Duplicate information in response to RFE I797E?

[Team Baby 0]

Hi everyone,

Sorry, I'm going to keep posting questions as they occur to me during this RFE process. I want to get it right this time!

So they requested further proof of our ongoing communal residence. I'm putting together:

- A bigger packet of mail addressed to each of us separately that covers most months between Neil's arrival and now.

- Trying to get past phone statements spanning the years.

- Ordering past checking account statements spanning the years, and going to ask bank to write up a statement on letterhead of when he was added to account.

- Copies of dental bills showing that he uses my insurance and that we schedule our dental visits at the same time, as well as ask dentist for affidavit that I'm a longtime customer and started bringing him once we got married, and that we seem very married.

- Letter from Sears card confirming he is on my account even though they don't do joint bills.

- Affidavits from friends and family.

- Statement or record (hopefully!) from condo front office of when I added Neil as a resident of our condo; barring that, affidavits from staff who have seen us come and go many many times together, and/or handyman who has come into condo and seen us there together.

- Explanation of why we don't have things I cannot provide, such as utility bills in both our names and joint mortgage statements.

- Vaguely thinking about photographing the building directory that shows our last names with same door code, though that might be too silly!

What I'm starting to wonder, though, is whether I should re-include things I provided before that I thought did prove our communal residence and commingled life:

- Statements from joint savings account.

- Tax returns showing married filing jointly.

- W-2s for both of us with same address.

Would that be redundant, to include them again? I've seen other people have success with submitting same evidence again. Or should I just enumerate these things in my cover letter to sort of remind them that these pieces of evidence are in their posession?

[jasminelily 1]

Hi everyone,

Sorry, I'm going to keep posting questions as they occur to me during this RFE process. I want to get it right this time!

So they requested further proof of our ongoing communal residence. I'm putting together:

- A bigger packet of mail addressed to each of us separately that covers most months between Neil's arrival and now.

- Trying to get past phone statements spanning the years.

- Ordering past checking account statements spanning the years, and going to ask bank to write up a statement on letterhead of when he was added to account.

- Copies of dental bills showing that he uses my insurance and that we schedule our dental visits at the same time, as well as ask dentist for affidavit that I'm a longtime customer and started bringing him once we got married, and that we seem very married.

- Letter from Sears card confirming he is on my account even though they don't do joint bills.

- Affidavits from friends and family.

- Statement or record (hopefully!) from condo front office of when I added Neil as a resident of our condo; barring that, affidavits from staff who have seen us come and go many many times together, and/or handyman who has come into condo and seen us there together.

- Explanation of why we don't have things I cannot provide, such as utility bills in both our names and joint mortgage statements.

- Vaguely thinking about photographing the building directory that shows our last names with same door code, though that might be too silly!

What I'm starting to wonder, though, is whether I should re-include things I provided before that I thought did prove our communal residence and commingled life:

- Statements from joint savings account.

- Tax returns showing married filing jointly.

- W-2s for both of us with same address.

Would that be redundant, to include them again? I've seen other people have success with submitting same evidence again. Or should I just enumerate these things in my cover letter to sort of remind them that these pieces of evidence are in their posession?

I would include what I've included before plus more new evidence, remember the evidence have to cover entire span of marriage. Remember to put your name, A number, NOA number and biometrics appt notice number, and I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions of Residence on the top right hand corner of each page that has anything like words or pictures on it, don't have to write on blank page though, just in case someone drop your file on the floor, that's how they can recognize which is which. Or if you have a computer and printer, print it on labels so you can stick it on every page.

[Otto 83]

Without going through all your previous posts - it's hard to figure out what you actually did send but it sounds like you've got some good 'stuff' either already sent or about to send.

The evidence you send does not need to cover the entire span of your marriage - do not discount things that could be helpful because it may not cover the length of your marriage. Things in life tend to build over time - such as co-mingling of two people's lives. (Like a story, you evidence can have a beginning, middle and current but doesn't have to cover all three.)

Also don't discount straight away your checking/savings account - if you're co-mingling funds (even if with a third party) you should show this.

Look at:

• Any utility bill (gas, water, cellular, cable, etc)
• Clubs/organizations/business' (Hollywood Video, Church, Groups, etc)
• Banking/Credit (any type of co-mingling of funds)
• Health and/or Life insurance policies
• Vehicle registrations (cars/boats/motorcycles etc)
• Vehicle Insurance
• Big-ticket purchases (invoices with both names/address - but don't include every little thing)
• Statements from Friends/Family

[laface 0]

I think you ve got the right things to get ur aproval.. I say so becos I went thru the RFE and just got approved last wk. it took only two wks for them to approve it. I really think ur good to go especially if ur writing a personal statement to explain any discrepancy or what u feel u need to say to the officer that would be great..if ur spouse could also make a statement that would be a plus. I would also advice u to notarize them if u can. Best of luck

[ELW 5]

Looks good to me!

I would included evidence you sent before AND if it were me I would take the "silly" photo of both your names in the condo directory! Hey, it's published proof of both of you in the same place, that's what they want!

[Team Baby 0]

Thanks so much for your replies! I don't know what I'd do without this Web site.

I have another question--when submitting my joint checking account statements, should I do every three months (four per year) or every other month (six per year)? I have to pay $6 per statement to get the older ones from my bank since we're on paperless, so I'll get every other month if necessary, but if every three months seems sufficient I'd prefer that. (Plus each statement is 7 pages long; this is going to be a huge packet!)

Oh, and FYI for Karin/Otto, the original packet included:

2007 and 2008 MFJ tax returns (he only came over in November 2006...but we did file married separate in 2006 since he had no US income, so maybe I'll include that one this time)

W2s

3 pieces of mail for each of us, including one paystub

Statement from joint savings account started in January 2009

Documentation that we are each other's beneficiary on 401(k), work life insurance, and that he's on my dental plan

Documents showing that I cosigned his student loans

10 pages of photos with captions telling location and date (and if that wasn't enough, we have different hairstyles over the years!)

Plane ticket receipts from an 07 trip; luggage tag of one of us and plane ticket for other (I know, lame, but I lost one of the tickets and found the tag on my suitcase, but they do show same dates) from 08 trip; plane tickets from 09 trip

[wannabe_texan 0]

I think your list looks good. Did you submit copies of your tax returns or tax transcripts? I would get the transcripts (free from the IRS) just to be on the safe side. I would include lease/mortgage if you have one to share also. How about cell phone bills to show calls to each other?

[Team Baby 0]

Didn't know there was something called "tax transcripts"--I'll look into that today!

Good idea about cell phone bills--I'm going to try and get old bills from T-Mobile (I lost access to them online because we went prepaid in April) of the group plan we shared for 2+ years with our housemate/co-owner of condo. If I do get those statements, I will highlight our calls to each other to show we talk!

No lease/mortgage or joint utility bills, unfortunately--that's why I'm scrambling for tons of other circumstantial evidence, so hopefully we won't get rejected for not having any of that!

Edited June 19, 2009 by Team Baby

[ELW 5]

Are you sure your old statements are not online? I'm at Bank of America and they have statements online from our 2 years of marriage, I just printed them up at home!

Three statements per year is sufficient in my opinion, that's what we are going to send in!