Are affidavits for I-751 necessary?

[Dashinka 24,489]

2 hours ago, Mike E said:

We did not get them notarized and did not ask for IDs

We included them (no attorney prompt), and had them notarized, but I agree, probably a waste of time for our friends and family at the time.

[Fe.Ta 874]

23 hours ago, Molle said:

Ok 👍 

 

I have joint bank accounts, brokerage accounts, credit cards, joint tax returns, we are each other's beneficiaries on retirement accounts and insurance policies, we have utility bills in our separate names, for for our joint residence, car deed, health insurance, advance health care directivies naming each other as the person that can make decisions if the other is incapable, marriage certificate, photos from trips, and events with friends and family, I'm my husband's emergency contact for his employer.

Snapshots of conversations with our family, both here in the US, and in my home country.

 

And probably a few more documents...

 

 

You seem to have strong evidence.  If you can get that month to month lease under both of your names, even better.  But, do submit all the documentation from the landlord that you have where it lists you both.

 

Given that you have such good evidence on the ones that hold more weight, the affidavits are not necessary.  They are only helpful when other evidence is lacking a bit, so it helps some.  I would say the snapshots of conversations are even less valuable than the affidavits because of all the other evidence you do have.  I would replace the affidavits and conversations with family snapshots for a few pictures throughout the years in which you can see you and with with those family members and friends (both on your side and his).  If you only have it for one side (for example, his friends and family), that is OK too.

As a general note, we provided affidavits that were notarized.  The few that were not (we didn't do many either), we had copies of the DLs to show those people existed, had DLs, and the signatures matched.  In our case we included them because we had enough strong evidence, but were missing a lease and utilities.  So, we used the affidavits the backup some other evidence we had in which those people were part of it (i.e. one affidavit was done by our marriage witnesses who are also the witnesses to our wills and parents to our godchildren).

[Molle 0]

7 hours ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

 

You didn't update the tenants when you renewed the lease?

 

Or is it a multi-year lease?

 

31 minutes ago, Fe.Ta said:

You seem to have strong evidence.  If you can get that month to month lease under both of your names, even better.  But, do submit all the documentation from the landlord that you have where it lists you both.

 

Given that you have such good evidence on the ones that hold more weight, the affidavits are not necessary.  They are only helpful when other evidence is lacking a bit, so it helps some.  I would say the snapshots of conversations are even less valuable than the affidavits because of all the other evidence you do have.  I would replace the affidavits and conversations with family snapshots for a few pictures throughout the years in which you can see you and with with those family members and friends (both on your side and his).  If you only have it for one side (for example, his friends and family), that is OK too.

As a general note, we provided affidavits that were notarized.  The few that were not (we didn't do many either), we had copies of the DLs to show those people existed, had DLs, and the signatures matched.  In our case we included them because we had enough strong evidence, but were missing a lease and utilities.  So, we used the affidavits the backup some other evidence we had in which those people were part of it (i.e. one affidavit was done by our marriage witnesses who are also the witnesses to our wills and parents to our godchildren).

This is such great advice, thank you so much!