I-751 No Joint Bank Account

[thanhmakeysother 1]

Hello Folks,

 

We are currently working on submitting our I-751 application. I am looking for a little advice about our situation.

I believe we have pretty strong evidence, but I would like to ask for advice on how to present our banking situation:
 

• We each have our own accounts.
• I pay for basically everything, but she holds a separate account that receives her income from her part time job.
• My name is on her account. Her name isn't on my account.

 

 

For the reasoning of why we don't have one account, it's basically this:

 

• We didn't consider the evidence requirement when we setup our finances. As such, it's just setup the way we would do it otherwise. My name is on her account simply to allow me to transfer money in and out easily, and help her administer it. Her name isn't on my account, because it's kind of a pain to add (Need to go into a branch), and we just never saw fit to need to do this.
• We had two separate accounts in Vietnam, so we just continued to do the same thing when we got here. It acts as kind of a convenient way to do accounting for our finances.

 

I am guessing we should have a paragraph eloquently saying the same thing as above. Since they are expecting joint bank accounts for all applicants.

 

However, Which bank statements should we include?

1. My bank statements are in my father's and mine. They show my income, and all of our expenses. But it's not a joint account. Should we include it?
2. Her Bank account is in her name, and mine. It shows income from her part time job, and some discretionary spending of hers. Should we include it?

 

 

Here is our other evidence:
 

• 3 Joint Lease Contracts from 2017 to 2020. Vietnamese documents showing residing address for both parties.
• Closing Documents for purchase of Condo - August 2020 (Deed has not been retrieved yet, we're having issues due to covid)
• HOA Ownership Account Statements since August 2020
• Joint Tax filings and Return Transcripts from 2017 to 2020
• Joint Credit Card - two statements
• Health Insurance for 2020. (We use separate health insurance for 2021 because we thought it might save money.... (which it hasn't))
• Homeowners insurance
• Car insurance
• Payment confirmations showing payment of beneficiary's university education by petitioner. 
• 3 print outs showing beneficiary information. (Print outs are basic don't provide account details. From Vanguard and fidelity.)
• 100+ photographs
• ~50 flight/train/bus tickets and plenty of matching passport stamps.

[Mike E 11,739]

Several VJ members had an I-485 interview the same day as us at the same field office and we were not approved the same day unlike the other members.  Stunned, I racked my brains why that would be, and concluded that while we had a joint account, we weren’t paying our bills from that. I used the time between interview and approval to correct that, and now the utilities and HOA are all paid from our joint checking account. 
 

I won’t say the lack of a joint checking account will prevent your I-751 from being approved but I will say there is no reason to not have one.  
 

I feel more confident about our looming I-751 petition.  

[thanhmakeysother 1]

Yeah, I see what you're saying, but unfortunately we can't go back in time and change the way things were done.

 

Is anyone able to answer, based on the current situation, which account statements (if any) we should include the application?

[Sukie 1,463]

I don't think you should include your bank statements, as her account, even though your name is on it, is NOT the one used to pay for all the expenses.   BUT, in lieu of sending statements, you really do need to, as you put it, "eloquently state" how you have decided to manage your finances.  Also explain the Health insurance situation.

 

Send MORE of the credit card statements - remember that you are having to send documents from your marriage date to the present.  Try to send a sample of that whole span of time, or at least from when you opened a joint credit card, or added your spouse to your account.

 

Cut down on the number of pictures.  20 key pictures of your vacations, or of you with family and friends is sufficient.  You probably have more than enough travel documentation, too.  Remember - it's quality - not quantity.

 

Best of luck to you!

 

Sukie in NY

[thanhmakeysother 1]

Unfortunately, she only shows up in the two of the credit card statements. Until recently, she was just "borrowing" my card to pay for things. I decided to add her, not for immigration purposes, but because it was getting inconvenient to have only one card.

 

There is another credit account where she is primary and I am secondary. Unfortunately, my name is not listed anywhere on these statements. I guess we can photocopy my physical card and send that.

 

I would reduce the travel / photo evidence, but it really goes neat together. There are cross references between the photos and the travel. And we've made sure that for any significant travel there is a accompanying Photo. 

 

I do appreciate the feedback.

Edited August 9, 2021 by thanhmakeysother

[craig5977 58]

Having the electric bill and any other utility bills in both your names is a big plus, as well as both names on a contract for deed, joint ownership of a car is a plus as well as the auto insurance in both names as well. This is what I was told to supply when I had filed a I-751 a few years ago and we were turned down.

Good Luck

[Scandi 4,166]

USCIS wants to see a joint account that is actively used by both spouses. If you don't have that, then no reason to send statements from an account that only has both your names on it but that isn't used by both. 

