Evidence that bona fides our marriage

[G&A 1]

I am asking three of my friends (2 that witnessed the marriage) to provide affidavits per the instructions provided in the I-130. They will be signed and notarized in California.

I was wondering if i should:

1. Provide copies or originals with the I-130

2. Provide copies or originals or none with the I-129F

3. Keep an original set for the K3 interview?

I am trying to see if i should have more that one notarized form for each of my friends.

[Mononoke28 135]

My mom and sister wrote affidavits for me to send in but they weren't notarized. I didn't bother with that. I sent in the originals and made copies for myself. Since you're applying for a K-3 visa, you don't have to send in evidence with the I-129F.

By the way, your timeline says you're applying for a K-1 visa, not a K-3. You might want to fix that.

[edp333 9]

I sent in copies and kept the originals. Keeping the orignals is suggested somewhere on this forum and others. But the decision is up to you to make.

[G&A 1]

By the way, your timeline says you're applying for a K-1 visa, not a K-3. You might want to fix that.

Thanks for pointing this out. I will update it since our plans have changed.

I sent in copies and kept the originals. Keeping the orignals is suggested somewhere on this forum and others. But the decision is up to you to make.

I was thinking the same but the I-130 clearly states that USCIS wants sworn and affirmed affidavits...

Also, did you send any copies of the affidavits with the I-129F?

[MaydayDas 1]

We sent 3 affidavits but they were not notarized, only signed. We had originals to send and originals to keep.

[edp333 9]

I sent in copies and kept the originals. Keeping the orignals is suggested somewhere on this forum and others. But the decision is up to you to make.

I was thinking the same but the I-130 clearly states that USCIS wants sworn and affirmed affidavits...

Also, did you send any copies of the affidavits with the I-129F?

Our affidavits were stamped and signed in Manila, which is their way for certification. I am not sending copies of the affidvits with the I129f because that was included in the I130. I followed the Captain Ewok link to the guide section. A list of examples for proof of marriage is right under the I130 box.

Here is a link to the K3 guide:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k3guide

Under the section titled Important in Red letter is stated:

Retain ALL originals.

I hope this helps.

[island_princess 2]

I am quite lost here. Is this evidence during the interview or during submission of I-130?

Because in my I-130, I did not include any of those stated in the list...but I am approved now.

[lmhvm 0]

could somebody please share an example affidavit from family/friends?

I couldn't find it anywhere on the site........

Thanks in advance.

[GOLDEN.247 0]

I am quite lost here. Is this evidence during the interview or during submission of I-130?

Because in my I-130, I did not include any of those stated in the list...but I am approved now.

Congratulations on your approval.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

We got an RFE for proof of relationship, and they specifically asked for 3 affidavits. I was a bit cheeky, as I really did NOT want to be paying notarial fees for these, and submitted them as sworn statements instead, with signatures attested as genuine by our company in-house lawyer. Hey, it worked for us!

You asked for a specimen affidavit -- I drew up a fill-in-the-blank form for this and it worked just fine (see attachment).

Affdavit_2a.doc

Feel free to adapt!

Edited May 23, 2007 by elmcitymaven

[Urge To Race 2]

I am quite lost here. Is this evidence during the interview or during submission of I-130?

Because in my I-130, I did not include any of those stated in the list...but I am approved now.

I too did not send in any affidavits, but almost immediately thought that I should have from seeing what others were sending. Of course, I am far from an approval, but I am glad to hear you were approved without them!

Keeping my fingers crossed that we don't get RFE'd over that.

[pushbrk 12,883]

We got an RFE for proof of relationship, and they specifically asked for 3 affidavits. I was a bit cheeky, as I really did NOT want to be paying notarial fees for these, and submitted them as sworn statements instead, with signatures attested as genuine by our company in-house lawyer. Hey, it worked for us!

You asked for a specimen affidavit -- I drew up a fill-in-the-blank form for this and it worked just fine (see attachment).

Affdavit_2a.doc

Feel free to adapt!

Of particular note is that you filed DCF and were living together. I've now heard of two (or was the other one you too?) where there was an RFE for affidavits or any of the optional "should include one or more". In both cases it was London and DCF. I still hold that for couples who have never lived together in the same country, affidavits swearing to the bonafides of a "marital relationship" are meaningless, ludicrous and unnecessary. They are not asking if people saw the wedding or went to the party afterwards. It is the "marital relationship" they are asking about.

When you've traveled half way round the world and spent a few days getting married and having a honeymoon, then live separately during the visa process, just what are swearers swearing to? "Yes, they had ceremony and a wonderful party and in my opinion they were eager to get on with the honeymoon." Or could it be they stayed in the adjoining room and can swear to the headboard banging the wall.

