Chocolate and flowers receipts as proof of real marriage?

[Inna 0]

I read a book on immigration, written by an immigration lawyer (2008 publishing date) where it lists flowers receipts and candy/cholocate receipts as proof of a bona fide marriage for AOS interview. So, my question is, how can a receipt prove who bought the flowers/ chocolate, and who were those addressed to? I mean, I guess the last four digits of the account number on the receipt prove that a purshase was made by one of the card holders, but how can you prove WHO was it made to? I know it probably sounds like a vey silly question, but since my husband and I don't have much evidence for the future interview, we are considering different alternatives... So, please let me know if there is a way to show who the gift was made to. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[sasaqlain 24]

I dont think that qualifies for proof unless the AO is some fool who doesn't know his job. During our interview, the AO specifically mentioned that letters, emails, letters from relatives/friends can easily be fabricated and thus he wasn't interested in them.

[Old Dominion 26]

They aren't very good evidence at all, but certainly can be offered to the interviewer. Don't you have a joint bank account, lease, utility bills, etc? If not, there's a little time left before the interview to create them. Those are the bona fide evidences of a real marriage relationship, in addition to the marriage certificate, photos together and whatever else. When you get a notice for the interview, the letter will provide a list of the types of things you will need to bring.

[Otto 83]

At best, all those things will show is.... that you (presumably) bought flowers, gifts and chocolates. They do not prove anything. No more than they might prove you care about your mother (for example).

I hope (sincerely) that you're not hanging your hat on items such as these.

Taken from the Guides here on VJ (coincidently, not written by an immigration attorney);

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 financial resources; or

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

5. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship (Each affidavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner of beneficiary, if any, and complete information and details explaining how the person acquired his or her knowledge of your marriage); or

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

[Inna 0]

We do have a bank account together, I was able to add him to mine, but he wasn't able to add me to his because of me not having a SSN yet. We have a bunch of photos before relationship and after, with his family members, our friends, and from a couple of trips.

No proof such as:lease, utility bills, etc, since we are living with my mother-in-law, and she pays for all this stuff. We are planning to bring an affidavit from her stating that. We also consider bringing a couple more affidavits from friends.

No children yet,we are still students

No credit cards, since I don't have a SSN, and he is currently unemployed. No joint W'2s since we only got married in July 2009.

I'm on the phone plan with my relatives I used to live with, and my phone contract expires in 3 months, so they let me use the phone for free till then. After that, I will switch to my husband's phone plan, but the interview may be earlier than that. However, I could ask them to copy the phone bills, showing the time of our calls and the number of text massages (I mean, me and my husband's). Do you think it's helpful, or shoul I just get on my husband's phone plan right now?

I'm also planning to get a state ID and a driver permit with our address, after I get my SSN.I also read joint gym membership, or like costco memberships are the options of evidence.

So, what do you guys think? Thanks for your quick responses, btw

Edited September 12, 2009 by Inna

[Inna 0]

Forgot to mention:

Health insurance since: I'm required to maintain my F-1 status till I get the green card, I had to purshase international student insurance, since it's required at my school.

And as for car insurance, I don't drive yet, never had a driver license,so I'm only going to get a driver PERMIT in the near future,so joint car insurance is not an option,too

Edited September 12, 2009 by Inna

[D&R 0]

I read a book on immigration, written by an immigration lawyer (2008 publishing date) where it lists flowers receipts and candy/cholocate receipts as proof of a bona fide marriage for AOS interview. So, my question is, how can a receipt prove who bought the flowers/ chocolate, and who were those addressed to? I mean, I guess the last four digits of the account number on the receipt prove that a purshase was made by one of the card holders, but how can you prove WHO was it made to? I know it probably sounds like a vey silly question, but since my husband and I don't have much evidence for the future interview, we are considering different alternatives... So, please let me know if there is a way to show who the gift was made to. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I bought my gf flowers for her bday. I'm in the UK, she's in the US.

The receipt showed the delivery address in Arizona (with her name) and the billing address in the UK (with my name). Not to mention. OK, this would be used for the K1 and not the AOS, but I'd say it's still possible to prove a connection. It's good 'supporting' evidence, but you'd be mad to rely on it on it's own.

I really don't understand how people that have had a year or more to plan for their AOS don't have evidence. It's not like it's something that's just been sprung on you at the last second... you've KNOWN it's been coming up for ages, so if you've not been planning ahead, and collecting all the evidence you can, then it's your own fault and in some ways you DESERVE to be denied.

[Old Dominion 26]

Not nice.

[Kittyfang 6]

Inna, I can understand how overwhelming the whole process is, so it's not stretch to believe that someone would forget to get evidence... Don't worry about people telling you what you deserve. Not everyone can get a lawyer to pamper them.

My husband and I have been married for two years and we are JUST now starting to put things together for an AoS. Like someone mentioned, your best bet is to prove that you really are a couple. What proves that? Well, joint *anything*, bank, house title, car title. Pictures and good and we too will be gathering affidavits from friends.

