AOS Evidence

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

I am behind you 100%. You go first and let us all know how it turns out, OK?

Personally I've listed Alla on both utility bills (gas & elec). She will be added to the car insurance. She will have her own bank account and debit card as well as be listed on mine. (I thumb my nose at the Internet; I'm all over it and never have been scammed or taken for money, never. And, I use online purchases with my credit card all the time. I thumb my nose at Al Gore.)

We have a marriage certificate. We will have photos. We will enter the interview as the happy family, thankful for USCIS for giving us the chance to be together. We will kill them with kindness.

We have the DS-3025s and I-693s as well.

I have new tax transcripts coming.

She already has her SSN. She has applied for a Discount card and will soon now with the SSN, apply for a credit card.

She will keep her last name and I will keep mine.

We will give them what they want and they will give us what we want.

If you only had to go through what they went through dealing with the Russian Adoption process and all the subjectiveness surrounding that, you'd be whistling a different tune.

I pick my battles and win those that I must. I am not blind.

Good luck, I am right behind you but you go first.

Alla got a credit card in her own name by joining a credit union. It qualified her for a small VISA card ($500) even though she had no credit of her own. She was using it and paying it off every month for a few small purchases and they recently raised her limit to $1,500. It is a good way to get started on some credit of her own.

The Creidt Union account is in her name only, but we also have a joint account.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

This seems idiotic, because if we were committing fraud, we would do exactly as they expect not to raise a red flag. However, have you ever had a "Finance 101" class? If you had, you would know that it is a very bad idea to put somebody else's name on your personal assets. (I am sure that I am going to hear the lame excuse regarding "trust.").

And no children are involved in my case, so there is nothing we can do on that front

She will be the beneficiary of everything if I die, but as long as I am alive, our finances will stay as they are, no matter what the government says.

We walked into the interview with a box full of proof and they never looked at it or asked a question relating to our relationship. Alla was sworn in and asked the questions on the I-485 under oath, then told the green card was approved. Our son sat there like a potted a plant and they never spoke to him. So much for his interview. Alla was not on our mortgage at that time (we filed for AOS pretty quickly and frankly hadn't got to that yet) I am not saying you will be denied, I am saying that you CAN be denied if they do not feel your proof is satisfactory. There is NO problem with her keeping her name.

As I said, do as you will, and the insurance (life and health) is really good evidence in itself, but it will be up to the IO doing the interview.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

I am behind you 100%. You go first and let us all know how it turns out, OK?

Personally I've listed Alla on both utility bills (gas & elec). She will be added to the car insurance. She will have her own bank account and debit card as well as be listed on mine. (I thumb my nose at the Internet; I'm all over it and never have been scammed or taken for money, never. And, I use online purchases with my credit card all the time. I thumb my nose at Al Gore.)

We have a marriage certificate. We will have photos. We will enter the interview as the happy family, thankful for USCIS for giving us the chance to be together. We will kill them with kindness.

We have the DS-3025s and I-693s as well.

I have new tax transcripts coming.

She already has her SSN. She has applied for a Discount card and will soon now with the SSN, apply for a credit card.

She will keep her last name and I will keep mine.

We will give them what they want and they will give us what we want.

If you only had to go through what they went through dealing with the Russian Adoption process and all the subjectiveness surrounding that, you'd be whistling a different tune.

I pick my battles and win those that I must. I am not blind.

Good luck, I am right behind you but you go first.

I think that we'll go behind you, because we sent AOS, EAD, and AP together, but we only sent TWO photos and ONE copy of every required document. I just read that we were supposed to send photos and documents for each one of those processes, even though they were going in the same envelope, because they are separated and processed individually.

We only found this out after we received three different NOAs; one for each process. Therefore, two of these are going to get RFEs and the whole thing will be delayed, according to what everybody else says. So, we'll count on your experience

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

I think that we'll go behind you, because we sent AOS, EAD, and AP together, but we only sent TWO photos and ONE copy of every required document. I just read that we were supposed to send photos and documents for each one of those processes, even though they were going in the same envelope, because they are separated and processed individually.

We only found this out after we received three different NOAs; one for each process. Therefore, two of these are going to get RFEs and the whole thing will be delayed, according to what everybody else says. So, we'll count on your experience

Not necessarily. I sent passport photos for each, however they also do biometrics for each and the photos affixed to the EAD and AP and Green card turned out to be the ones taken at the biometrics appointment.

