-1, I have to wonder - just what is everyone doing in this regard?    Have you popped over to the IR/CR-1 forum?

I did try over there. For some reason there is an attitude with people. We fought on the K-1 site but there were a lot of good people willing to help. The CR/IR isn’t as friendly. There is more of a “ google it” mentality there. The funny thing is when you google it you get info from that forum from 10 years ago. Lol. You end up in a loop with no answers except a few snarky comments. 

[Hank_ 9,174]

1 hour ago, John & Rose said:

I did try over there. For some reason there is an attitude with people. We fought on the K-1 site but there were a lot of good people willing to help. The CR/IR isn’t as friendly. There is more of a “ google it” mentality there. The funny thing is when you google it you get info from that forum from 10 years ago. Lol. You end up in a loop with no answers except a few snarky comments. 

Why am I not surprised ....   *zipping my lip*

[Arkitekt-GS 19]

Now that you’re married you could perhaps apply for the 13a or 13g (I forget the correct letter) visa which is essentially a permanent residence visa for spouse of a Filipino citizen. As I understand it’s probationary for the first year and then becomes permanent and transitions to a different letter after 13. From what I’ve gathered there’s no residency requirement and I recall when I was looking it up it’s just a couple week process that you can do via mail. If you have that visa and your marriage contract I would assume you could get a joint bank account at BPI (as well as work or live in Philippines if you ever wanted to). Being sponsored for that visa by your wife could potentially serve as just another bona fide tie in your relationship as well I would assume. 

[Hank_ 9,174]

That is a 13a visa.     Not sure I would bother with that one at this time.

 

 

 

 

[RO_AH 1,659]

I finally sent mine off after a long time worrying about this very topic. One of the things they list as proof is a birth certificate of a child together. Our son was born 6/10 so I sent that with my application.

 

I tried to file my taxes this year as married filing joint and applied for an ITIN for her. I even had a friend that went to the Philippines and she met with him and gave him her passport and he sent it to me when he returned to US. It got rejected because it was in her maiden name even though I also sent our marriage certificate with it. I will be going to see my wife and baby later this month and we will get her a new passport in her married name that I will bring back with me to try filing my taxes again. The stupid thing is that if I filed my taxes and used her maiden name they would have accepted it. What a screwed up bureaucracy we live in.

 

I am hoping that if they do give me an RFE I will have more evidence by then. Taxes, and CRBA for our son.

[Hank_ 9,174]

2 hours ago, RO_AH said:

I finally sent mine off after a long time worrying about this very topic. One of the things they list as proof is a birth certificate of a child together. Our son was born 6/10 so I sent that with my application.

 

I tried to file my taxes this year as married filing joint and applied for an ITIN for her. I even had a friend that went to the Philippines and she met with him and gave him her passport and he sent it to me when he returned to US. It got rejected because it was in her maiden name even though I also sent our marriage certificate with it. I will be going to see my wife and baby later this month and we will get her a new passport in her married name that I will bring back with me to try filing my taxes again. The stupid thing is that if I filed my taxes and used her maiden name they would have accepted it. What a screwed up bureaucracy we live in.

 

I am hoping that if they do give me an RFE I will have more evidence by then. Taxes, and CRBA for our son.

 

Did you file the I-130 in your wife's married name?   (just curious)

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

21 hours ago, missileman said:

It doesn't work like that for all banks....most banks require original picture ID like a passport.

Most banks are PITA to deal with

 

I am with Bank of America, I have a what they call a Personal Banker.  They can make things happen.  Get a relationship with a bank, and they will make things happen.

[emekus94 1,125]

17 hours ago, John & Rose said:

I did try over there. For some reason there is an attitude with people. We fought on the K-1 site but there were a lot of good people willing to help. The CR/IR isn’t as friendly. There is more of a “ google it” mentality there. The funny thing is when you google it you get info from that forum from 10 years ago. Lol. You end up in a loop with no answers except a few snarky comments. 

John
I do think you are overthinking this based on the K1 refusal. Don't let that cause you too much headache.

I know friends that married- but due to the issues you presented, can only do so much
What they used:
1) Marriage ceritifcate

2) Pictures, chat logs

3) beneficiary on life insurance

4) Affidavits.

 

Simple. It is UNDERSTANDABLE that if you do not live with someone, you cannot have some things together.
If I recall correctly,  for the CR visa, during the NVC stage, you can add more support? Look into that

If that's the case, you might want to consider going ahead and submiting and then perhaps do the ITIN later on when your application has been approved?
Best of luck!

[John & Rose 7,239]

1 hour ago, emekus94 said:

John
I do think you are overthinking this based on the K1 refusal. Don't let that cause you too much headache.

