About to petition I-130 for spouse (merged topics)

[Bill Hamze 89]

I'm going through the document checklist to see if I have everything for the I-130 petition. I'm a U.S. citizen living in Vietnam with my Vietnamese wife, and we are going for a IR-1 visa and eventually a green card.

 

We have the marriage certificate and an apartment lease agreement with both of our names, as well as wedding photos and travel bookings. 

 

But we don't have joint finances... no joint accounts or anything like that. The best financial evidence I can give is bank transactions where I sent her money every now and then (to help with wedding expenses and stuff). The reason we haven't combined our finances is that VNese laws make it difficult to do so - so let's not get into that for now.

 

Anyway, is this going to be enough? 

 

• Marriage certificate
• Apartment lease agreement with both names
• Wedding photos and invitations
• Travel photos with airfare and hotel bookings
• Some bank transactions where I had sent her money

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bill Hamze 89]

2 hours ago, Bill Hamze said:

• Marriage certificate
• Apartment lease agreement with both names
• Wedding photos and invitations
• Travel photos with airfare and hotel bookings
• Some bank transactions where I had sent her money

 

A few more more to add if these help at all:

• Passport full of Vietnam visas + entry/exit stamps
• 5-year marriage visa exemption certificate (given by the Vietnamese immigration authorities)
• And I just added her as a beneficiary to some of my bank accounts

Edited January 8, 2020 by Bill Hamze

[NikLR 13,227]

Most couples don't have joint finances, but that's because they don't live together.  However since you have a lease together that helps a lot more than most people have and shows that you have co-mingled your lives. 

I would send what you have. 

[Just Paul 4,595]

I think you are fine.  I think there is a lot more weight put on the fact that you are living together in Vietnam.  Hopefully you have been filing US taxes and at least as MFS with her listed as a NRA.  I had my "new" wife on my banking and credit card accounts.

[Bill Hamze 89]

11 hours ago, Paul & Mary said:

I think you are fine.  I think there is a lot more weight put on the fact that you are living together in Vietnam.  Hopefully you have been filing US taxes and at least as MFS with her listed as a NRA.  I had my "new" wife on my banking and credit card accounts.

 

Yep I file all my taxes (through my CPA)... I just checked my last tax return, and yes I did married filing separately and listed spouse as NRA. I even listed my Vietnam address and that can also be cross-checked with my apartment lease agreements. So I'm good there.

 

Thanks for the reassurance.

[Bill Hamze 89]

On Friday, I went to the local government office to get certified translations on our marriage certificate and my wife's birth certificate. 

 

That day, I also brought a wedding ring receipt, which is in Vietnamese, that I want to submit as "additional evidence of bona fide marriage" (note we don't have co-mingled finances at all, only an apartment lease agreement with both of our names on it). 

 

While the wedding ring receipt isn't in English, the translation office said they wouldn't translate that kind of document and gave it back to me. 

 

So I wanted to ask on here, whether or not a translation on that receipt is really necessary? Or would just the original un-translated version with a brief explanation be sufficient?

 

[Liam2021 583]

15 minutes ago, Bill Hamze said:

On Friday, I went to the local government office to get certified translations on our marriage certificate and my wife's birth certificate. 

 

That day, I also brought a wedding ring receipt, which is in Vietnamese, that I want to submit as "additional evidence of bona fide marriage" (note we don't have co-mingled finances at all, only an apartment lease agreement with both of our names on it). 

 

While the wedding ring receipt isn't in English, the translation office said they wouldn't translate that kind of document and gave it back to me. 

 

So I wanted to ask on here, whether or not a translation on that receipt is really necessary? Or would just the original un-translated version with a brief explanation be sufficient?

 

Translate the wedding receipt is not needed and looks like you will be apply for IR/CR1 for your foreign spouse in Vietnam.

Edited February 10, 2020 by H&T

[Ryan H 3,812]

IMO, I wouldn't even bother including such a receipt, all it shows is you purchased wedding rings, that's it, nothing more, nothing less.

 

27 minutes ago, Bill Hamze said:

note we don't have co-mingled finances at all

 

This is not something you're required to have so don't stress that.

[Bill Hamze 89]

Thanks guys! Think I'll just leave the receipt out altogether.

 

H&T - yup, this is for CR1/IR1. 

[Bill Hamze 89]

So my address situation is a bit confusing when I am giving the I-130 form a dry run (downloaded a copy and practice filling it out). 

 

Here's my address situation:

 

ADDRESS A = Current address where I live in Vietnam:

 

ADDRESS B = My relative's address where I "intend to re-establish domicile" (this is also what is on my current driver's license)

 

ADDRESS C = My current "mailing" address. Not sure if I should use this because it's a mail scanning agency (Traveling Mailbox). 

 

Questions:

 

1. Should I use Address B or C for the "current mailing address" on the I-130?

 

2. I also assume that I should put Address A as my "Physical Address 1" under "Address History?

 

3. I'm filing everything online and choosing the email option for communication. Will they still send snail mail to me at the mailing address I indicate?

 

[pushbrk 12,883]

A is your physical address.  I would put B as my mailing address but either B or C is fine.

[Bill Hamze 89]

Thanks pushbrk

[Bill Hamze 89]

Under names of spouses, where I put my current spouse's name, should I leave "date marriage ended" blank?

 

I know we shouldn't leave anything blank, but it won't let me put "N/A" or "none". I can only put a valid date. Not even "00/00/0000" works. 

 

What should I do?

 

(Rant: this piece of #$%@%! is pissing me off, and this is just a practice run!)

Edited February 12, 2020 by Bill Hamze

[sbarbie1914 22]

I used Adobe Editor and it allowed me to use N/A.  You may want to try a different editing software.

[B&ANZ 134]

If you are filling out the application online, I put in the date of filing and then noted this under the additional information tab.