Evidence time frame

[684117 15]

Hello members, 

 

The time for ROC is getting closer (4 months from today) and we are already working on gathering evidence. We are wondering about the time frame for evidence needed, is it since marriage? or since I became a resident?  We have found conflicting information online about this. 

 

This being said, we may lack some evidence for the period between marriage and me becoming a resident as we both lived abroad, the only thing we have is some trips together and a joint lease, not much financial documents back then that relate to USA as I did not have any SSN or eligibility to be added to her accounts without SS or a green card. 

 

On some threads I read that we should not include what we added for my Immigrant visa interview, but this evidence dates back to between when we got married and when I got approved for my immigrant visa, which will be time accounted for if I-751 requires evidence since we got married. 

 

Your input is highly appreciated. 

[gregcrs2 1,778]

1 hour ago, 684117 said:

Hello members, 

 

The time for ROC is getting closer (4 months from today) and we are already working on gathering evidence. We are wondering about the time frame for evidence needed, is it since marriage? or since I became a resident?  We have found conflicting information online about this. 

 

This being said, we may lack some evidence for the period between marriage and me becoming a resident as we both lived abroad, the only thing we have is some trips together and a joint lease, not much financial documents back then that relate to USA as I did not have any SSN or eligibility to be added to her accounts without SS or a green card. 

 

On some threads I read that we should not include what we added for my Immigrant visa interview, but this evidence dates back to between when we got married and when I got approved for my immigrant visa, which will be time accounted for if I-751 requires evidence since we got married. 

 

Your input is highly appreciated. 

It is listed on I-751 instructions under "Evidence of the relationship".  It's a good idea to read the instructions first.

 

Submit copies of documents indicating that the marriage upon which you were granted conditional status was entered
in “good faith” and was not for the purpose of circumventing immigration laws. Submit copies of as many documents
as you can to establish this fact, to demonstrate the circumstances of the relationship from the date of the marriage to
the present date, and to demonstrate any circumstances surrounding the end of the relationship, if it has ended.

[684117 15]

Thank you for your input which is definitely accurate and in line with what is in the instructions, yet, as I have mentioned, what confused us what the fact that some people on some threads (google search) mentioned that they did not include pictures of marriage, honeymoon, or anything that was previously submitted with the I-130 as USCIS already has these, hence my question if it is okay to send these again. 

[gregcrs2 1,778]

5 minutes ago, 684117 said:

Thank you for your input which is definitely accurate and in line with what is in the instructions, yet, as I have mentioned, what confused us what the fact that some people on some threads (google search) mentioned that they did not include pictures of marriage, honeymoon, or anything that was previously submitted with the I-130 as USCIS already has these, hence my question if it is okay to send these again. 

Yes, OK to send again but do not recommend everything you sent before.  Just keep it light for the timeframe from marriage to entry into the USA.  For example, when we did spousal visa we loaded up on wedding photos, honeymoon, etc.  This time we just sent one photo from the wedding and one from the honeymoon plus a selection of photos since arriving to the USA (photos of places visited, meeting friends & family) .  Concentrate more on comingling financial stuff since you entered the USA. 

[684117 15]

1 minute ago, gregcrs2 said:

Yes, OK to send again but do not recommend everything you sent before.  Just keep it light for the timeframe from marriage to entry into the USA.  For example, when we did spousal visa we loaded up on wedding photos, honeymoon, etc.  This time we just sent one photo from the wedding and one from the honeymoon plus a selection of photos since arriving to the USA (photos of places visited, meeting friends & family) .  Concentrate more on comingling financial stuff since you entered the USA. 

Awesome, yeah I thought so, in terms of finances we should be more than fine, I think the only gap we have is that I became a resident in August of 2017 but we did not actually move permanently to USA until December of 2017 (took us 4 months to pack up, resign from jobs abroad, sell / ship stuff here) so most joint accounts, cards, insurance and so on date back to 12/2017, 01/2018...then she was added on my credit card around August 2018 (Until I was eligible for one after building credit history)...the first 6 months in USA we lived with her parents, so nothing much to share there except pictures and mail addressed to us with her parents address or driving permit with her parents address on it for both of us....Is it a good Idea to bridge these in a separate statement? 

 

Also, we have some evidence of shared finances before the marriage, dating back to 2012, abroad. Is it worth including? Like a half dozen sheets of wire transfers, chats about finances, her on my foreign cards...

[gregcrs2 1,778]

1 minute ago, 684117 said:

Awesome, yeah I thought so, in terms of finances we should be more than fine, I think the only gap we have is that I became a resident in August of 2017 but we did not actually move permanently to USA until December of 2017 (took us 4 months to pack up, resign from jobs abroad, sell / ship stuff here) so most joint accounts, cards, insurance and so on date back to 12/2017, 01/2018...then she was added on my credit card around August 2018 (Until I was eligible for one after building credit history)...the first 6 months in USA we lived with her parents, so nothing much to share there except pictures and mail addressed to us with her parents address or driving permit with her parents address on it for both of us....Is it a good Idea to bridge these in a separate statement? YES

 

Also, we have some evidence of shared finances before the marriage, dating back to 2012, abroad. Is it worth including? Like a half dozen sheets of wire transfers, chats about finances, her on my foreign cards...I personally would not.

