Proof of domicile - Will use friend's second home

[tsac 0]

My best friend has an second, empty home right now that he's agreed to let us use when we move back to the US. 

 

How should I go about documenting this? Is a letter signed by him sufficient, or should we write up an actual lease? Does anyone have an example document of either case? I would think a lease would need a start date + duration which we don't have since we don't know when we'll be approved.

[Timona 4,207]

Just used it as if it's your own address. I don't see the need to write a letter

[Verrou 1,962]

No need. Just use the place / address without explanation. I did the same, stayed in friend’s empty apartment unit for almost 3 years without lease, didn’t pay rent. my husband helped to renovate the apartment without paycheck/salary. 

[Mike E 11,739]

39 minutes ago, tsac said:

I would think a lease would need a start date + duration which we don't have since we don't know when we'll be approved.

Since it is empty now, I would ask your friend write a statement saying the home is available to your spouse and you on a month to month basis starting now. Especially since your timeline indicates you are doing DCF.

[tsac 0]

I used an online service to prepare my I-864. After communicating these suggestions to them, they recommended I leave my address as foreign and have my friend write a letter. They suggested this would be the most honest--and therefore safe--option given the duration of my stay abroad (>15 years).

 

Thanks everyone for your replies!