Bona-fide marriage proof for I-751?

[TonyMichael 3]

I have to renew my conditional green card with I-751, and I would like to know if the below is enough to prove that the marriage was bona-fide.

Since my spouse and I have a very different spending habit (where I save every penny and he spends it all on alcohol, weed, etc), we have never really had a joint bank account.

 

1) Lease agreement with both  of our names

2) Mails that came to our place (One for me, and one for him) to show that we actually live together

3) Health insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary  (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

4) Dental insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

5) Eye/Vision insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

6) Life insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

7) My car insurance with my spouse

8) Affidavit from my best friend who knows all our relationship and marriage

9) Joint tax return from the past two years 

    -Question: When I tried downloading the tax transcript from IRS website, I noticed that it doesn't have my spouse's name. It only shows his last 4 digit social. Does this still work as joint tax return proof? 

10) Photos from our wedding, family gathering like Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and random occasions, and our dates.

11) Texts between us, and between me and his family members, in the past few years

12) Marriage certificate 

13) Emergency contact list

 

Do you think this is enough? Since we dont have a joint bank account, I am a little concerned. 

Also, do we need to submit the original documents? or can we just submit photocopies of them?

[Crazy Cat 41,886]

Personally, I would write an explanation for how you pay joint expenses.  USCIS normally likes to see joint accounts or an explanation.  I would not mention your spouse's alcohol and weed habits.

 

[Pats5415 97]

21 minutes ago, TonyMichael said:

I have to renew my conditional green card with I-751, and I would like to know if the below is enough to prove that the marriage was bona-fide.

Since my spouse and I have a very different spending habit (where I save every penny and he spends it all on alcohol, weed, etc), we have never really had a joint bank account.

 

1) Lease agreement with both  of our names

2) Mails that came to our place (One for me, and one for him) to show that we actually live together

3) Health insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary  (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

4) Dental insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

5) Eye/Vision insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

6) Life insurance with my spouse as the beneficiary (through both my current job, and my previous job) 

7) My car insurance with my spouse

😎 Affidavit from my best friend who knows all our relationship and marriage

9) Joint tax return from the past two years 

    -Question: When I tried downloading the tax transcript from IRS website, I noticed that it doesn't have my spouse's name. It only shows his last 4 digit social. Does this still work as joint tax return proof? 

10) Photos from our wedding, family gathering like Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and random occasions, and our dates.

11) Texts between us, and between me and his family members, in the past few years

12) Marriage certificate 

13) Emergency contact list

 

Do you think this is enough? Since we dont have a joint bank account, I am a little concerned. 

Also, do we need to submit the original documents? or can we just submit photocopies of them?

You can only send what you legitimately have. Joint finances are primary evidences and you could get RFE if submitted without them. 

[Sukie 1,461]

Not every couple combines finances.  It is NOT a requirement at all.  It's just "usual". 

 

Tax transcripts are ALL masked now as far as SSN numbers.  No worries here.

 

Do explain in your cover letter that you two have very different spending habits, and that, for your marriage, you have chosen to keep separate accounts.  But you will need to be able to show how you pay for life together, and explain that, too.  Are you the higher earner, and so do you cover the household expenses?  You will need to explain this in your cover letter.  How do you pay rent?  Do you both pay half?  If so, include a couple of bank statements from BOTH your accounts that show rent checks being paid from each account.

 

You are trying to tell your story using documentation, yes, but it doesn't hurt to add a little narrative to help the officer out.

 

It's better to front load explanations rather than risk an RFE.

 

Again - please don't freak out at what Pats5415 said.  Not every couple combines finances, and they still get through the process.

 

Best of luck!!!

 

Sukie in NY

[TonyMichael 3]

7 hours ago, Sukie said:

Not every couple combines finances.  It is NOT a requirement at all.  It's just "usual". 

 

Tax transcripts are ALL masked now as far as SSN numbers.  No worries here.

 

Do explain in your cover letter that you two have very different spending habits, and that, for your marriage, you have chosen to keep separate accounts.  But you will need to be able to show how you pay for life together, and explain that, too.  Are you the higher earner, and so do you cover the household expenses?  You will need to explain this in your cover letter.  How do you pay rent?  Do you both pay half?  If so, include a couple of bank statements from BOTH your accounts that show rent checks being paid from each account.

 

You are trying to tell your story using documentation, yes, but it doesn't hurt to add a little narrative to help the officer out.

 

It's better to front load explanations rather than risk an RFE.

 

Again - please don't freak out at what Pats5415 said.  Not every couple combines finances, and they still get through the process.

 

Best of luck!!!

 

Sukie in NY

Thanks everyone.

 

What do you mean though by cover letter? 

I dont remember seeing a cover letter as a required document in i751 instruction.

Should it basically briefly mention what the packet is about (in our case, i751), and what's included in the packet?

 

Actually, my husband has been jobless for 1.5 years, and I am the only person who has been paying for all the bills,  rent, expenses and stuff. 

 

We do have a joint bank account, but it is mainly me putting little "allowance" in, and my husband using money from there as he has had no income.

And I know his spending habit, so I put 10-15 every few days so he wont overspend or buy something I dont approve. 

Do you think i should still submit this accounts transaction history?? 

[Crazy Cat 41,886]

44 minutes ago, TonyMichael said:

What do you mean though by cover letter? 

The VJ guide for ROC has an example (MS Word doc) for a cover letter.