Do I need affidavits?

[steve100100 0]

I will be sending my I-751 packet off in a couple of weeks. I will be including things like joint bank statements, auto insurance card, health insurance cards, the lease on our house etc, all of which have both our names on. We had a baby boy last year, so I will give them a copy of his birth certificate. Also, I adopted my step-daughter last month so I will send them a copy of the court order granting the adoption.

My question is: do I still need to bother with the affidavits?? My simplistic way of thinking leads me to believe that our son's birth certificate and daughter's adoption order, plus the bank statements etc, would be enough. Any thoughts?? I know there's probably no such thing as too much evidence, just wondering if anyone has gone through this without sending affidavits??

Thanks!

[israel0218 0]

If you have the time to get them, then do it, it will not hurt your case at all....

Remember is better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them.

Good luck!

Edited July 10, 2008 by israel0218

[lucyrich 19]

Do a search on "affidavits" in this forum, and you'll see it's been a persistent common topic over the years.

They are NOT absolutely essential in all cases. Our case was approved without them, and many others have reported being approved without them.

Many people do send them, and they're usually approved, too.

My thoughts: Affidavits aren't going to make a difference in your case. Imagine the adjudicator looking over you pile of evidence, seeing the birth certificate, adoption papers, financial records, etc., and thinking, "hmm, I'm not sure, these people could be fraudulent", but then finally coming across a letter signed by some person the adjudicator has never heard of. Suddenly, the adjudicator says "OK, if this couple managed to find someone to vouch for them, my doubts are now erased".

No, somehow I don't think so.

Virtually any fraudulent couple could probably find someone to vouch for them, I suspect. Unethical people tend to have unethical friends. So a typical affidavit probably doesn't do a huge amount to separate you from the fraudulent couples. Unless perhaps if your affidavit comes from someone with obviously unimpeachable credibility (an immigration judge who happens to be your neighbor?)

But I can't think of a case where an affidavit has hurt anyone's case, so I wouldn't discourage someone who really wants to send them.

[motu 5]

I didn't send any affidavits as they seem of little value to me when you have other evidence (bank statements, insurances, lease etc.). (Just got approved today.) Good Luck

[russian_armenian 4]

I think the same as other pposters-if you have a bunch of other proof, affidevits are not going to make a differance. I never thought about it, but Lucyrich is right-if marriage is fradulent, those people can always find people to vouch for them.

I will be sending my I-751 packet off in a couple of weeks. I will be including things like joint bank statements, auto insurance card, health insurance cards, the lease on our house etc, all of which have both our names on. We had a baby boy last year, so I will give them a copy of his birth certificate. Also, I adopted my step-daughter last month so I will send them a copy of the court order granting the adoption.

My question is: do I still need to bother with the affidavits?? My simplistic way of thinking leads me to believe that our son's birth certificate and daughter's adoption order, plus the bank statements etc, would be enough. Any thoughts?? I know there's probably no such thing as too much evidence, just wondering if anyone has gone through this without sending affidavits??

Thanks!

[Dakine 26]

I'm a firm believer in giving USCIS what they ask for!

You may get an examiner who goes strictly by the book and end up back at GO.

We've got bucoo evidence right down to a trust that's 2 inches thick.

We're still doing the affidavits. Better safe than sorry. Why slack off nearing the finish after all you've been thru?

Gets down to " More ammo the better" and "When in doubt! "Do it!"

[NickD 202]

Two affidavits are listed in the latest I-751 as a form of evidence, I really don't see and OR in front of this section, they asked for two, we send four, plus a lot of other key evidence. It still took a long time to get our green cards, but we were not called in for RFE. With the USCIS, I prefer the rather safe than sorry approach.

Should make two identical stacks of evidence, USCIS tends to lose stuff and have for two of my wife's friends, but with the affidavits, they did accept copies of those for them.

[wifey246 0]

We didn't send affidavits just because we didn't want to inconvenience friends and family. If USCIS issues an RFE for it, we have friends and family members who will be happy to help us.

But someone just started a thread on an RFE issued for affidavits. I believe Russian_Armenian is trying to get more info from the poster so we can guess why USCIS sent this rare RFE.

Like what the others said, there's no harm in sending these, and you can never have too much evidence. Some couples sent all the evidences they can imagine and still get vague RFE for stuff that were already submitted in the first place. I wonder if anyone thought of a 'reality TV' type of documentary --- have a TV crew follow them around for 2 years and send clips to USCIS.

Edited July 11, 2008 by wifey246

[Marilyn. 340]

I really don't think there is any rhyme or reason for why someone gets a RFE...

I didn't send in any affidavits and I was approved.. no RFE ...

and in the instructions before the list of "Evidence of the Relationship." it says this..

The documents should cover, but not limited to,the following examples:

included in this list are birth certificates of your children, lease or mortgage contracts, other documents and affidavits...

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-751instr.pdf

[AussieDude 0]

OP, don't forget your tax returns though. Although opinion on affidavits is split, most of us overwhelmingly agree that joint tax returns are important.