More Marriage Evidence Needed?

[Nitas_man 3,100]

52 minutes ago, Steve Mushero said:

She had ITIN (which is SSN for non-American/Green card holders) but we no longer file jointly as no need for her and no tax advantage, so her ITIN expired.  We filed one year jointly, then amended to separately for various very complex international rules on holdings (as we have many offshore companies & investments, and in China).  Since then, there has been no reason for her to file.

 

Just getting the ITIN was a pain as not that many non-residents seem to have them and the Social Security offices got quite confused (in Maine) on the process; we had to shuttle between IRS & SS offices with calls between them to get screens & docs so they could issue it, about 2010.

Thought you said there was no “we” holdings.  Now you have many offshore companies and investments.  

 

ITIN isn’t that complicated.

 

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf

 

it’s renewable.  See upper right.

 

So you (A) Have or (B) have not been filing taxes as married?

 

You said you are filing married/separately?

 

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Nitas_man

[Steve Mushero 0]

8 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

Thought you said there was no “we” holdings.  Now you have many offshore companies and investments. 

ITIN isn’t that complicated.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf

it’s renewable.  See upper right.

So you (A) Have or (B) have not been filing taxes as married?

You said you are filing married/separately?

Thanks & interesting, but that requires filing a US tax return for / by her, which we don't do as we have no need nor benefit to.  I file as head of household and have reasonably complex taxes (100 page tax return), all on advice of fairly high-end counsel & tax firms.

 

FAQ at time included this, which directly applies:

 

"ITINs for spouses and dependents who reside outside of the United States. Spouses and dependents residing outside of the United States shouldn’t apply for, or renew, an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) unless they qualify for an allowable tax benefit "

 

[isis375 105]

Not sure why the comments are implying that you need more information. You've been married TEN years, first of all. You didn't mention you have the things everyone else that hasn't been married ten years brings as evidence, which there's no way you don't have: photos of you guys together, possibly wedding anniversary stuff, any other evidence you're a couple. I mean it isn't as though you have been not living together and have all of the types of proofs most of us long distance relationships have. 

[Steve Mushero 0]

16 minutes ago, isis375 said:

Not sure why the comments are implying that you need more information. You've been married TEN years, first of all. You didn't mention you have the things everyone else that hasn't been married ten years brings as evidence, which there's no way you don't have: photos of you guys together, possibly wedding anniversary stuff, any other evidence you're a couple. I mean it isn't as though you have been not living together and have all of the types of proofs most of us long distance relationships have. 

Exactly and that was kinda my first question in that I'd think fraud would be pretty unusual after 10 years, reducing the real need to put together an enormous package of photos (I saw suggested 20+/year which is like 200; really?) and this week realized we do have wills, insurance, of course travel stamps, pictures, employment contracts with addresses, etc.  Just not joint bank/leases which are uncommon or nearly impossible to get.

 

But I think we have plenty now and suggestions all very helpful!

[Pleasework89 47]

What evidence did you end up submitting for your bona fide evidence? I am on a similar boat as you. Mostly only have marriage certificate and crba child.

[Steve Mushero 0]

1 hour ago, Pleasework89 said:

What evidence did you end up submitting for your bona fide evidence? I am on a similar boat as you. Mostly only have marriage certificate and crba child.

Sorry for weird formatting, so I had to put in a quote:

 

Quote

 

We put together a sizable "Marriage Journey" book with all the relevant parts and details, images of each, etc. See below - our immigration attorney said it was one of the best he'd seen. 

 

And we included, at our lawyers urging, two separate letters, with subject Marriage Declaration, one from each of us, that summarized our history together in 2-3 pages, and ending with "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge." The letters, each from our point of view, covered how/where we met, our early dating, our trips together, our wedding, our child, family trips, summers with my parents, etc. Just little stories & real glimpses into highlights of our life.

 

The table of contents for our marriage journey booklet (which was 34 pages long, mostly for pictures) is roughly below (some redaction like wife in lieu of her name); each of these had its own page, with a small paragraph summary, and usually an image of the item, such as travel visa, pictures of a trip, etc. with notes on what infowas on the page in {} - Make sure any dates, etc. EXACTLY match the relevant visas, and other facts; triple check that (and have another person & your lawyer proof the whole thing):

 

1. Non-Timeline / Travel Items:

1. Steve & (wife) have a child together {child's birth cert}

2. (wife) is listed by Steve as 401K Beneficiary {screen shots of 401k system}

3. (wife) is listed by Steve as Life Insurance Beneficiary {screen shot of insurance system}

4. (wife) is listed by Steve as the primary beneficiary in his will {relevant will pages}

5. Steve & (wife) filed joint US tax returns {relevant forms, just a page or two}

6. Steve & (wife) have sent tens of thousands of chat messages between them {WeChat search results and sample page}

7. Steve & (wife) are jointly listed as parents & contacts for school {screenshot}

B) Relationship Timeline & Travel Items - most of these items are small summaries and a few pictures for each, plus occasional visa/passport stamps for each trip; you don't need everything, just a broad set of evidence of your life together; also just 2-3 pix per thing is enough; no need to overwhelm:

8. Steve & (wife) met during a business trip Steve took to Shanghai in September, xxxx.

9. (wife) visited Steve in the San Francisco Bay Area in xxxx.

10. Steve & (wife) continued to date in Shanghai after his full-time arrival in April, xxxx.

11. (wife) traveled with Steve to his parents in Maine for the first time in August, xxxx.

12. (wife) moved in with Steve at his apartment at xxx xxx xxx.

13. Steve & (wife) were married on xxx, xxxx.

14. Steve & (wife) held a wedding reception in Shanghai in xxx, xxxx.

15. (wife) became pregnant in xxx, xxxx.

16. Steve & (wife) took (son) to xxx to see Steve’s parents in the summer of xxxx.

17. Steve & (wife) took (son) to xxx to see Steve’s parents in the summer of xxxx.

18. Steve & (wife) and often their son took various trips around the world from xxxx onward.

19. (wife) and (son) continue to visit Steve’s parents in Maine most summers and several Christmas holidays.

 

8.  

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by Steve Mushero
Fixing format, weird

[pushbrk 12,883]

On 3/16/2021 at 6:28 PM, retheem said:

A child is just evidence both of you are fertile, that's all. More evidence please

Malarky.  Evidence of living together for 10 years is exceedingly sufficient.