I did not attach additional documents to any of the applications for the AP and EAD. All were approved, no RFEs. Also, for the AOS RFEs can come in two forms, one that must be sent in and one that requires you to bring something to the interview.

[baron555 934]

I think that we'll go behind you, because we sent AOS, EAD, and AP together, but we only sent TWO photos and ONE copy of every required document. I just read that we were supposed to send photos and documents for each one of those processes, even though they were going in the same envelope, because they are separated and processed individually.

We only found this out after we received three different NOAs; one for each process. Therefore, two of these are going to get RFEs and the whole thing will be delayed, according to what everybody else says. So, we'll count on your experience

The Guides here are very clear on what's required for each of the petitions. We'll be filing ours by the end of the month; hope/need to have the APs done in time to return to Russia in July.

[Oksana81 0]

Clueless in the usa, it sounds like you don't trust your wife very much and you are concerned that adding her to the lease and bank accounts may screw you over somehow...

Let me tell you about my experience. When I went for my AOS interview, the only information IO wanted to see was financial documents. He specifically asked for joint tax returns. We presented bunch of documents (bank accounts, health/car/renters insurances in both names, lease in both names, etc)

My IO did not want to see any pics. We brought two albums and almost forced him to see them after he told us we were approved. I mean we didn't bring them for nothing, did we?

Edited January 12, 2010 by Oksana81

[baron555 934]

Clueless in the usa, it sounds like you don't trust your wife very much and you are concerned that adding her to the lease and bank accounts may screw you over somehow...

Let me tell you about my experience. When I went for my AOS interview, the only information IO wanted to see was financial documents. He specifically asked for joint tax returns. We presented bunch of documents (bank accounts, health/car/renters insurances in both names, lease in both names, etc)

My IO did not want to see any pics. We brought two albums and almost forced him to see them after he told us we were approved. I mean we didn't bring them for nothing, did we?

Clueless is on record here stating that his wife is here only for the GC (and he's just milking this run with her until that end comes).

So to me it makes sense that he doesn't want to include her in his life and present as little evidence of an ongoing marriage (maybe so they get denied at the interview and she has to go home?).

Again, he is on record with these statements.

[kaibigan 8]

I'm learning a lot from this..hehehe... goodluck to us all!

[Oksana81 0]

Clueless is on record here stating that his wife is here only for the GC (and he's just milking this run with her until that end comes).

So to me it makes sense that he doesn't want to include her in his life and present as little evidence of an ongoing marriage (maybe so they get denied at the interview and she has to go home?).

Again, he is on record with these statements.

yes, I remember his statements about it. I thought he was just being sarcastic.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

Clueless is on record here stating that his wife is here only for the GC (and he's just milking this run with her until that end comes).

So to me it makes sense that he doesn't want to include her in his life and present as little evidence of an ongoing marriage (maybe so they get denied at the interview and she has to go home?).

Again, he is on record with these statements.

Where did I say that she IS here just for the GC?

I said that she MAY be with me only for the GC, like your wife MAY be here only for the GC. There are people who have been scammed after thinking that they had a solid relationship.

I love my wife and I think she loves me for real, but I do not fool myself, with her or anybody else. Therefore, I am practical and run my life like I would run my business. I am realistic, and if some people do not like it, so be it!

But please, never twist my words. I know exactly what I said (on the record) and I want nobody saying anything different on my behalf. If you are going to "quote" me, please quote me RIGHT! Ok?

[clueless_in_usa 8]

Since you shared...Clueless, I think you have bigger problems than AOS. Anyone entering into marriage (international or otherwise) who doesn't trust his/her spouse implicitly and without reservation, is asking for trouble. If you're keeping your wife at arm's length to protect yourself, she's going to pick up on that, and you're headed for a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you prepare for her to leave you after GC, she's probably going to leave you after the GC, but not because that was her plan all along. And if you think you are legally protecting yourself by keeping her off your bank accounts, etc, think again. Any lawyer worth their salt is going to open up your personal finances like a pearly white oyster, whether her name is on them or not. Does she know that you're protecting yourself for being "scammed," just in case?

You said you run your personal life like a business, but there's a reason that "personal life" and "business life" are separate things. The one does not translate well to the other. This is the woman you're going to grow old with, not a business partnership.

