i130 Supporting documents for Bona fide marriage

[ovi666 7]

With the essential documents, the USCIS states that some of the documents shown in the picture are to be submitted with the i130 form too. What I wanted to ask that is it essential to submit at least one of these? or can we just skip them all together. Because since my to-be wife is in USA and I am here in Pakistan we can't produce anything apart from the "Affidavits by the third parties". Is it necessary to submit it?

 

[arken 4,197]

You don't need to provide each one of them and you can't skip all of them together. Focus less on the affidavits and more on other documents.

[Chancy 6,241]

15 hours ago, Ovais KHAN said:

Because since my to-be wife is in USA and I am here in Pakistan we can't produce anything apart from the "Affidavits by the third parties".

 

Your US citizen wife-to-be cannot file a petition for you until after you have met in person at least once during/after the wedding.  That's a requirement for the marriage to be valid for US immigration purposes.  As such, you would likely have evidence from your in-person meeting which would be stronger evidence for the I-130 than 3rd-party affidavits.

 

From your time spent together in person, submit --

• copies of passport stamps, boarding passes, hotel receipts from trips/visits
• photos of the two of you together, along with some photos of you two with family and friends

 

Even without living in the same country, the US citizen can add their spouse's name --

• in their mobile phone bill and possibly other utility bills
• as a family member in their emergency contact list at work
• as a beneficiary of their life insurance and/or retirement plan

 

[ovi666 7]

6 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

Your US citizen wife-to-be cannot file a petition for you until after you have met in person at least once during/after the wedding.  That's a requirement for the marriage to be valid for US immigration purposes.  As such, you would likely have evidence from your in-person meeting which would be stronger evidence for the I-130 than 3rd-party affidavits.

 

From your time spent together in person, submit --

• copies of passport stamps, boarding passes, hotel receipts from trips/visits
• photos of the two of you together, along with some photos of you two with family and friends

 

Even without living in the same country, the US citizen can add their spouse's name --

• in their mobile phone bill and possibly other utility bills
• as a family member in their emergency contact list at work
• as a beneficiary of their life insurance and/or retirement plan

 

We have met once already last month, she came here for a week and left, and now we are planning to get married in the coming September inshaAllah. & yes we have planned a lot of travelling together so I guess that I can just skip away with the affidavits.

And thanks a lot for telling me that she can add me in her bills and insurance etc, ill ask her to get it done. 

One more thing, after marriage, can my wife add my name in her bank account in US? Can one add an Alien spouse's name in their bank account in US? 

[Chancy 6,241]

12 minutes ago, Ovais KHAN said:

One more thing, after marriage, can my wife add my name in her bank account in US? Can one add an Alien spouse's name in their bank account in US? 

 

It depends on the bank's policy.  Your wife should ask her bank if you can be added as an authorized user.  If she has a credit card, she might have better luck adding you as an authorized user on her card.

 

[pm5k 129]

On 6/17/2021 at 5:22 AM, Ovais KHAN said:

We have met once already last month, she came here for a week and left, and now we are planning to get married in the coming September inshaAllah. & yes we have planned a lot of travelling together so I guess that I can just skip away with the affidavits.

And thanks a lot for telling me that she can add me in her bills and insurance etc, ill ask her to get it done. 

One more thing, after marriage, can my wife add my name in her bank account in US? Can one add an Alien spouse's name in their bank account in US? 

Adding to her medical insurance is a great first step.

 

Adding you to a bank account in the USA will probably be difficult, but you two can open a joint bank account in Pakistan.  Is your wife from Pakistan as well?

[ovi666 7]

10 hours ago, pm5k said:

Adding you to a bank account in the USA will probably be difficult, but you two can open a joint bank account in Pakistan.  Is your wife from Pakistan as well?

She is a Somali American.

[pm5k 129]

7 hours ago, Ovais KHAN said:

She is a Somali American.

After you are married, she can make a POC (Pakistan Origin Card) on the basis of marriage to a Pakistani Citizen.  That card will contain an ID number that is similar to a CNIC number.  This card is not Pakistani citizenship.  You two can then open a joint bank account together in Pakistan (using your CNIC, and her POC)

 

 

[pm5k 129]

  

12 minutes ago, pm5k said:

After you are married, she can make a POC (Pakistan Origin Card) on the basis of marriage to a Pakistani Citizen.  That card will contain an ID number that is similar to a CNIC number.  This card is not Pakistani citizenship.  You two can then open a joint bank account together in Pakistan (using your CNIC, and her POC)

 

 

 

Before you mention it, there is no rule that prevents her from obtaining a Pakistan Origin Card on the basis of marriage

 

Edited June 25, 2021 by pm5k
additional details

[pm5k 129]

 

7 hours ago, Ovais KHAN said:

She is a Somali American.

Interesting, considering that in another post you mentioned "a friend of mine"

 

 

Your other posts also make this relationship seem rather suspicious. 

 

 

As others have said, this case has a lot of red flags from an immigration officer's perspective.

 

[PZibran325 112]

Perhaps I do not have anything useful to add, but just something from personal experience, about 11-12 years ago I married someone from Karachi Pakistan and it was whirlwind too. Our application took a long time to be approved and even then he was only approved for a conditional green card that was valid for 2 years.

 

I'm not saying you have malafide intentions but my ex did, he was abusive and had a girlfriend back in Pakistan that he had promised he would marry once he had his greencard and divorced me. Luckily I found out with evidence pretty early on in our marriage and informed USCIS and got a divorce. Everything was incredibly messy, but I had gone in to speak with an immigration officer as well and he informed me this is why they take so long to process such applications and only provide a conditional green card even if approved.

 

The reason I bring this up, is what I'm narrating was 11-12 years ago, it is my understanding that with certain countries they have gotten even more strict as time has gone on. You may have the best of intentions, but it won't necessarily translate to the immigration officer, I would suggest that in order to avoid complications, please take your time getting to know each other and have her visit you multiple times for 5-14 days each time before you move forward with a marriage. Otherwise, things may be tough for you both in terms of convincing immigration of a bonafide relationship and getting approved.  This is just a suggestion, you can do with it what you please but immigration officers know that the "easiest" way for someone to come to the states is through marriage so I-130s receive a lot of scrutiny. 

 

Just out of curiosity are fiance visas obsolete? It might be worth going that route instead. 

[Chancy 6,241]

33 minutes ago, PZibran325 said:

Just out of curiosity are fiance visas obsolete? It might be worth going that route instead. 

 

Not obsolete, but still requires that the consul officer be convinced about the couple's bona fide relationship.

 

[PZibran325 112]

1 hour ago, Chancy said:

 

Not obsolete, but still requires that the consul officer be convinced about the couple's bona fide relationship.

 

Right. That makes sense, and seems like problematic in this situation described by the OP

[ovi666 7]

On 6/25/2021 at 7:45 PM, pm5k said:

 

Interesting, considering that in another post you mentioned "a friend of mine"

 

 

Your other posts also make this relationship seem rather suspicious. 

 

 

As others have said, this case has a lot of red flags from an immigration officer's perspective.

 

Haha that wasnt for no friend of mine, that was for me only lol but things were in a very early stage so that is why i didnt want to open up completely on this forum 😁 but things are well settled now.

[pm5k 129]

Why don't you open a joint bank account in Pakistan?