Proving the relationship is bona fide -- a couple of questions

[eelsauce 0]

Background: AOS for spouse living in US with F-1 student visa.

Question 1:

When looking to figure out exactly what we can provide for evidence of a bona fide relationship, we see this:

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

When it says "third parties", can that be our parents? How about close friends like the ones we had for best man and maid of honor?

Question 2:

I saw on someone's AOS checklist that having pictures of the two of us with other people is helpful. The official AOS guide here on VisaJourney says to just include 3 pictures from our courtship, 3 from wedding, etc. My wife and I are relatively private people so while we don't have a lot of pictures of us with other people, we HAVE taken a billion pictures of just the two of us by holding the camera out at arm's length. We can certainly provide great pictures from our wedding(s) w/ lots of other people in them, but what about the courtship period? Is there any harm in including more than 3 pictures from courtship just to solidify our case that we've been together a long time and in many different settings?

Thanks VERY much in advance!

[bantam 0]

Third party means not you or your wife, you are not your parents.

Give whatever evidence you feel will prove your bona-fide marriage, the list is a guideline not a set of requirements.

[trillium13 84]

Background: AOS for spouse living in US with F-1 student visa.

When looking to figure out exactly what we can provide for evidence of a bona fide relationship, we see this:

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

When it says "third parties", can that be our parents? How about close friends like the ones we had for best man and maid of honor?

We had 3 affidavits from friends of ours. Our IO actually made mention of them, so I think they were a good thing to have.

I saw on someone's AOS checklist that having pictures of the two of us with other people is helpful. The official AOS guide here on VisaJourney says to just include 3 pictures from our courtship, 3 from wedding, etc. My wife and I are relatively private people so while we don't have a lot of pictures of us with other people, we HAVE taken a billion pictures of just the two of us by holding the camera out at arm's length. We can certainly provide great pictures from our wedding(s) w/ lots of other people in them, but what about the courtship period? Is there any harm in including more than 3 pictures from courtship just to solidify our case that we've been together a long time and in many different settings?

Is this for interview, or what you're sending in your AOS package? We brought 3 picture albums to our interview, one was from our wedding. The IO looked at all of them. We had quite a few of us that we took of ourselves, and very few with other people, except from our courthouse wedding. We must have done well, because the IO told us we were obviously a happily married couple. Point being, if it's for your interview, bring as much as you can. They may never look at any of it, but better to have too much than too little. Don't know if that helped, but that was our experience. Good luck!

Edited May 9, 2009 by trillium13

[Dakine 26]

Background: AOS for spouse living in US with F-1 student visa.

When looking to figure out exactly what we can provide for evidence of a bona fide relationship, we see this:

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

When it says "third parties", can that be our parents? How about close friends like the ones we had for best man and maid of honor?

We had 3 affidavits from friends of ours. Our IO actually made mention of them, so I think they were a good thing to have.

I saw on someone's AOS checklist that having pictures of the two of us with other people is helpful. The official AOS guide here on VisaJourney says to just include 3 pictures from our courtship, 3 from wedding, etc. My wife and I are relatively private people so while we don't have a lot of pictures of us with other people, we HAVE taken a billion pictures of just the two of us by holding the camera out at arm's length. We can certainly provide great pictures from our wedding(s) w/ lots of other people in them, but what about the courtship period? Is there any harm in including more than 3 pictures from courtship just to solidify our case that we've been together a long time and in many different settings?

Is this for interview, or what you're sending in your AOS package? We brought 3 picture albums to our interview, one was from our wedding. The IO looked at all of them. We had quite a few of us that we took of ourselves, and very few with other people, except from our courthouse wedding. We must have done well, because the IO told us we were obviously a happily married couple. Point being, if it's for your interview, bring as much as you can. They may never look at any of it, but better to have too much than too little. Don't know if that helped, but that was our experience. Good luck!

Pictures are worth a 1000 words. Take a lot with captions.

More ammo the better!

You may not even have a interview but it's best to be "loaded for bear" in case you do.

Continue acquring evidence. Life insurance, medical, letters addressed to both of you, will etc!

Edited May 9, 2009 by Haole