 

Having a joint account that is actively used by both is a huge thing for USCIS, it's one of the main evidences they love to see. But many are obviously approved without one too, far from everyone has joint accounts. I would send them the explanation you posted in your original post, it doesn't cost anything and that way you may be able to save yourself from an RFE asking for bank related evidence. 

[bakphx1 789]

I think if you lived in Vietnam together before, that helps. If they have no reason to doubt that she and you lived in the same place, they’ll be more focused on if the household expenses are paid by the same bank account.  It’s smoother to have both names on the bank accounts, but not essential. They want to see that you’re living together and paying household expenses from a single account.

 

Don’t withhold them.  That would just draw attention and they’ll ask for bank accounts later.  I made notes on our petition as to why the house was only in my name, and my husband hadn’t gotten q driver license yet.

[Sukie 1,463]

17 hours ago, thanhmakeysother said:

Unfortunately, she only shows up in the two of the credit card statements. Until recently, she was just "borrowing" my card to pay for things. I decided to add her, not for immigration purposes, but because it was getting inconvenient to have only one card.

 

There is another credit account where she is primary and I am secondary. Unfortunately, my name is not listed anywhere on these statements. I guess we can photocopy my physical card and send that.

 

I would reduce the travel / photo evidence, but it really goes neat together. There are cross references between the photos and the travel. And we've made sure that for any significant travel there is a accompanying Photo. 

 

I do appreciate the feedback.

We photocopied the fronts and backs of both credit cards (we had two joint CC accounts) and sent a couple of statements.  You can explain that your spouse was added to your card on xx/xx/xx and then show the statements since then.  For her account, you might be able to find a page on her profile (online) that shows authorized users, and include a screen print of that page.  Make sure the URL shows at the bottom of the screen print so that they can see the actual page it was copied from.

 

Just think of what you can send to show "togetherness" financially.  I think you'll be ok.  Just from what you have written so far, it's plain to ME that you have a legit relationship!

 

Best of luck!

 

Sukie in NY

[PedroDaGr8 245]

3 hours ago, Sukie said:

We photocopied the fronts and backs of both credit cards (we had two joint CC accounts) and sent a couple of statements.  You can explain that your spouse was added to your card on xx/xx/xx and then show the statements since then.  For her account, you might be able to find a page on her profile (online) that shows authorized users, and include a screen print of that page.  Make sure the URL shows at the bottom of the screen print so that they can see the actual page it was copied from.

 

Just think of what you can send to show "togetherness" financially.  I think you'll be ok.  Just from what you have written so far, it's plain to ME that you have a legit relationship!

 

Best of luck!

 

Sukie in NY

Pretty much this. My wife and I do not have a shared bank account but we do have shared credit cards, insurance, lease, etc. We were approved along with a bunch of others around our same date. Remember that USCIS doesn't have hard and fast rules, they are trying to build a picture not cross off check boxes. 

[Meli&Tommy 2]

On 8/8/2021 at 10:31 PM, craig5977 said:

Having the electric bill and any other utility bills in both your names is a big plus, as well as both names on a contract for deed, joint ownership of a car is a plus as well as the auto insurance in both names as well. This is what I was told to supply when I had filed a I-751 a few years ago and we were turned down.

Good Luck

Half the bills were in my name and half on his. We send the bills this way but showing that they had the same address (which shows we live together).

 

Also, we had two bank accounts, one joint together and then mine (I'm the applicant) only in my name, I only sent the bank statements of the joint bank account. 
 

No RFE's.

 

[Longingfor 195]

My spouse and I have no joint bank accounts or joint credit card statements. All the bills are paid directly from his account through direct deposits.  We included this in the cover letter to USCIS.  We uploaded other evidence such as health, vision and dental insurance and life insurance along with letters from bank stating authorize users on cards.  I uploaded my bank statement and highlighted direct deposits form hubby work to me and also all transfers from hubby to me. Other evidence was also sent in. 

 

My ROC case was accepted and processed.  Case has been in a stand still  since October 7, 2020 waiting to be scheduled for interview.  This morning there was action on my case - August 16, 2021 new card being produced.  

Edited August 17, 2021 by Longingfor

[Chocobo 196]

If the property tax bill shows you both, that would help.  Like others have said, utility bills showing both your names (or at least some bills showing you  and some showing her.)  Do you have a POA for healthcare?  That will help.  Living will?  Cell phone bills?

 

Not sure when your paperwork is due, but could you open a joint savings account in the meantime while you wait?  I know you can do that with Ally w/o having to go into anywhere.