Somewhat complicated joint sponsor question (maybe)

[kyleers 0]

We got an RFE letter in the mail when I got home from work an hour ago, and it was a stupid mistake on my part:

"The joint sponsor on Form I-864 must be a United States citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States. Submit evidence of the joint sponsor's status."

And what do you know, I just looked at the I-864 instructions:

"If you are a joint sponsor or the relative of an employment-based immigrant required an affadavit of support, proof of your citizenship status. For US citizens or nationals, a copy of your birth certificate, passport, or certificate of naturalization or citizenship."

Jeez, they sure are nitpicking.

Anyway, my mom is my joint sponsor for my husband. What makes me mad is that all they have to do is look at my birth certificate and see "MOTHER'S PLACE OF BIRTH: KANSAS." And there's her bleepin' citizenship. Anyway, obviously I have to send something in. So I just called her and she found her birth certificate. However, her birth certificate is her maiden name. Then she got married to my dad, who died before I was born, and she just got married again in January 2006 after 21 years (2 days after I submitted the I-485). So she's two names removed from her birth certificate. Do they care, or do I have to send in her birth certificate with the maiden name, and then her first wedding certificate showing Maiden Name-->Husband #1's Last Name, and then send in her second wedding certificate showing Husband #1's Last Name-->Husband #2's Last Name? (so they can do like the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon)? Because her social security number isn't on her birth certificate so I don't know how else they could put two and two together that the person of the birth certificate is the same person with a different name today. So am I safer just sending in her birth certificate, marriage cert #1, marriage cert #2, and then a copy of her new social security card or something? And do I have to resubmit the whole damn thing now that her name has changed (since she eversokindly got married and changed her name 2 days after I submitted the I-485)? Or can I just say, "Look, here is her marriage certificate, she just got married, but all the information is the same." and call it good? And no, she doesn't have a passport (that would make things so much easier, wouldn't it?).

[de_sjiem 0]

if you can get ahold of it all (birth certificate and all the marriage certificates) I"d just send it all in.. better to err on the side of caution! Who knows if they would be able to put it all together without it.. maybe you could also include a short note why you are sending everything in?

[kyleers 0]

if you can get ahold of it all (birth certificate and all the marriage certificates) I"d just send it all in.. better to err on the side of caution! Who knows if they would be able to put it all together without it.. maybe you could also include a short note why you are sending everything in?

Thanks for your response. That's what I told my mom to do. She's going to scan in her birth certificate, marriage certificate #1, marriage certificate #2, and new social security card tonight, so I can print it and send it off tomorrow. Then when we go for the interview we'll bring the originals with us in case they ask for them.

This presents a bit of another problem though. She doesn't have a certified marriage certificate for marriage #1. She has the "copy for the bride and groom." It's from 1980 and it's also quite beat up. The corner is torn off where the county clerk wrote in the date, so it says '19' instead of '1980' and their ages are also illegible. However, the priest signed it at the bottom and the date (Nov. 29, 1980) is clearly legible there. I don't know if this is a sufficient marriage certificate for them or not, but then again they didn't ask for the marriage certificate, they asked for the birth certificate...and I'm going above and beyond by sending in all these marriage certificates, so they should take pity on my poor soul.

I was thinking I might just make do with that and send it in tomorrow, and then order a certified marriage certificate so she'll have it for her records. And then if they're seriously cruel enough to send me an RFE for a real marriage certificate, then I'll have it to send off right away.

[hcj 0]

One more idea, since we're going for "overkill" anyway

You can ask your mother to write a sworn affidavit stating that she (married name #2) was born (maiden name). I think there is a certain specific language you are supposed to use in an affidavit -- maybe google it? Something like "I swear the foregoing is true and correct."