Evidence for Bona-Fide Marriage

[Minnesota12345 1]

Hi all, we're filing I130 after we decided to marry here due to increased tensions/problems at home for my future spouse. We will be eloping in exactly 1 month.

 

Hi all,

Do you think the following would qualify as evidence of a bona-fide marriage?

1. Phone bill with both of our names on it

2. Bank account (though JUST opened jointly)

3. Affadavits of support from 3-4 people

4. Mail to my address with her name on it (though she isn't on my lease as I deal with the world's worst property management company that restricts my 1br to "single occupancy")

5. Authorized usership on my Amex/Chase cards

6. Renters Insurance Policy with our name on it

Also, my state (MN) seems to have many hurdles to jump through to get a government ID so that seems to be a chicken/egg question. Any tips on getting a MN ID without an SSN?

[Smelserjl 137]

7 minutes ago, Minnesota12345 said:

Hi all, we're filing I130 after we decided to marry here due to increased tensions/problems at home for my future spouse. We will be eloping in exactly 1 month.

 

Hi all,

Do you think the following would qualify as evidence of a bona-fide marriage?

1. Phone bill with both of our names on it

2. Bank account (though JUST opened jointly)

3. Affadavits of support from 3-4 people

4. Mail to my address with her name on it (though she isn't on my lease as I deal with the world's worst property management company that restricts my 1br to "single occupancy")

5. Authorized usership on my Amex/Chase cards

6. Renters Insurance Policy with our name on it

Also, my state (MN) seems to have many hurdles to jump through to get a government ID so that seems to be a chicken/egg question. Any tips on getting a MN ID without an SSN?

I think all of those things would be useful, but I recommend some additional items:

 

- Can she get added to your lease and not just your insurance policy?

- How about car insurance? Health insurance?

- I put together a timeline in a word doc of our relationship--it included photos/screen shots of things we did together/trips, conversations among each other's families, meeting friends, etc.--its like a story of how your relationship evolved and remained. 

- Flight or hotel itinerary copies with both names?

- Tax bills with both names?

[Minnesota12345 1]

1 minute ago, Smelserjl said:

I think all of those things would be useful, but I recommend some additional items:

 

- Can she get added to your lease and not just your insurance policy?

- How about car insurance? Health insurance?

- I put together a timeline in a word doc of our relationship--it included photos/screen shots of things we did together/trips, conversations among each other's families, meeting friends, etc.--its like a story of how your relationship evolved and remained. 

- Flight or hotel itinerary copies with both names?

- Tax bills with both names?

1. No, my city has a rental crisis and all 1BRs and studios here are single occupancy only unless you want to pay out the wazoo for "luxury" housing and tbh, as I'm already covering for two, it's hard to afford that

2. Car insurance, no, she doesn't drive. Health insurance, I've paid travel insurance for her until she can be added to mine. Would you advise waiting until I add her to mine to file?

3. Should that be included with the application? Or just the interview evidence?

4. Good thinking. Printing those tonight.

5. People have recommended this, but she doesn't work in the US as she isn't a resident yet, so IDK how she could have that.

[Smelserjl 137]

10 minutes ago, Minnesota12345 said:

1. No, my city has a rental crisis and all 1BRs and studios here are single occupancy only unless you want to pay out the wazoo for "luxury" housing and tbh, as I'm already covering for two, it's hard to afford that

2. Car insurance, no, she doesn't drive. Health insurance, I've paid travel insurance for her until she can be added to mine. Would you advise waiting until I add her to mine to file?

3. Should that be included with the application? Or just the interview evidence?

4. Good thinking. Printing those tonight.

5. People have recommended this, but she doesn't work in the US as she isn't a resident yet, so IDK how she could have that.

re: insurance--I wouldn't wait to file since you have the other items. I think they just like paperwork showing you make each other beneficiary or something like insurance/will/etc.

 

I included my timeline with my application--better to have up front than during the interview only (we brought it as well)!

 

You might also want to be prepared to explain why you're eloping. We had planned to get married in the US, but we eloped. We explained that our families and culture preferred that we marry instead of moving in together while engaged. 

Edited June 11, 2018 by Smelserjl

[Minnesota12345 1]

5 minutes ago, Smelserjl said:

re: insurance--I wouldn't wait to file since you have the other items. I think they just like paperwork showing you make each other beneficiary or something like insurance/will/etc.

 

I included my timeline with my application--better to have up front than during the interview only (we brought it as well)!

 

You might also want to be prepared to explain why you're eloping. We had planned to get married in the US, but we eloped. We explained that our families and culture preferred that we marry instead of moving in together while engaged. 

Awesome, thank you so much for your input! 

 

We'll draft a timeline as well, I'd be interested in knowing if others do this too.

 

We do plan on having a ceremony, though at a later date, as well as a civil ceremony by September on the west coast. Should I include that?

[Smelserjl 137]

1 minute ago, Minnesota12345 said:

Awesome, thank you so much for your input! 

 

We'll draft a timeline as well, I'd be interested in knowing if others do this too.

 

We do plan on having a ceremony, though at a later date, as well as a civil ceremony by September on the west coast. Should I include that?

I think it can't hurt to over-explain anything! We didn't have an RFE or anything like that--from Spousal Visa to N-400. A lot of trees died the process of making our applications! Good luck  

[MrsPLM 34]

I think pics of her with your family would be good, besides the affidavits. Shows she participates in family gatherings. 

[Nelly17 10]

19 hours ago, Minnesota12345 said:

Hi all, we're filing I130 after we decided to marry here due to increased tensions/problems at home for my future spouse. We will be eloping in exactly 1 month.

 

Hi all,

Do you think the following would qualify as evidence of a bona-fide marriage?

1. Phone bill with both of our names on it —YES

2. Bank account (though JUST opened jointly)—YES use it to pay some common bills like phone netflix internet rent...

3. Affadavits of support from 3-4 people — YES i sent those too / from family and friends

4. Mail to my address with her name on it (though she isn't on my lease as I deal with the world's worst property management company that restricts my 1br to "single occupancy") —YES / sending you the letter that i used to explain the difference in address

5. Authorized usership on my Amex/Chase cards —YES

6. Renters Insurance Policy with our name on it — YES 

Also, my state (MN) seems to have many hurdles to jump through to get a government ID so that seems to be a chicken/egg question. Any tips on getting a MN ID without an SSN?

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by Nelly17

[Nelly17 10]

6 minutes ago, Nelly17 said:

 

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by Nelly17

[Nelly17 10]

2 minutes ago, Nelly17 said:

 

 

 

 

Just now, Nelly17 said:

 

 

[Nelly17 10]

Just now, Nelly17 said:

 

 

 

[Minnesota12345 1]

1 minute ago, Nelly17 said:

 

Interesting, I assume this was received well?

[Minnesota12345 1]

19 hours ago, CatP said:

I think pics of her with your family would be good, besides the affidavits. Shows she participates in family gatherings. 

My family are out of the picture as most are in Germany or are loony neoconfederates. I have some with hers though!

[Nelly17 10]

Just now, Minnesota12345 said:

Interesting, I assume this was received well?

Yes. No questions asked during the interview about the difference in address.

My interview was a year after we submitted the application. So I had already received the EAD as stated in the letter, we had moved in together. 

For your application, try drafting a letter to truly explain your situation otherwise a difference in afdress will be seen as red flag. 

[Nelly17 10]

2 minutes ago, Minnesota12345 said:

My family are out of the picture as most are in Germany or are loony neoconfederates. I have some with hers though!

We didnt have any family pictures either. We sent 20 pics in the application and Most of them were just pics of us at different locations (restaurant, movies, night out etc..).