My husband and I are gathering our copies and pounding our brains as to where we're going to find nearly $600 but I had a question about the Affidavits. Are they really necessary? Outside of family we have almost no one we can ask for a letter. I understand that we could get them from family members but a part of me feels like that's a little frowned on (and I don't know why). So I just would like to know if those affidavits are really important or if we can exclude them. Here is what we have so far otherwise...

copies of our credit cards (showing 2 joint accounts)
a statement from the bank showing that we have a joint account
a letter from his employer stating me as the beneficiary to his retirement fund and his life insurance
a copy of our son's birth certificate
photos of us together and with other people
copies of our 2007 and 2006 tax return
our letter from the IRS about the stimulus package (hey, it has both our names on it!)
greeting card envelopes with both of our names on them


affidavit letters? can we do without them?

thanks!

We sent no affidavits with our I-751 and got approved with no problems.

The evidence you have is enough to prove a bona fide marriage. Do you have mortgage/lease documents? That would be possibly another piece of evidence you could submit.

Good luck for a speedy approval.

we bought the house before I had my GC so unfortunately no my name is not on the mortgage document HOWEVER the document does state that my husband is married. The only way we could get my name on the mortgage is to refinance and with the way things are going in the mortgage world, we don't want to go there.

you can put your name on the deed without re finance. if you know a realtor, he/she can do it for free.

really?! thanks a lot! I'll give my realtor a call first thing tomorrow. We started combing through all of our purchase documents trying to find things with both of our names on it. hehe. this will save me a little bit of a headache (though it won't spare me the rest of the headache).

You can absolutely use family members. They are certainly competent to testify that you did not enter into the marriage in order to evade the immigration laws.

We were approved without affidavits but we had other strong evidence (2 kids and our names on the deed to our house, among other things). Sending affidavits can never hurt and can only help, particularly if you are worried about the quality of your other evidence.

We never had any affidavit letters, and from your evidence list I do not think you need to worry about them. Do make sure your bank and credit card statements cover the time you have been together.

We didn't send any affidavits either as I consider them very weak evidence. I would suggest sending utility bills also with both names as additional evidence of co-mingled or joint lives. Good Luck

We didn't include any affidavits either as we felt we had enough strong evidence without them. To your list I would also add in addition to the bank statement and copies of the credit cards examples of statements from those different accounts selected from various periods of your marriage showing joint activity on those accounts. It strengthen the evidence that you already have.

The OP does not list one of the key pieces of evidence specifically mentioned by CIS, i.e., a mortgage/deed/lease. True, the couple has a child together -- a golden piece of evidence -- but I would not be telling someone lacking deed/lease evidence that they do not need other evidence that is also specifically mentioned by CIS because I hadn't sent in such evidence (particularly where I had yet to be approved!). In the absence of mortgage/deed/lease evidence, I would certainly obtain an affidavit from the person who is providing living arrangements, even if it is a family member. And it certainly would not hurt to buttress it with another affidavit from another family member.

I agree with James. A deed shows ownership of property in the USA, most office supply stores have bland deeds, just follow the format in the existing dded and simply change the names of the grantee to both names, you will have to pay a filing fee, but cheap for the evidentiary value. I would also include copies of bank statements with both names, and copies of checks written by the non-US spouse. We did affidavits.

Its your comfort level - there is no hard and fast rule that one must submit mortgage or deeds - I never submitted any such thing (the house is paid for and is in my sister and my name for title transfer purposes - as is her house). So I have never submitted deeds/mortgages/rental agreements - nor have I submitted affidavits - My belief is that the most important piece of proof is joint tax filings followed by joint bank and credit card statements, then utility bills and finally health and other insurance, then pictures together etc. Just my belief, and so far, I have not had a problem with my wife's process. So, do what makes you comfortable, follow what seems logical to you. The only thing you must submit is the form and the fees - the rest is what you have and would like to generate as evidence. Good Luck

I forgot to mention that I combed through our filing cabinet and finally found home ownership notes with BOTH NAMES on them! we sent those along too so now we wait.

I don't understand why some people aren't submitting sworn affidavits.
Some are getting by without but WHY take a chance when USCIS clearly ask for such!

Yeah it's been a LOT of hard work and a b!tch getting this far. To me we all should "kick in the afterburners" and hit the finish line with all cylinders firing!

I talked to our register of deeds about filing a quit claim deed, attorneys around here charge around 500 bucks to fill out an file that very simple form, the problem was getting the form as she told me.

I did find the form at a local private office supply for 25 cents each, but my problem, wanting to do it need, it was a long time since I had a typewriter around here. But after some net searching found a fillable form for Wisconsin free off the net, also found many places that would sell it for 30 bucks, but isn't that always the case. She also told me I had to fill out an IRS form, didn't have to pay any taxes, but still had to be filed.

I used my old quit claim deed for the property and legal description, basically everything was identical except the seller was me and the buyer was me and my wife. Ha, know that grammar is improper, but that is how the deed is filled out. Took it back to her she checked over every line, filing fee was ten dollars and that was the end of that.

Ha, I am good in must about anything dealing with boats, airplanes, cars including all the electronics, AT, AC's, carpentry, cabinet making, plumbing, electrical, home building, codes, motors, generators, etc., and been helping my friends and relatives for years without any payback. Just asking for a notarized letter following the USCIS and that all know and love my wife was easy, they asked for two, I sent four, but could have sent a hundred. Some of my wife's friends received requests for evidence, wanted to avoid that, but still had to wait until the last few minutes before those green cards came in. They were just in the mail one day, no notice, nothing.

I'm submitting 2, from church friends, not notarized. According to a lot of other ppl on this website, that should be ok. I'll let you know what happens.

Great idea! I Imagine USCIS would rather have them from church friends and not be notarized as they instructed to do in the instructions!!!

The instructions don't seem to indicate that the affidavit needs to be notarized - does anyone know if that is required? Or just a signed letter?

by definition an affidavit is

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/affidavit