Joint Bank Account Problems

[virgo_4 0]

Hello to all, I'm unsure if this is in the right area of discussion but any advice and indeed help from other people in a better situation then my wife and I will be grateful.

So my wife is American and I am English, we got married in January and are in the first stages of the whole immigration process. When asked for proof of joint bank account, we attempted to do that and all seemed well...for a while. So imagine my anger when we were denied on behalf of my wife's crappy credit rating from when she was a student.

What we're asking for is anyone else in this situation or beyond it to please advise us on what to do next as this is the one thing we do not have before we file everything off to the correct people.

Thanks to all who read and reply.

It's greatly appreciated.

[milimelo 4,205]

Hello to all, I'm unsure if this is in the right area of discussion but any advice and indeed help from other people in a better situation then my wife and I will be grateful.

So my wife is American and I am English, we got married in January and are in the first stages of the whole immigration process. When asked for proof of joint bank account, we attempted to do that and all seemed well...for a while. So imagine my anger when we were denied on behalf of my wife's crappy credit rating from when she was a student.

What we're asking for is anyone else in this situation or beyond it to please advise us on what to do next as this is the one thing we do not have before we file everything off to the correct people.

Thanks to all who read and reply.

It's greatly appreciated.

Hmm, upon seeing you're a K-1 in your profile, what stage of process are you in? AOS? If AOS, you can see about adding you to the car insurance policy, renter's insurance, medical, then try to get your name on a couple of bills - ATT will add your name to the bill.

You can have separate bank accounts and have each pay some of the joint bills - establishes financial co-mingling. You can even write a letter stating why the bank won't allow you to have joint account.

Edited August 17, 2010 by milimelo

[virgo_4 0]

Thanks Milimelo!!! i love this place as the replies are so quick in coming. Its just so far been such a pain in the rear as my wife and I are so clueless and there is no-one in any official capacity that seems to be willing to help at all.

[elus 3]

Thanks Milimelo!!! i love this place as the replies are so quick in coming. Its just so far been such a pain in the rear as my wife and I are so clueless and there is no-one in any official capacity that seems to be willing to help at all.

Well there is no problem without a solution,if there is no solution then its not a problem.We had such exactly problem before.My wife the USC had a bad credit and she had an operating bank account in credit union bank.Though I wasnt added because I have no SSN.So the other option was to add her to my wellsfargo account.On getting there they ran her history and said no but there is another alternative.We opened a new account (joint account)right there on a different plan that,the checks might not clear that fast,we have to leave 25$ minimum in the account per month.

So go to wellsfargo bank,I am pretty sure they will open an account for you guys.

[virgo_4 0]

Awesome advice, thanks loads Elus. We are just discussing what to do next and may favor just sending out letters from relatives and friends like stated in the guides here. We just want to be together, as we all know how awful it is being married and seperated. Would that be better then bank accounts or just the same as its just taking forever with the bank with little result.

My wife is in NYC and there are no Wellsfargo Banks, we were trying with HSBC which is my bank in the UK and they just seem inept in numerous ways but I'm tempted to just fly over and just be there in person (which is expensive and we're not affluent at all) to open it instead of being a name on a screen that seemingly conflicts the Patriot Act against money laundering, which is what was quoted to us??

My wife is gearing to the letters to send it all out as soon as possible.

i hope this is a solution to this boring waiting game of a problem.

[Nik+Heather 121]

Unfortunately, officials very rarely advise you on how to run your personal life. I reckon it's a liability thing...

Anyway, there are lots of websites out there about how to repair one's credit, or to build credit if one has no credit history, which could give you more ideas than my lay-person impressions.

There are bank accounts with fewer perks, or "secured" credit cards, etc. which I'm sure will let both of you have your names on. When I was in school, they had a deal with the alumni association to get a fee-free (low limit) on a credit card. Maybe there is a similar option for her?

Other options to show co-mingling of finances is to get the assets in both names. Get your name on her car (wait, NYC? scratch the car), or apartment lease, or any other assets/official documentation. Don't just think of assets, think of liabilities. Everyone's always excited to marry a rich person, and want half of theirs, but it takes some real character to marry an indebted person and want half of that!

My last piece of advice is to do what you can, but not make yourself crazy about it. Nik's name wasn't on EVERYTHING, and we passed just fine. He's not on the house or the mortgage, not on any of the bills...I added him as an authorized user to my existing accounts (no new ones), and got him on my insurance, that's it.

Edited August 17, 2010 by Nik+Heather