The affidivit is to be written by a family member or friend, Does any know how to write this affidavit?

That's not one of the requirements I've ever seen or heard of - where did you read that?

Are you sure it's required and not just supplemental?

There's some examples of letters from friends on this page (last item): http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;page=examples

It's for lifting conditions, but you could use some of the wording if you wanted to for this purpose.

I read it on the on the instruction page of the I-130 that I download from the USCIS website today.
http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-130.pdf It is contained in bullet number 7, under the caption NOTES:
Am I not reading the requirement right, if I am making a petition for my husband?

Oh interesting... I didn't submit anything other than the marriage certificate. I thought that supplemental information would be presented at the consulate level during interview.

Did anyone else submit anything other than a marriage certificate?

The I-130 can also be submitted when one is stateside and applying for adjustment of status (I-485). Under those circumstances it is assumed that a couple is living together. I imagine this would be the circumstances that the extra evidence of a bona fide relationship is asked for. I hadn't even noticed that before in these instructions. It wasn't included from memory in the earlier form completed by my husband in late 2005. I haven't noted any member receiving an RFE for such for not including it. To my knowledge only the marriage certificate is required.

I would like to add though, that due to the chance of a denial at an interview on the grounds of not having a bona fide marriage, especially at some consulates, it may very well be beneficial to include such information at the initial filing stage. A conof must have grounds for a denial that were not know by the USCIS when they approved the petition.

aussiewench, for those of us who have a pending I-130 and didn't provide supplemental information (and have not lived with our spouses), do you think it is too late to send in additional info such as letters from friends and family? I had just assumed these would be presented at the consulate level along with things like phone bills, boarding passes, etc. I was going to present that information for my k3 or CR-1, whatever interview I get first.

Unless you receive an RFE for such information, save it for the interview. Anything submitted outside of receiving an RFE may not find its way to your file and isn't recommended. I have noted other members that when they have received an RFE for something, have submitted additional info as well at this time. As I said in before, I haven't noted any RFE's asking for this additional evidence of a bona fide marriage at the petition stage as it has always been something that one supplies at the interview stage.

Thanks so much for your input. I also haven't seen any other members receiving an RFE for evidence of a bona fide marriage at the petitional level, but I will have plenty of evidence at the interview stage.

I just figured out why I have never heard of this before - the form/instructions were revised on 12/04/2006.

Frankly, most of the suggestions are slightly ridiculous - if we aren't living together because they won't let our spouses in the country most of the suggestions will be difficult or non-existent.

I understand they want to avoid visa fraud, but it's still frustrating. Sorry Cherri1 that I couldn't be more helpful, good luck!

New form... great... I hope they didn't revise anything that would require RFEs from those who filed recently using the old form (which was valid when we filed).

it doesn't seem like that big a deal misa i wouldn't worry about it---- as on the USCIS website it says that old versions are still accepted. i'm about to send mine out tomorrow and am not going to get the affidavits, as the majority of the people that know both of us are not u.s. citizens, and the two that are are not in the country, making notarization etc. close to impossible.. hopefully it will work out.

Yea I noticed the same thing but I already have all the forms completed. I'm not going to stress myself w/all this other stuff b/c it states the form is still acceptable. I will try to obtain it for the interview but not right now.

I guess I'm just overly paranoid about these things so I like to be prepared.

we submitted 2 affidavits with our I-130, one from my best-friend who was one of the first people who met my USC husband when we first started dating and the other was sworn by another girlfriend of mine who was a witness at our wedding.

our format was simple:

1. name of deponent (person swearing the affidavit), address, date of birth.
2. deponent's relationship with me, the beneficiary, (the deponent can of course be the petitioner's friend/family member) and how long the deponent has known me.
3. date when the deponent first met my USC husband.
4. the deponent's observations about us as a couple (loving, committed, etc).
5. deponent's knowledge about the marriage (when it took place, did they participate, describe the wedding briefly).
6. both affidavits contained a penultimate paragraph which stated: "I am confident having known the Beneficiary for a long time that the marriage was based on a bona fide relationship and I hope that this Affidavit will facilitate the Beneficiary's immigration to the United States to enable her to be with the Petitioner."
7. Both affidavits were notarised, one sworn in singapore, the other in the US.

hope this is helpful!