Evidence of Bonafide Marriage

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

I intend on sending the I-130 package on the day of our wedding. Other than the marriage certificate what can I send? None of my family is attending the wedding as it is too expensive. What else can I do?

[Otto 83]

This is from the Guides (Above)

Note: Evidence of a Bonifide Marriage

The USCIS now requires that when filing an I-130 for a spouse that you include evidence of a bonifide marriage. They list examples of acceptable evidence as:

1. Documentation showing joint ownership or property; or

2. A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence; or

3. Documentation showing co-mingling of financialresources; or

4. Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to you, thepetitioner, and your spouse together; or

5. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties havingpersonal knowledge of the bona fides of the maritalrelationship (Each affidavit must contain the full nameand address, date and place of birth of the person makingthe affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner ofbeneficiary, if any, and complete information and detailsexplaining how the person acquired his or herknowledge of your marriage); or

6. Any other relevant documentation to establish that thereis an ongoing marital union.

Source/Guide

[Kevin and 10]

WhidbeyGirl,

You can send pictures, hotel receipts from stays in country, airline ticket stubs and itineraries, phone bill records, emails, chat logs, reciepts from money transfers, affidavits from a third party attedting to the validity of the relationship, ect.

Kevin

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

I guess my question is how do I show "an ongoing marital union" if I send the package the day we get married? I get to Senegal just a few days before we are getting married.

Going down the list:

1. We don't own anything together.

2. We don't live together.

3. dont' have bank accounts together.

4. We dont' have any children together.

5. No one I know is attending the wedding.

6. The marriage union will just have started, I have TONS of emails to show our ongoing relationship, I'll have my airline ticket receipt. Other than that I just don't have a thing.

[notime4haterz 0]

reciept or picture of your wedding ring. pictures from the actual ceremony, even if no one of your family is attending...pictures with his friends and family will work. emails, chat logs, telephone logs. cards from friends or family that has both your names on it. any gifts you bought each other, the reciepts. pictures if you have ever gone on a vacation or something together. letters from friends or family or neighbors that know you are getting married and your marriage is real.

[pushbrk 12,801]

I guess my question is how do I show "an ongoing marital union" if I send the package the day we get married? I get to Senegal just a few days before we are getting married.

Going down the list:

1. We don't own anything together.

2. We don't live together.

3. dont' have bank accounts together.

4. We dont' have any children together.

5. No one I know is attending the wedding.

6. The marriage union will just have started, I have TONS of emails to show our ongoing relationship, I'll have my airline ticket receipt. Other than that I just don't have a thing.

You have what you have. I've seen no evidence that any of the "in addition to the required documents...should include one or more of..." has been required of newlyweds filing petitions. I've seen two RFE's for DCF cases through London but those are people living together in the UK.

You'll have at least one "boarding pass" and "passport stamp" for each visit you will have made and you can show some pictures with his family and of the honeymoon along with maybe an ounce or two of example emails. Then you concentrate on building and documenting a bona fide ongoing relationship between filing and the visa interview. Remember, the best evidence is time together.

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

Thanks, I appreciate your help.

We'll have 3 weeks together when I'm there for the wedding. I sure hope that is enough. We'll take lots of pictures.

[pushbrk 12,801]

Thanks, I appreciate your help.

We'll have 3 weeks together when I'm there for the wedding. I sure hope that is enough. We'll take lots of pictures.

Any evidence you can gather like receipts, pictures in various location etc. that document the time together, supported by your passport entry and exit stamps showing a three week stay will go a long way toward convincing the CO at interview, your relationship is genuine. I'd include copies of the receipts and some example pictures that show you in various places at various times with the actual petition. Generally this is not needed but with only the single visit and Senegal, it's good insurance.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

As far as pictures I think pics with his family would be super helpful. If you have a bunch of pics with scenary in the backround it looks like you went on vacation heh heh

Beyond the proof that we are actally married we sent:

A lease showing both of our names on the apartment we stayed in while I was there

plenty of pics with his family at our wedding party and just hanging out

chatlogs.. showing the that we talked everyday (not the whole logs just screen shots of dates and our screen names)

copies of emails and screen prints showing daily email listings

afidavits from his family and friends stating that they attended our wedding ceremony and party and that they were so happy for us ect ect

and copies of envelopes (postmarked) showing we exchanged many letters

Maybe I went overboard, but its better to be safe than sorry! lol

Good luck!

Lisa

oh ya and a copy of my passport stamp

Edited October 2, 2008 by Y_habibitk

[MsZ 6]

Have you actually met him in person before this?

[patrickboy 0]

In our case we submitted a certification from our bank (Joint bank account, proceeds from our cash wedding gifts), wedding and honeymoon pictures, and a notarized affidavit from my wife's mother stating that we have a bona fide marriage.

So, I think in your situation, you can use you wedding cash gifts and start a joint account. You can also ask your relative / s or friends to make an affidavit for you to give assurance that you have bona fide marital union. Goodluck!!

[RobbyUSA 26]

its BONA FIDE got it? two words

This is from the Guides (Above)

<b>Note: Evidence of a Bonifide Marriage </b>

The USCIS now requires that when filing an I-130 for a spouse that you include evidence of a bonifide marriage. They list examples of acceptable evidence as:

1. Documentation showing joint ownership or property; or

2. A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence; or

3. Documentation showing co-mingling of financialresources; or

4. Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to you, thepetitioner, and your spouse together; or

5. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties havingpersonal knowledge of the bona fides of the maritalrelationship (Each affidavit must contain the full nameand address, date and place of birth of the person makingthe affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner ofbeneficiary, if any, and complete information and detailsexplaining how the person acquired his or herknowledge of your marriage); or

6. Any other relevant documentation to establish that thereis an ongoing marital union.

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[jdh 103]

Dude...four year old thread...