I don't know what the USCIS office in the London Embassy is the thinking on this but they are only involved with cases where people live together in the UK. They do not deal with cases where people have never lived together in the same country.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Of particular note is that you filed DCF and were living together. I've now heard of two (or was the other one you too?) where there was an RFE for affidavits or any of the optional "should include one or more". In both cases it was London and DCF. I still hold that for couples who have never lived together in the same country, affidavits swearing to the bonafides of a "marital relationship" are meaningless, ludicrous and unnecessary. They are not asking if people saw the wedding or went to the party afterwards. It is the "marital relationship" they are asking about.

When you've traveled half way round the world and spent a few days getting married and having a honeymoon, then live separately during the visa process, just what are swearers swearing to? "Yes, they had ceremony and a wonderful party and in my opinion they were eager to get on with the honeymoon." Or could it be they stayed in the adjoining room and can swear to the headboard banging the wall.

I don't know what the USCIS office in the London Embassy is the thinking on this but they are only involved with cases where people live together in the UK. They do not deal with cases where people have never lived together in the same country.

The other person you may be thinking of was kins -- she went ahead and put the "proof" in too and was NOT RFE'd. We both filed on the same day, which is interesting.

Yes, I'll agree it is weird that they want us to show we have a marital relationship when we live at the same address. Our statements from colleagues said little more than "yeah, I went to her hen night" or "I went to a lunch and they were there together" or "she talks about them living together and the whole visa process non-stop" etc etc. Nothing more. I expect that for couples who have not lived together, the statements would be something like "I was at the wedding" or "I have seen them together on such and such occasion". Now, to you and me these may seem inane and meaningless but obviously USCIS attaches some sort of weight to them. Another of the great mysteries of the visa world!

I think a lot of this has to do with the new I-130 requirements to include such info which came in at the start of this year. From what I gather, such bona fides were not necessary before interview stage, so if you filed before January 2007, it wouldn't be an issue. When I got all upset when I received an RFE, a VJer pointed out that such proof should be considered as part of the I-130 itself, and not as a separate batch of documents, if you catch my drift. So when I submitted the I-130, the bona fides should have been there as part of a complete I-130.

Yes, perhaps London USCIS IS enforcing this more, but it would seem to me that Service Centres might enforce it just as heartily. I too would like to hear about other recent I-130 filers post-January 2007 who have NOT received an RFE if they didn't include the proof. Anyone out there?

Edited May 23, 2007 by elmcitymaven

[neophi 5]

I'll let you all know. I have never lived with my wife, and thus none of the suggested documents of a bona fide marriage applied to us. I'm with pushbrk on this one, as all my coworkers/friends/family could say is something like "Yeah, when they were going out it seems like they loved each other a lot, he has pictures of her at home and at the office and mentions her frequently. They talk on the phone long distance at least 2 hours a day. Moreover, they seem happy when they're together, and like all couples, they have gotten into fights that have since been resolved/forgiven."

I mean, com'on!

However, one thing I did send with my I130 was a letter from a physician stating my wife is pregnant (in addition to the marriage certificate of course). There's really no proof that the child is mine yet, but I would think that this should be left to the interviewer at the embassy to question.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I'll let you all know. I have never lived with my wife, and thus none of the suggested documents of a bona fide marriage applied to us. I'm with pushbrk on this one, as all my coworkers/friends/family could say is something like "Yeah, when they were going out it seems like they loved each other a lot, he has pictures of her at home and at the office and mentions her frequently. They talk on the phone long distance at least 2 hours a day. Moreover, they seem happy when they're together, and like all couples, they have gotten into fights that have since been resolved/forgiven."

I mean, com'on!

However, one thing I did send with my I130 was a letter from a physician stating my wife is pregnant (in addition to the marriage certificate of course). There's really no proof that the child is mine yet, but I would think that this should be left to the interviewer at the embassy to question.

That letter looks like proof to me!

Technically, had we submitted "proof" at the I-130 filing stage we would have had nothing beyond affidavits, as my husband and I have no community property and he is not on any of the bills. As I moved in to our flat first, my name was on everything and we never got around to putting his name to anything, including the lease. Yes, there were bills sent to him as an individual at our address, but nothing with both our names, which I seem to recall is the request.

I do completely concur that it's madness to ask for affidavits from third parties, period. However, I don't see the harm in including them beyond the hassle of getting them completed and organised. It took me a grand total of 20 minutes to draw up the document, walk around my office and ask three people who knew us to scribble down a few sentences and sign their names. Two of those people had never even met my husband, just had seen pictures of us and listened to me talk about him.

So...what am I trying to say? Oh yes. Get 'em done if you think it will help. Otherwise, eh.