Proof of living together and payments

[RobertHopkins 0]

Hi everyone, I purchased my home before my wife got her her conditional green card and now that she’s here we’ve been paying the mortgage together from our joint bank account.

 

Will the bank statement showing the monthly payment to the loan be proof we are paying mortgage together? She’s not on the actual loan because that would require refinancing. The bank statement says “ELECTRONIC PMT-WEB, FLAGSTAR BANK NA LOAN PYMT” and then the amount. Is this good proof?

 

We also have utility bills with both of our names on them but those are paid from my individual account only.

Edited November 27 by RobertHopkins

[OldUser 6,976]

59 minutes ago, RobertHopkins said:

Will the bank statement showing the monthly payment to the loan be proof we are paying mortgage together?

Hopefully not just one statement. For I-751, USCIS expects to see evidence spanning whole marriage from start to date of filing. Many get away with submitting quarterly statements from date GC was issued.

 

 

[OldUser 6,976]

1 hour ago, RobertHopkins said:

We also have utility bills with both of our names on them but those are paid from my individual account only.

Could it be switched to joint account? Do utulity bills show both names?

Do you file taxes jointly? You can provide Tax Return Transcripts from IRS website to show it.

Edited November 27 by OldUser

[RobertHopkins 0]

8 hours ago, OldUser said:

Could it be switched to joint account? Do utulity bills show both names?

Do you file taxes jointly? You can provide Tax Return Transcripts from IRS website to show it.

Yes it can be switched but we’re filing in 2 months and the bills have been paid from my account the entire marriage. We just decided to pay the mortgage together after she got a job since that was the biggest cost. The gas/electric bill does show both names since the beginning of the marriage YES. We have two tax returns filed jointly as well, car insurance since she was approved and moved to US, health insurance through my employer since we’ve been married, she is also the beneficiary on my life insurance and retirement accounts. 
 

The only thing her name does not appear on is the actual mortgage bill because I bought the house before she was approved to move here and the only way to add her to that is to refinance which cannot happen right now. Also, why she is not on the deed because she was not physically here when the house was bought. The real estate attorney did inform me that in NJ the spouse has half ownership, regardless of her name being on it or not. Same thing with our car we bought a car last year with my name because she did not have an established credit in the US so we used my credit

[Sukie 1,464]

My spouse is not on my deed and I don't have a mortgage.  Just write a cover letter explaining how you pay for things.  Having your driver's licenses with the same physical address shows you live together.  It is not practical to refinance just to add a spouse in most cases.  Same with your car.  Show that your spouse is on your home owner's insurance and car insurance.  That's enough.

 

Best of luck! 

 

Sukie in NY

[OldUser 6,976]

I agree with @Sukie it won't make sense to refinance etc to add spouse's name.

 

However, adding name on utility bills doesn't cost anything. It's easy to do and will provide benefits such as proving address for Real ID, or proving residence for N-400 if questions arise. DL on it own may not carry the day. I don't see any downsides adding name tomorrow on utility bills. If you're sick in hospital, or pass away, surviving spouse will have easier time managing all bills. So many reasons to do it if you share life together.

[Sukie 1,464]

5 minutes ago, OldUser said:

I agree with @Sukie it won't make sense to refinance etc to add spouse's name.

 

However, adding name on utility bills doesn't cost anything. It's easy to do and will provide benefits such as proving address for Real ID, or proving residence for N-400 if questions arise. DL on it own may not carry the day. I don't see any downsides adding name tomorrow on utility bills. If you're sick in hospital, or pass away, surviving spouse will have easier time managing all bills. So many reasons to do it if you share life together.

Unfortunately, some utilities will only allow one name on the account.  So frustrating.

 

Having a joint cellphone bill is good, though.

 

Sukie in NY

[RobertHopkins 0]

Just now, Sukie said:

Unfortunately, some utilities will only allow one name on the account.  So frustrating.

 

Having a joint cellphone bill is good, though.

 

Sukie in NY

Yea her name is in the electric/gas already but I’ve been paying for that from my individual account not joint. Water unfortunately only lets me have one name. As for cell phone she’s actually on my family plan with myself, my parents and my sister, I guess this is a good one to include!

[OldUser 6,976]

1 minute ago, RobertHopkins said:

Yea her name is in the electric/gas already but I’ve been paying for that from my individual account not joint. Water unfortunately only lets me have one name. As for cell phone she’s actually on my family plan with myself, my parents and my sister, I guess this is a good one to include!

Switching payment method to joint account shouldn't be a major challenge. I wouldn't think it's critical, but why not?

[RobertHopkins 0]

1 minute ago, OldUser said:

Switching payment method to joint account shouldn't be a major challenge. I wouldn't think it's critical, but why not?

Yes I can switch it, I was just told her some people they might question as to why it was done so much after getting married and all that. We have not had a smooth process whatsoever lol. 

[OldUser 6,976]

5 minutes ago, RobertHopkins said:

Yes I can switch it, I was just told her some people they might question as to why it was done so much after getting married and all that. We have not had a smooth process whatsoever lol. 

I highly doubt it USCIS would question this.

[Bob in Boston 753]

10 hours ago, Sukie said:

Unfortunately, some utilities will only allow one name on the account.  So frustrating.

Also if your name is not on deed Water Bill and tax bill cannot be both names in my town. Elec and Gas no problem.