I kindly beg to differ and sincerely disagree with your judgment about me, but thank you for the free psychological analysis.

Whoever believes on that ####### about never ending love and thinks that marriage entails sharing everything with no limits, is a total and complete fool. If what you say is true, then anybody who ever thought of using a pre-nup to protect him or herself from unintended consequences is a real a$$hole and should never be married.

I am no longer the 25-year old boy who could start over again if my wife decides to leave me and take everything she owns (because now everything is on her name) with her. I am old, and I must protect myself, no matter who I marry. And I am not the only one who thinks like, thank you very much! I prefer to end up with a broken heart than in bankruptcy.

Regarding lawyers, even in common property states like California, and even without a pre-nup, as long as what you had before marriage remains on your name, it is an uphill battle for lawyers to take it away from you. Ask around to a REAL lawyer.

And if you want to know what my wife thinks, she agrees with me in that what is hers is hers and what is mine is mine... and some things are OURS. She's not hung up on material things. If she were, she would probably not be my wife.

[Kailey 3]

Whoever believes on that ####### about never ending love and thinks that marriage entails sharing everything with no limits, is a total and complete fool.

omg... poor guy..

[1HappyGuy 45]

I am no longer the 25-year old boy who could start over again if my wife decides to leave me and take everything she owns (because now everything is on her name) with her. I am old, and I must protect myself, no matter who I marry. And I am not the only one who thinks like, thank you very much! I prefer to end up with a broken heart than in bankruptcy.

Regarding lawyers, even in common property states like California, and even without a pre-nup, as long as what you had before marriage remains on your name, it is an uphill battle for lawyers to take it away from you. Ask around to a REAL lawyer.

Clueless, you make a good point and anyone that has been through a divorce, knows of what you speak. I think the issue here is that some people think you don't trust your wife. I think that is totally in error. But then, I've gone through the divorce merry-go-round too and starting over later in life is tough. I'm sure your wife is fine with the way you and her have structured things. What changes you make down the road is between you and her.

We all want to believe that love is eternal and forever. It may be, but that doesn't mean you jump off a bridge because you think that someone is going to catch you. Caution should be the rule not the exception in any marriage. That doesn't mean you don't love and trust your partner.

As I said earlier, I think the items you have set up should be sufficient for AOS along with tax returns. I wouldn't worry about the AOS interview.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

omg... poor guy..

The judgments that are being passed on this topic reminded me of a recent lesson I gave my wife.

She likes to go to the movies, so as soon as it came out I took her to watch "Up In The Air." She could not believe that people who worked so hard for many years for a specific company were fired that way, so I brought her back to reality and told her:

when you finally get a job, try to perform as best as you can, but "never fall in love with your job," because you never know when they will fire you without warning, and when that happens you need to be ready for two things:

1) Be alert to negotiate the best deal possible out of a bad situation

2) Be ready to move on quickly to the next opportunity, because if you get fired that way, there will be many others in your situation. Therefore, the people who react positively the sooner will be the people who will take advantage of the few available opportunities at the time.

Similar to what I said before about marriage, whoever falls blindly in love with his or her job is a fool, because unfortunately the reality is that employers could not care less about the employees (with very few exceptions) in difficult times.

[Kathryn41 3,207]

Two considerations to keep in mind . . . you are applying for the green card right now. The evidence required for that is proof of a valid marriage. Two years down the road, however, you will need to file a joint I-751 - an application to remove the conditions on the 2 year green card that your wife should receive when the AOS is approved. You might want to read up now on the evidence that they require with that application. It is considerably more than for the AOS and it does require that you show how you have co-mingled your financial, social and personal lives. There are others who for personal reasons wish to keep their financial assets separate but you will need to be able to explain why and provide substantial other evidence to overcome the lack. One thing that you may want to consider/include right now - write out your wills. Since it is your intention that you wife becomes your beneficiary making it official can be used as evidence.

The other consideration . . . my husband and I are older as well. Having joint accounts and my name listed on financial documents will make it much easier for me if, God forbid, anything happens to him. I will still have access to the accounts to pay for funeral expenses, for the mortgage and ongoing household expenses, in other words, to continue to live without finding my hands tied because I have no access to the joint assets of our marriage. Gruesome thought, yes, but when you are older other realities have a way of re-defining your priorities.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Kathryn41