 

[684117 15]

I wonder why USCIS wont use their secret intelligence and check relationships out, makes it much easier I mean we been together for 9 years now, living together for the last 6. Track us down and wave these requirements!!

[684117 15]

1 minute ago, 684117 said:

I wonder why USCIS wont use their secret intelligence and check relationships out, makes it much easier I mean we been together for 9 years now, living together for the last 6. Track us down and wave these requirements!!

Add to that that when I first came I was issued an IR1 at the port of entry and a 10 years GC. Went to USCIS and filed for Replacement due to their mistake, they should also have that on file one would think....I remember the USCIS officer telling me you are a honest person, we wish everyone did the same, it will make the process much easier. 

[millefleur 5,046]

From what I understand, the conflicting info comes from the fact that most couples don't have a lot of hard evidence until after their marriage, because there is an assumption that they were mostly living apart before the GC.

 

I'm in the same boat as you: we actually do have a lot of evidence before the marriage as well as I was living in my husband's country at the time. I'm planning to send photos from before the marriage and a few other things that we submitted when we did the I-130, but mostly I'm going to send stuff from after we started our life together in the US.

[684117 15]

55 minutes ago, millefleur said:

From what I understand, the conflicting info comes from the fact that most couples don't have a lot of hard evidence until after their marriage, because there is an assumption that they were mostly living apart before the GC.

 

I'm in the same boat as you: we actually do have a lot of evidence before the marriage as well as I was living in my husband's country at the time. I'm planning to send photos from before the marriage and a few other things that we submitted when we did the I-130, but mostly I'm going to send stuff from after we started our life together in the US.

Thanks for your input, exactly same situation, the difference is that we both lived in a 3rd country together (not my home, not the US) got married there and filed Directly with the consulate. I do have a joint lease and some pictures, 1st anniversary trip tix and hotel bookings, but not much of joint accounts or insurance jointly before getting to USA, had to wait for the approval and GC. 

[millefleur 5,046]

1 minute ago, 684117 said:

Thanks for your input, exactly same situation, the difference is that we both lived in a 3rd country together (not my home, not the US) got married there and filed Directly with the consulate. I do have a joint lease and some pictures, 1st anniversary trip tix and hotel bookings, but not much of joint accounts or insurance jointly before getting to USA, had to wait for the approval and GC. 

Really similar to our situation. I think I'm not going to send the lease from when we lived together abroad (it's a big clunky document with a huge translation), but I will send in our proof of travel together before we started living in the US and photos related to that. I have a couple tickets from our honeymoon, too, so I might throw that in as well. The rest concerning our life together in the US, I've got quite a lot of financial co-mingling evidence so I'm hoping this will end up being enough in addition to a few other miscellaneous things I have with both of our names on it.

 

I know it's not a good idea to overwhelm with too many photos, so I might just attach a couple wedding/honeymoon pictures and then have the rest focus on our time since we've been together in the US. Oh and a big one is taxes, did you do the "married filing jointly"? I'll have 2 tax returns for us by the time we file, so that's good too.

[684117 15]

1 hour ago, millefleur said:

I know it's not a good idea to overwhelm with too many photos, so I might just attach a couple wedding/honeymoon pictures and then have the rest focus on our time since we've been together in the US. Oh and a big one is taxes, did you do the "married filing jointly"? I'll have 2 tax returns for us by the time we file, so that's good too.

Will do the same with pictures, 2 from wedding, 2 from honeymoon, around 4 from each other trip after marriage (anniversary and such) 

By the time we file yeah we'll also have 3, the first one is her married filing separately, I was not required to file taxes when we got married as I was not a resident...I think USCIS has had such cases....the other 2 are MFJ.  

 

[Dmitry07 52]

Don't forget Facebook screenshots! If it's not on Facebook, it's not real! /s

[AlluringSoul 185]

On 1/19/2019 at 6:40 AM, 684117 said:

Hello members, 

 

The time for ROC is getting closer (4 months from today) and we are already working on gathering evidence. We are wondering about the time frame for evidence needed, is it since marriage? or since I became a resident?  We have found conflicting information online about this. 

 

This being said, we may lack some evidence for the period between marriage and me becoming a resident as we both lived abroad, the only thing we have is some trips together and a joint lease, not much financial documents back then that relate to USA as I did not have any SSN or eligibility to be added to her accounts without SS or a green card. 

 

On some threads I read that we should not include what we added for my Immigrant visa interview, but this evidence dates back to between when we got married and when I got approved for my immigrant visa, which will be time accounted for if I-751 requires evidence since we got married. 

 

Your input is highly appreciated. 

When I was about to file i-751, I received a letter from USCIS stating that their records show I need to remove conditions. One of the points said "The evidence you submit should cover the duration of the marriage" however I did not submit evidence for the duration of my marriage, only since receiving the first GC. Some evidence of course went back to the beginning of our marriage, like taxes, lease agreement, medical coverage, but I only printed out bank statements, phone bills etc from the time I received my first GC and everything was processed just fine. I also added about 15 pictures printed on photo paper

 

Make it simple for them to follow, don't go crazy. It will be just fine!