I-751 - help!

[TomandCatie 7]

Hi Everyone!

It's finally time for me, once again

I dread this with every fiber of my being.

Okay - so yesterday I got the dreaded ROC letter in the mail, telling us that it's time my husband files his I-751 notice. I've been stressing over this since he entered 2 years ago.

We have gathered up as much evidence as we can.

Here's a list of what we'll have by the end of next week:

*Joint Bank Account (statements over the past two years)

*Tax Returns (Married filing jointly)

*Health Insurance (joint)

*Car insurance (he's listed as a non-designated driver, since he can't drive- he's a severe dyslexic)

*Work proof (he has pay stubs from his job at Walmart that he's held for over a year)

*Cards and letters addressed to the both of us (including a few bills)

*Affidavits from family and friends

(1) my mother and father stating that we've been living with them for 2 years and paying rent, hence why we don't have any mortgage/rent/utility bills.

(2) an elderly couple we know, who helped teach my husband the faith he converted to. They know us VERY well as a couple, and attended our wedding (the second one, the blessing, not the civil obviously)

(3) a friend from his work who hangs out with the both of us on a regular basis, knows us as a couple.

*Marriage certificate (from our second wedding in Dec of 14, it was a blessing through our church)

*Dog adoption papers for our puppy (license and registration)

*Will for the both of us

*Life Insurance for the both of us, listed each other as beneficiaries.

*Pictures

*Vacation papers from a trip to Disneyland hotel, with hotel cards and travel papers with our names on them

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few other things I have tucked away, but that's the bulk of it.

The letter says to file the I-751 within 90 days prior to his entrance. It also states that if we send sufficient evidence, he might not even need the interview, and he will be immediately approved. I'm hoping this is the case, since I've been manic about collecting things.

I would really appreciate any advice, and possibly some help on how to properly fill out the form. I've heard some horror stories of people not filling them out properly and getting denied just based off that.

Also - is it different than what I had to do in England? Do I send in the evidence all together with the form? Should I categorize and make it really neat and labeled?

What's the process like?

I've read the "intructions" on the .gov site, but it's vague and never goes deep enough for me. I truly believe, that without this site, I wouldn't have made it this far with him. I tried doing it myself and ended up failing miserably. I didn't understand how much work and effort goes into it.

Thank you guys!

Catie and Tom

[Lainie B 465]

You are already through the hard part (K-1 and AOS). The ROC process is relatively simple. Just fill in the I-751 form, include a check, and attach copies of your supporting evidence, arranged in whatever format you want. Some people attach a cover letter but it's not needed. That's it. The process is very easy.

ROC interviews are very rare. Usually you either get approved, or they issue an RFE. If you reply to the RFE and they are still not happy, that's when they will set up an interview.

It looks like you have a good set of evidence. You don't need his paystubs. I would personally not include the Dec 14 "marriage certificate" as that might be confusing, and it's not needed.

[Cheezees 1,514]

Make sure to include tax transcripts (you can order them for free at irs.gov and they are delivered within a week) and not tax returns. I would also omit the marriage certificate. It is not part of the ROC process. Your evidence looks solid otherwise. Good luck!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

VJ has a sample form filled out http://www.visajourney.com/examples/INS-Form-I-751.pdf

[TomandCatie 7]

So they can be copies? Or should they be original documentation? Obviously, some of them can't be (like health insurance/etc...)

Also - they don't care that it's in a giant package? I just send it all in? I didn't have to do this last time, I brought all our evidence to the interview.

I'm probably going to do a cover letter, and I won't attach my marriage certificate from the second one.

I like to do things that are unnecessary just in case I get a stickler, who wants a lot of evidence.

Nick - you've helped me so much in the past! Would it be pushy of me to ask if I can send the i-751 for your review? To make sure I did everything correctly?

Thank you guys!!!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Everything you send in can be photocopies.

My ROC was the biggest packet of all the ones we did...K1 petition, AOS, ROC, citizenship.

I didn't send in every bank statement for two years. I did the oldest, some middle-ish, and most recent to show we maintained the same account a long time.

Does he have a state ID in lieu of a driver license? Photocopy your DL and his ID on same page to show you have the same address.

Remember, you are not proving income, so his pay slips don't do a lot but show his address. Maybe copy one of his and one of yours on the same page and make a note at the bottom--Same Address. The tax returns are not to prove income. They are showing you filed together as a married couple.

[TomandCatie 7]

Thank you!

[JamesSheila 4]

The letter says to file the I-751 within 90 days prior to his entrance. It also states that if we send sufficient evidence, he might not even need the interview, and he will be immediately approved. I'm hoping this is the case, since I've been manic about collecting things.

You do mean 90 days before his 2 year green card expires correct?

[Pitaya 2,576]

You do mean 90 days before his 2 year green card expires correct?

"During the 90 days before..." as described on page 1 of the I-751 instructions, check out When Should I File Form I-751?: http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-751instr.pdf

Edited June 24, 2015 by Pitaya

[Pitaya 2,576]

In our initial ROC submission we included our 2 years of MFJ IRS tax transcripts and a sampling of the bank statements (similar to what Nich-Nick described), etc. In the RFE, they wanted us to furnish all of the financial statements since the inception of marriage. Additionally, they asked for all W-2s, 1099-MISCs corresponding to the years of the marriage. Maybe we got a very finicky adjudicator?

Agree with Nich-Nick about the size of the package. Our initial submission weighed in at just under six pounds. The RFE response, that we sent in on 14 May 2015, weighed in at 3 pounds, 11 ounces. It was by far, the biggest package we have sent in to USCIS. Send 'em the kitchen sink, and let them two hole punch that into your file...

BTW, our ROC was approved on 21 May 2015.

Good luck.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Pitaya