No Banking Activities At ALL -> RFE -> Approval Experience

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

We doesn't have any bank accounts together, everything we use together on my Bank Of America debit/credit. My spouse doesn't have good credit due to some overdraft issues and is almost turned down at every big banks. Some local banks offer us checking and saving accounts but we decided to be honest and recent banking activities will not be good in USCIS perspective. And we did receive RFE for that and old lease, tax 2013. And we got approved yesterday after 10 days the RFE response was sent. Below are everything we sent in, including RFE response. Hope it helps and good luck.

I-751 package:

• Copies of the passports and green cards.
• Copies of driver licenses of us, same address.
• List of addresses I have resided since I am a permanent resident.
• Two sworn affidavits by U.S. citizens (one of my mom in law, and one of my uncle) confirming our relationship and marriage.
• Copies of the tax statements (Federal and AZ State) for 2011 and 2012.
• Copy of the joint ownership title of our car. (6 month old, it is one of RFE reasons)
• Copies of joint Geico auto insurance card and payment notification. (renewed policy with new vehicle above, it is one of RFE reasons)
• Copies of joint AZ AAA auto service cards and account summary.
• Copies of joint AZ BCBS health insurance card and bills. (3 recent bills with out my spouse name addressed even it is included inside bills, I should have sent all bills and it is one of RFE reasons.)
• Copies of Bank of America statements. Main RFE reason. I did explain on head letter that the bank doesn’t let me to put my spouse name on my account because my spouse has an overdraft history with them.
• Family pictures at different occasions.

They requested for evidences for old lease, current lease, tax 2013 and everything to prove bonafide marriage. We sent following additional docs:

• Original Request for Evidence letter.
• 2013 Federal and Arizona State joint tax returns. (It wasn't due when we submitted I-751 back in Jan 20, 2014)
• 2011, 2012, 2013 joint tax transcripts. (You don't have to mail or call, now they let you print transcripts within mins)
• Notarized Affidavit of Communal Residence by my father-in-law from Oct 1, 2012 until now. (explains why we moved in with in-laws and have no utility bills AT ALL for last 18 months)
• Copy of Residential Lease Agreement of our previous residence from Oct 1, 2011 to Sept 30, 2012. (This is what they specifically requested)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Certificate of Health Coverage with all copies of continuous bill statements, renewed insurance cards from Feb 2012 until now. (Certificate of Coverage states everything and you need to call your insurance to get it)
• Copies of continuous Vehicle Insurance policies and payment statements from Jan 2012 until now with no gap period. (for older car, all insurance cards and policies. Call your customer service they will provide everything you had before)
• Copies of previous Internet Cable provider statements. (I am glad I still keep them, back then when we filed AOS)
• My head letter explaining the bank concerns and utility bills.

Good luck to those who are waiting and God bless you all. Keep faith and pray.

[Mariam&Smith 45]

Thank you Nancy for detailed write up.