Enough evidence for I-751? Tax transcript necessary?

[aletheia 0]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to file my I-751, and am a little nervous that I don't have enough paperwork to send. My husband already owned our home before we were married, and my name is not on it, nor any of our bills at this time. We do have a joint bank account, however, and I am on his health insurance.

Another concern I have is that I am including our personal copy of our 2009 tax return, instead of the tax transcript. Do you think that will make a huge difference? I would order the transcript, but I don't want to wait another two weeks for them to arrive because I've already waited long enough to send this in (my green card expires in mid-July). I hadn't realized the transcript was preferable until now.

Btw, I am a Canadian citizen and moved here on a K-1 Visa. I had no issues getting my green card, and actually received it without an interview. I'll be filing through the Vermont Service Center.

This is the "evidence" I have compiled:

- Cover letter stating:

- we're happily married

- I am home schooling his son (who lives with us 10 months out of the year)

- we have one daughter together

- we are expecting another child

- a list of what's in the packet

- Copy of my permanent resident card (front and back)

- Copy of our marriage certificate

- Copy of my Canadian passport (not necessary, I know, but I feel like I might as well)

- Copy of our daughter's American passport

- Copy of our daughter's birth certificate

- Copy of our tax return for 2009 (everything inclusive - I wasn't sure how much they need, so I included all of it)

- Copies of our debit/credit cards from our joint bank account

- Copy of most recent full statement from our joint bank account

- Copies of our health insurance cards

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement (with our names and our children's names on it)

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement of coverage on an ultrasound I just had for my current pregnancy, with both mine and my husband's names on it

- Copies of approved applications to home school his stepson for years 2008 and 2009

- Many family photos from throughout our marriage, taken both at our home and on vacation together

Does this sound like enough evidence?

Thank you for your help!

Edited June 1, 2010 by aletheia

[Deep2009 18]

This is a lot of evidence.

Hi everyone,

I'm about to file my I-751, and am a little nervous that I don't have enough paperwork to send. My husband already owned our home before we were married, and my name is not on it, nor any of our bills at this time. We do have a joint bank account, however, and I am on his health insurance.

Another concern I have is that I am including our personal copy of our 2009 tax return, instead of the tax transcript. Do you think that will make a huge difference? I would order the transcript, but I don't want to wait another two weeks for them to arrive because I've already waited long enough to send this in (my green card expires in mid-July). I hadn't realized the transcript was preferable until now.

Btw, I am a Canadian citizen and moved here on a K-1 Visa. I had no issues getting my green card, and actually received it without an interview. I'll be filing through the Vermont Service Center.

This is the "evidence" I have compiled:

- Cover letter stating:

- we're happily married

- I am home schooling his son (who lives with us 10 months out of the year)

- we have one daughter together

- we are expecting another child

- a list of what's in the packet

- Copy of my permanent resident card (front and back)

- Copy of our marriage certificate

- Copy of my Canadian passport (not necessary, I know, but I feel like I might as well)

- Copy of our daughter's American passport

- Copy of our daughter's birth certificate

- Copy of our tax return for 2009 (everything inclusive - I wasn't sure how much they need, so I included all of it)

- Copies of our debit/credit cards from our joint bank account

- Copy of most recent full statement from our joint bank account

- Copies of our health insurance cards

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement (with our names and our children's names on it)

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement of coverage on an ultrasound I just had for my current pregnancy, with both mine and my husband's names on it

- Copies of approved applications to home school his stepson for years 2008 and 2009

- Many family photos from throughout our marriage, taken both at our home and on vacation together

Does this sound like enough evidence?

Thank you for your help!

[Caroline and Phil 14]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to file my I-751, and am a little nervous that I don't have enough paperwork to send. My husband already owned our home before we were married, and my name is not on it, nor any of our bills at this time. We do have a joint bank account, however, and I am on his health insurance.

Another concern I have is that I am including our personal copy of our 2009 tax return, instead of the tax transcript. Do you think that will make a huge difference? I would order the transcript, but I don't want to wait another two weeks for them to arrive because I've already waited long enough to send this in (my green card expires in mid-July). I hadn't realized the transcript was preferable until now.

Btw, I am a Canadian citizen and moved here on a K-1 Visa. I had no issues getting my green card, and actually received it without an interview. I'll be filing through the Vermont Service Center.

This is the "evidence" I have compiled:

- Cover letter stating:

- we're happily married

- I am home schooling his son (who lives with us 10 months out of the year)

- we have one daughter together

- we are expecting another child

- a list of what's in the packet

- Copy of my permanent resident card (front and back)

- Copy of our marriage certificate

- Copy of my Canadian passport (not necessary, I know, but I feel like I might as well)

- Copy of our daughter's American passport

- Copy of our daughter's birth certificate

- Copy of our tax return for 2009 (everything inclusive - I wasn't sure how much they need, so I included all of it)

- Copies of our debit/credit cards from our joint bank account

- Copy of most recent full statement from our joint bank account

- Copies of our health insurance cards

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement (with our names and our children's names on it)

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement of coverage on an ultrasound I just had for my current pregnancy, with both mine and my husband's names on it

- Copies of approved applications to home school his stepson for years 2008 and 2009

- Many family photos from throughout our marriage, taken both at our home and on vacation together

Does this sound like enough evidence?

Thank you for your help!

