I-485 RFE Marital Evidence Need Help

[CebuGuy 7]

Hello,

 

We received a RFE today for the I-485 and we feel might be screwed. They're asking for evidence of shared marital life together after early May 2023 (we got married around then). We don't have anything like shared utility bills, leases, etc., because we live with my family and most of the things are in my parents' name and we never bothered to open a joint bank account or anything like that. What we do have is a lot of pictures together in the past 5 months showing us going on many trips together, but I'm not sure what is enough. Not sure what to do or if it's too late to get new evidence. We have a few months to respond to the RFE.

 

 

[K1visaHopeful 2,814]

Parents can write affidavit stating you live with them. 

Provide IDs with shared address. 

SEPARATE ANYTHING with SAME address. 

Can't say you get zero pieces of mail???

 

[OldUser 6,636]

That's a tough spot, but you need to respond to RFE.

Affidavits is one thing.

For the trips, did you have flights, hotel reservations in both names?

Photos with family and friends would help, if dated and annotated correctly

[milimelo 4,477]

Phone bill, car insurance, same address on driver license/state ID, mail sent to one or both of you at the same address, if you have a pet vet bills/forms listing both of you as owners, medical insurance EOB listing owner of policy/beneficiary, beneficiary designation forms from school/work, library cards, junk mail sent to one or both of you at the same address... You've got none of this?

[Crazy Cat 41,837]

7 hours ago, CebuGuy said:

Hello,

 

We received a RFE today for the I-485 and we feel might be screwed. They're asking for evidence of shared marital life together after early May 2023 (we got married around then). We don't have anything like shared utility bills, leases, etc., because we live with my family and most of the things are in my parents' name and we never bothered to open a joint bank account or anything like that. What we do have is a lot of pictures together in the past 5 months showing us going on many trips together, but I'm not sure what is enough. Not sure what to do or if it's too late to get new evidence. We have a few months to respond to the RFE.

 

 

Anything which shows you both living at the same address or engaged in the same activities will help.  The immigration process requires thinking ahead from start to finish.  Always consider what kind of evidence you might need in the future.  Good luck.

[CebuGuy 7]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

Anything which shows you both living at the same address or engaged in the same activities will help.  The immigration process requires thinking ahead from start to finish.  Always consider what kind of evidence you might need in the future.  Good luck.

 

We kind of realized in hindsight that what we sent originally in the I-485 wasn't enough and we should have done more to have solid evidence. It's too late but we're trying our best. We're trying to gather as much as we can and get new stuff like joint accounts/billings/etc. We have proof we went to a lot of places like Disneyland, Vegas, etc.

 

The plan is to send all that in the RFE response by next month.

[Crazy Cat 41,837]

7 minutes ago, CebuGuy said:

We have proof we went to a lot of places like Disneyland, Vegas, etc.

You need something showing you are living together at the same location.  Get a lease agreement ASAP!  Get a couple personal affidavits ASAP!!   Apply for joint bank account and credit cards ASAP!!!  

Edited October 13, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[CebuGuy 7]

25 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

You need something showing you are living together at the same location.  Get a lease agreement ASAP!  Get a couple personal affidavits ASAP!!   Apply for joint bank account and credit cards ASAP!!!  

 

I spoke with my parents and it shouldn't be a problem to transfer the lease from them to us (we have a very casual/informal tenant relationship with our landlords). Trying to add my spouse to my accounts and everything today. We have some personal photos together with family and good friends. I can get them to write affidavits for us. Do the affidavits need to accompanied copies of their government ID? I'm thinking being hand written is okay.

Edited October 13, 2023 by CebuGuy

[Crazy Cat 41,837]

Just now, CebuGuy said:

 

I spoke with my parents and it shouldn't be a problem to transfer the lease from them to us (we have a very casual/informal tenant relationship with our landlords). Trying to add my spouse to my accounts and everything today.

Great!  At this point, it's time to throw everything you can at the RFE.  If you get a denial, you will have to refile the I-485, I-765, etc.  Good luck. 

[beloved_dingo 1,976]

Your situation isn't unusual but it puts you in an "everything but the kitchen sink" scenario where you need to provide every scrap of evidence you can pull together. 

 

Some pointers and other ideas for things to provide:

• For the photos, put them into a Word doc where you can add a description (we did 4 to a page). In the description, put the date, location, and names of everyone in the photo. 
• For evidence of trips together, include any reservations, tickets, confirmations, etc. that show your names. 
• Are you both on the same car insurance policy? If so, use the policy documents listing both of your names
• Are you both on the same health insurance? If so, provide proof
• Do you have any joint memberships? Gym, Costco, etc. 
• Are you on the same mobile phone plan? If so, provide proof
• Are you listed as beneficiaries on any accounts (retirement, life insurance, savings account, etc.)? If so, provide proof
• Have you received any invitations or cards addressed/written to you both (wedding, holiday, etc.)? 
• If you are each other's emergency contacts for work, school, doctor, etc., see if you can get documentation of it

[Thunderbolt 172]

We did

- DL showing the same address

- Car insurance 

- Health insurance from work

- 3 Joint bank accounts (for earlier forms for AOS we also included joint credit card statements)

- The only utility bill that may wife's name is on is for gas

- And 2 pages with 3 pictures on each page from our wedding and honeymoon trip

 

No RFEs. 

[CebuGuy 7]

Thank you everyone for all the advice.