Opening join bank account in USA for evidence

[kona 0]

Hey again,

So I-129F now sent to VSC Woohoo!

I've heard from a couple of people that having a joint bank account helps with proving on-going relationship, well we opened one in December with Wachovia, and put $100 in it, but haven't used it yet (as $100 will go quickly, lol) as I'm worried that if I transfer any money into it from my UK account that I'll be doing something inadvertantly illegal or would need to submit information for tax purposes. I don't want to get caught out, but it's not a savings account so there is no interest going into it, and i've not got any USA income, so is to transfer money from my UK bank going to cause any difficulties I should be aware of, or will everything go smoothly?

Thanks guys,

Max

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Your not married yet, how will that prove an on-going relationship?

You won't need that level of "proof" till your married and filing for the AOS.

Proof you need now is phone calls, letters, email, chat, visits, etc...

[Hell0W0rld 10]

don't involve money while doing K-1 it could possibly be bad for your case....

[jundp 191]

My husband and I opened a joint account together before he moved here and I put money into it. We used those statements as evidence at our AOS interview. I don't think they cared where the money was coming from (his German account or me just depositing). We highlighted the date the account was opened, our names and address, and the ending balance.

ETA: We didn't use our joint account for evidence until it came time to apply for AOS. For us it was a practical move to begin setting aside money for our immigration AFTER he moved here and we got married.

Edited May 12, 2009 by jundp

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I used our joint bank account in the UK and other financial papers evidence for the K-1 because we lived together but you don't need to have it at this stage

[kona 0]

don't involve money while doing K-1 it could possibly be bad for your case....

Hmm... how "bad" exactly?

For one of my friends, she said that the immigration officer said to her that one of the best and main pieces of evidence at the interview for getting the K1 was evidence of the joint bank account as this helped to show an ongoing relationship.

I can't explain or say any more on that, it's only what she told me, but interesting that none of the replies so far support this, not for K1 interview, only AOS...

[Anh map 2,098]

Not to be rude/sarcastic: what does an account with a modest amount of money show?

If, as others stated, you were living together and commingling funds , or saving up the funds for immigration fees, that could show something toward the bona fides of a relationship.

In some higher fraud countries (not the UK) money transfers can be seen as red flags (buying a spouse or buying a green card).

If you put some money in along the way and this becomes your primary banking account when married then it could show a stronger commitment.

Concentrate on the "typical" validation of relationship items: boarding passes, photos, correspondence. Read the forums and you'll be in good shape.

Good luck on the journey!!

[TBoneTX 47,510]

Concentrate on the "typical" validation of relationship items: boarding passes, photos, correspondence. Read the forums and you'll be in good shape.

This is the advice to follow!

[Mike B. 231]

Your not married yet, how will that prove an on-going relationship?

It would seem to me that the commingling of your funds would act as evidence of an on-going relationship. I sure wouldn't trust my bank account to anyone other than an immediate family member or my bona fide fiancee. Would you allow someone who you are not in an on-going relationship with to act as a signer on your checks?

Don't know if the embassy sees it this way, though.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hey again,

So I-129F now sent to VSC Woohoo!

I've heard from a couple of people that having a joint bank account helps with proving on-going relationship, well we opened one in December with Wachovia, and put $100 in it, but haven't used it yet (as $100 will go quickly, lol) as I'm worried that if I transfer any money into it from my UK account that I'll be doing something inadvertantly illegal or would need to submit information for tax purposes. I don't want to get caught out, but it's not a savings account so there is no interest going into it, and i've not got any USA income, so is to transfer money from my UK bank going to cause any difficulties I should be aware of, or will everything go smoothly?

Thanks guys,

Max

I would think a joint banking account for a K-1 visa is pretty rare and have never heard it helps anything. What's done is done, but I wouldn't worry about it until you get here. Just use the normal emails, letters, visits, phone records, etc. Transferring money is not illegal though and if the money was not earned in the US and tax was paid in the UK, you are doing nothing wrong. No one in the US objects to money coming in.

[jundp 191]

OP it probably won't do much to help at the K1 stage since you do not live with your fiancee. But I see no reason why you shouldn't use it as a way of gathering funds for AOS and then you'll already have the account to show as proof for that stage. It may seem early days yet to be thinking that far in advance, but this is what my husband and I did and it was nice to have. Our interviewer even commented on it at our interview.

As far as now and preparing for the K1, yeah, focus on boarding passes, emails, phone records, letters, photos, etc.

Good luck!