I am just afraid that because I have been out of status for 2.5 years and just NOW adding my name to his stuff, they might raise an eyebrow. But not really, I did not have an EAD before, so it makes sense.

The best way to look at it is this way. You want to prove that you're a couple with stuff that can't easily be made up. A letter and pictures can be faked. But would you really put someone's name on your stuff if it was just to fake a relationship?

Again, ignore the mean people. Some just feel better by putting others down.

[Inna 0]

Hi Kittyfang. Thank you for your kind words This person appearently did not read my following posts in this topic, and half of the things he said do not even apply to me, so I didn't get upset about what he said at all, I just think when someone wants to give an opinion or an advice, you want to know clearly the situation of a person you are advising to and not make retarded assumptions (like "you had a year to prepare"?!!!!?(which we didn't, we just got married in July and wasn't planning it FOR AGES; and I didn't say this was the only evidence we were gonna rely on, I just asked how did it work as supporting evidence.)

Thank you so much for your support!

Btw, if it's not hard, you could get affidavits notarized. Banks usually have a free notarization service. A person could write an affidavit and take it to get notarized. That would definitely prove that the affidavit wasn't faked!

[tinkerbish 6]

hi kitty, hi inna!

I am also in the same position as you guys. I graduated in May of 2007. Married my husband in march of 2008 whom I dated for 5 years. Now almost 2 years have passed since we got married, and I'm finally getting the courage to apply for AoS. (I have been out of status since May of 2008)

I haven't been working or anything because I dont want to do anything illegal. I have basically just been chillin for almost 2 years now. I should've filed earlier, but I went through a bit of depression of feeling worthless b/c I can't work with out the proper paper work and also being away from my family for so long(came here aug 2002, and only visited my parents overseas twice the past 7 years). I've been meaning to visit them but because I have been out of status from my F-1 visa for so long I couldn't leave with out risking not being able to return back to my husband.

I have also had the fear of rejection from the USCIS I guess. I've had my SSN since 2002 and had a valid drivers license and everything. We've been living together for 6 years and have joint accounts and insurance. No red flags for me other than me being out of status and in a way "illegally" being here. There are days when I get the courage to fill out the forms and mail them in, but on some days I get anxiety attacks over it.

It gives me the courage to know that there are others that are in the same boat as I am, and are doing something about their situation. I love my husband dearly and I think it would ease his mind too once I get all this paper work done. If any of you two could be so kind and keep in touch with me so we can go through this process together, I would greatly appreciate it.

thank you

[Mavisgrind 1]

When we went in for our interview we actually had an entire satchel filled with everything from our wedding album, photos of us with each other's families, bank records, insurance records, joint deeds, church membership, affidavits from people who knew us, receipts, and just about everything else we could think of that would show our marriage was legit. The bag weighed a ton! The morning we had our interview there was a fire at the USCIS office and everyone had to evacuate the building. Then after it was clear to go back into the building we all had to line up again and go back through security. By the time we got into the waiting area for the interview we were both a bit frazzled.

After a while we were called in and the interviewer asked us a lot of things including several questions about how we met, how long we had known each other, when we decided to get married, what each other's birthdays were, etc. He asked each one of us questions about the other's families (names, birthdays, that sort of thing) and then he smiled and asked us "Do you always hold hands like that?" My response was "Huh?" I hadn't even thought about it but when I looked down we were holding hands. All I could say was "Uh, yah, I guess so." He smiled and told us that we had passed the interview and didn't even look at any of the documentation. I was actually a bit disappointed because I had gone to so much work preparing everything - and the wedding album had some really good shots in it!

I am not saying that you don't need to bring your documents - you most certainly do as they can ask for anything and if you don't have something that they want to see, they can send you out to get it. But I think a big part is how you are perceived. If you walk in looking like you are comfortable together, you like each other and are really in love, it can't hurt.

Good luck

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Mavisgrind's post is really excellent advice . Immigration Officers are trained not just to read evidence but to 'view' evidence offered by the individual(s) in front of them. They recognize the differences between normal nervousness and guilty nervousness so don't worry about that as well. They understand that you haven't been married a long time and so haven't had the opportunity to collect a lot of the evidence you would have if you had been married longer. What you have sounds good - the affidavit from your in-laws is very good as they are testifying that you live with them as a married couple. One other thing you could consider doing now is making out your wills listing each other as your beneficiary. Even though you don't have a lot it shows the intent of joining your assets together. Of course, when you have children, you will want to modify them, but by then you should have your green card. Good luck at your interview.

[Mimino 2]

i agree with Kathryn. interviewers are people too and in most cases will be respectful unless they see that something doesn't add up. if your relationship is legit, i wouldn't sweat it too much (but do prepare for worse ). good luck with everything!

[juliava 80]

Hi Inna!

Netflix is also a bill that could be easily set up as a joint account and I am sure you don't need your SSN!