I know friends that married- but due to the issues you presented, can only do so much
What they used:
1) Marriage ceritifcate

2) Pictures, chat logs

3) beneficiary on life insurance

4) Affidavits.

 

Simple. It is UNDERSTANDABLE that if you do not live with someone, you cannot have some things together.
If I recall correctly,  for the CR visa, during the NVC stage, you can add more support? Look into that

If that's the case, you might want to consider going ahead and submiting and then perhaps do the ITIN later on when your application has been approved?
Best of luck!

Thank you for this.  I am going to apply for the ITIN.  Rose and the kids are added to my work insurance and Rose is my life insurance beneficiary.  I have lots of other proof of relationship but not any of the biggies.  

 

I am visiting her in a couple weeks so I will take her passport and file for the ITIN.  I think I will put together the best package I can and get the ball rolling.  Are there any requirements for the affidavits other than full name and address?  Are they just supposed to say that they believe the relationship is real?

 

 

[emekus94 1,125]

7 minutes ago, John & Rose said:

Thank you for this.  I am going to apply for the ITIN.  Rose and the kids are added to my work insurance and Rose is my life insurance beneficiary.  I have lots of other proof of relationship but not any of the biggies.  

 

I am visiting her in a couple weeks so I will take her passport and file for the ITIN.  I think I will put together the best package I can and get the ball rolling.  Are there any requirements for the affidavits other than full name and address?  Are they just supposed to say that they believe the relationship is real?

 

 

Not sure about the details of what went into the Affidavit But it was real short. 
I know one person just said that thy knew the couple for the past 5 years yadie yadie
Am not sure if there really is a "template" for these things.

[John & Rose 7,239]

2 minutes ago, emekus94 said:

Not sure about the details of what went into the Affidavit But it was real short. 
I know one person just said that thy knew the couple for the past 5 years yadie yadie
Am not sure if there really is a "template" for these things.

I was just wondering how much detail they need.  I have known most of her family for a couple years but I'm not sure they know a lot of the details of the relationship.

[Arkitekt-GS 19]

We had some family and friends do affidavits as we filed via DCF just a few days after marriage. 

 

The affidavits were short (maybe half-3/4 page) and basically described how the person knows us, an example of time together (like a cousin that had stayed with us a few weeks or some friends that were at the wedding, etc) and then stated that in their opinion we have a bona-fide relationship. 

 

I had found an example via google as reference https://citizenpath.com/i-130-affidavit-sample-spouse/. they did have one key point that needed to be in there. A statement at the end that reads “I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge”. Then below their signature have full name, date of birth, place of birth. Their address should be at the top and then somewhere in the text they can offer a phone number if USCIS would like to follow up. 

[John & Rose 7,239]

Here is the summary so far...

My banks will not add her since they require an SSN or a visit in person to a local branch.  My credit cards also require an SSN to add her as a user.  She has no license in the Philippines so I can't add her to my car insurance.  I can't be on a bank account in the Philippines because I don't live there.  She can't be on a bank account here since she has no SSN.

 

I did add her to my health insurance and she is the beneficiary of my life insurance.  I am going to visit her in a couple weeks and I will bring her new passport (in married name) back here and file for an ITIN.  I am going back in December to bring her passport back.

 

This will be my 10th visit to her and we have pictures from each.  I will put together a small photo montage from each trip as they all included family parties and will show that there is true love between all of us, not just Rose and I.  I have the passport stamps and receipts but no joint accounts.  I will include Remitly receipts for money I've sent and I have pictures of me doing electrical and plumbing work at her house.  

 

I hope it is enough and if I do get an RFE or if I can add evidence at a later date I will add the ITIN and I am still working on ways to create joint accounts.

 

I am confident with the evidence we have but it isn't my opinion that matters.

 

We will add a few affidavits but everywhere I look those have little to no impact on the package.

 

I want to file as soon as possible because of next year's school year for Aira.  It is what it is.  I need to move forward so I am hoping that the package I present will be adequate.  Since Rose was assigned an "A" number during the K-1 I am hoping that moves things a little quicker than normal.

Edited August 8, 2018 by John & Rose

[RO_AH 1,659]

6 hours ago, Hank_ said:

 

Did you file the I-130 in your wife's married name?   (just curious)

Yes I did, that is why I didn't just resend my taxes with her maiden name :)

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

Not sure about illinios but in Columbus I needed nothing other than the physical presence of my step-son to enroll him in school, he had his previous Philippines school records but no SSN, I do not believe they even checked his PP. They consider elementary school a universal right to all children