If you have the paperwork for retirement plans and life insurance it would be a good idea to send them too. We didn't send them at first and they requested them. We are in the same situation about the house (my husband owned the house before we got married) and we didn't send the transcript for the tax returns (we sent 2007 and 2008 because we didn't have 2009 by the time we filed the petition). Then we got RFE and we sent tax return from 2009 and we requested some documents at my husband's Human Resources at work and they sent us all the other documents request to response RFE. We also sent more proof of address. Then we got another REF requesting everything again + a Certification of Good Conduct (this was because of my fingerprints they can't be read). After a week it was approved.

So, if it's possible send these documents now, it could help and you could be approved without an RFE.

Good luck.

[bszoom42 0]

Tax transcripts are prefered because they are from the IRS. If you have time, you can visit the IRS and pick up a 2009 transcript in person.

May I ask why you are submitting the following?

- Copy of our marriage certificate

- Copy of my Canadian passport

- Copy of our daughter's American passport

[shawna7 4]

I got my transcripts faxed to me..it took 10 minutes! the number is in the forums here somewhere..I think it would be worth your while.

[karenkaye 1]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to file my I-751, and am a little nervous that I don't have enough paperwork to send. My husband already owned our home before we were married, and my name is not on it, nor any of our bills at this time. We do have a joint bank account, however, and I am on his health insurance.

Another concern I have is that I am including our personal copy of our 2009 tax return, instead of the tax transcript. Do you think that will make a huge difference? I would order the transcript, but I don't want to wait another two weeks for them to arrive because I've already waited long enough to send this in (my green card expires in mid-July). I hadn't realized the transcript was preferable until now.

Btw, I am a Canadian citizen and moved here on a K-1 Visa. I had no issues getting my green card, and actually received it without an interview. I'll be filing through the Vermont Service Center.

This is the "evidence" I have compiled:

- Cover letter stating:

- we're happily married

- I am home schooling his son (who lives with us 10 months out of the year)

- we have one daughter together

- we are expecting another child

- a list of what's in the packet

- Copy of my permanent resident card (front and back)

- Copy of our marriage certificate

- Copy of my Canadian passport (not necessary, I know, but I feel like I might as well)

- Copy of our daughter's American passport

- Copy of our daughter's birth certificate

- Copy of our tax return for 2009 (everything inclusive - I wasn't sure how much they need, so I included all of it)

- Copies of our debit/credit cards from our joint bank account

- Copy of most recent full statement from our joint bank account

- Copies of our health insurance cards

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement (with our names and our children's names on it)

- Copy of a recent health insurance statement of coverage on an ultrasound I just had for my current pregnancy, with both mine and my husband's names on it

- Copies of approved applications to home school his stepson for years 2008 and 2009

- Many family photos from throughout our marriage, taken both at our home and on vacation together

Does this sound like enough evidence?

Thank you for your help!

Hi there! I would suggest sending not only your most recent bank statement but a sampling of statements that would cover the entire period since you've been married - maybe 3 or 4 per year. I'd do the same with health insurance statements and tax transcripts for each year you've been married if you can get them, if not I'd include your tax return copies for each year, not just 2009. It seems that they want evidence that covers the entire period. Honestly, I wouldn't bother with sending in your passport copy or your daughters - it can't hurt to include the copy of her birth certificate. Do you have home or vehicle insurance in both your names? If you do it couldn't hurt to include annual statements for each covering the entire period. All the best with the petition - I'm sure you'll be just fine!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Your package is superb. You should not waste another thought on this.

[journeyman 0]

I think you have enough evidence especially your daughter's birth certificate is important. But the passport copies are not.

Like bszoom42 said that if you can get a copy of IRS transcript then you should do it or get a fax. I did not know that we could get it from the local IRS office or a fax too.

[aletheia 0]

Thank you for all of your help.

I think I am going to send it in as is, and see how it goes. I do feel like if someone looked at the packet, they wouldn't question at all whether we're a legitimate family living together. I read a post saying that they really like seeing evidence that both parents are involved in the children's education. I am including proof that I've been home schooling my husband's son, and I don't think a stepmom can get any more involved than that.

Regarding the question about the marriage cert, my passport, and our daughter's passport...I just thought it couldn't hurt. The marriage cert helps to prove we're married, in case they don't have it on hand. I did remove the copy of my passport, on second thought (I'm just used to sending it with every. single. packet. ). But with our daughter's passport, I thought it would just help connect her name with her photo, so that there would be no doubt the baby we're holding in almost every photo is our daughter. Unnecessary, but it's just an extra paper - can't hurt, I thought.

Anyway, thanks again for all the opinions and suggestions.

One last question. On the receipt that they'll send me once they receive the packet is a notice that my stay is extended one year and that I can travel in the meantime - is that correct? We are hoping to take a trip to visit my family in Canada in July, but I want to make sure I have the paper saying I can travel before we buy the tickets.

[MrsSkull 0]

Yep, the notice that you receive first is teh letter authorizing travel and work for one year after greencard expires. Once you have that in hand, you are good to go to plan your holiday!

One last question. On the receipt that they'll send me once they receive the packet is a notice that my stay is extended one year and that I can travel in the meantime - is that correct? We are hoping to take a trip to visit my family in Canada in July, but I want to make sure I have the paper saying I can travel before we buy the tickets.

[aletheia 0]

Awesome! Thank you!