CR-1 Proof of bonafide marriage, how much evidence is enough?

[hollywood251 1]

Hi all,

I am filing an I-130 for my wife of almost 2 years. We lived together almost a year but my name was never on the lease, however I do have passport stamps showing us entering and exiting China at the same times. I sent 4 years worth of emails, a few letters she sent me, 5 affadavits, quite a few photos, plane tickets showing us traveling together, a few western union receipts that I could find, I also put her on my bank account as POD because they wouldn't let me do anything else without a SSN.

I don't own any property that I can add her to, they won't let her on the lease without being here in person, she isn't on my taxes because I was a student and didn't file (I have a cosponsor), I don't really have anything else to give them.

Is what I listed above enough? I am worried a lot, I miss my wife .

[furble 3]

Hi all,

I am filing an I-130 for my wife of almost 2 years. We lived together almost a year but my name was never on the lease, however I do have passport stamps showing us entering and exiting China at the same times. I sent 4 years worth of emails, a few letters she sent me, 5 affadavits, quite a few photos, plane tickets showing us traveling together, a few western union receipts that I could find, I also put her on my bank account as POD because they wouldn't let me do anything else without a SSN.

I don't own any property that I can add her to, they won't let her on the lease without being here in person, she isn't on my taxes because I was a student and didn't file (I have a cosponsor), I don't really have anything else to give them.

Is what I listed above enough? I am worried a lot, I miss my wife .

I was able to add my wife to my Car Insurance. It even got me a discount on my car insurance.

[himher 634]

For us the marriage cert was enough.

We didnt file anything else (with the I130/I129F).

We got married and never spent any time together. We could not set up joint banking or anything like that before my wife arrived in the US.

I think most of the CR1/IR1 petitions are like that.

The point in the process where this type of evidence may or may not be needed is not the petition, it is the interview after the petition is approved.

Good luck!

Hi all,

I am filing an I-130 for my wife of almost 2 years. We lived together almost a year but my name was never on the lease, however I do have passport stamps showing us entering and exiting China at the same times. I sent 4 years worth of emails, a few letters she sent me, 5 affadavits, quite a few photos, plane tickets showing us traveling together, a few western union receipts that I could find, I also put her on my bank account as POD because they wouldn't let me do anything else without a SSN.

I don't own any property that I can add her to, they won't let her on the lease without being here in person, she isn't on my taxes because I was a student and didn't file (I have a cosponsor), I don't really have anything else to give them.

Is what I listed above enough? I am worried a lot, I miss my wife .

[Ryan H 3,893]

Is what I listed above enough? I am worried a lot, I miss my wife .

IMO, your list looks good.

[Josie-Be-Happy 11]

What you have is very sufficient.

[BBCC 16]

Hi all,

Is what I listed above enough? I am worried a lot, I miss my wife .

The amount of proof seems to very GREATLY from consulate to consulate. Like real estate, it depends on 3 things: Location, location, location.

If I were asking this question, I would place the greatest value on the feedback that comes from people working with your consulate or at least those consulates in the same the country.

If there are stories around in your country of people where were denied the visa at their interview (issued 221g letters), find out what was missing in what they submitted as proof of a bona fide relationship and start generating the paperwork you can submit. Leases, bank statements, documents proofing you run a business together, any financial obligations you share, pictures (including pics with you & spouse's family) are necessary in some places.

It wasn't necessary to submit this much detail at our location. We just submitted a lease for our home in both our names. But I know in some places, this would not be enough.

The amount that defines what is enough depends on the level of what the US government perceives as fraud, whether real or imagined on their part.

Just my 2 cents...

Hope it helps.

[himher 634]

Consulate to consulate?

The OP is asking about the I130. The proof required to get an I130 approved I would expect to be consistant with any other case.

How in the world can someone add an overseas spouse to a lease? Requires SS# and ditto bank accounts and ditto taxes. To a car insurance policy? Requires a DL. You have more than we had. You should be fine.

[max+patricia 24]

Consulate to consulate?

The OP is asking about the I130. The proof required to get an I130 approved I would expect to be consistant with any other case.

How in the world can someone add an overseas spouse to a lease? Requires SS# and ditto bank accounts and ditto taxes. To a car insurance policy? Requires a DL. You have more than we had. You should be fine.

Adding your spouse to your bank account requires form W-8BEN (depending on the bank). Adding your spouse to your taxes requires an ITIN, which you can get when you file your taxes. I added my wife to my bank account, will include her on my taxes this year, and have her listed on my car insurance (USAA accepted her Venezuelan national ID as a drivers license). She is also on my life insurance and health insurance policies.

Look at your options - call your bank, insurance companies, etc. Some are more willing to work with foreign spouses than others.

Edited December 23, 2011 by m+p

[hollywood251 1]

The amount of proof seems to very GREATLY from consulate to consulate. Like real estate, it depends on 3 things: Location, location, location.

If I were asking this question, I would place the greatest value on the feedback that comes from people working with your consulate or at least those consulates in the same the country.

If there are stories around in your country of people where were denied the visa at their interview (issued 221g letters), find out what was missing in what they submitted as proof of a bona fide relationship and start generating the paperwork you can submit. Leases, bank statements, documents proofing you run a business together, any financial obligations you share, pictures (including pics with you & spouse's family) are necessary in some places.

It wasn't necessary to submit this much detail at our location. We just submitted a lease for our home in both our names. But I know in some places, this would not be enough.

The amount that defines what is enough depends on the level of what the US government perceives as fraud, whether real or imagined on their part.

Just my 2 cents...

Hope it helps.

Hi we did this already. It is in Manila and is a high fraud consulate.

I have heard of people getting accepted with almost nothing, and people having a mountain of evidence that the interviewer ignored and gave them a denial.

They said we may have it a lot better because there is only a 3 year age difference between us and we have been together almost 4 years.

That is why I am worried, I don't want her to go into an interviewer who grills her because she gets nervous and they may think she doesn't know or is lying or something.

I couldn't give them anything else though.

[hollywood251 1]

I was able to add my wife to my Car Insurance. It even got me a discount on my car insurance.

I would but I don't own a car, I live in a city with good public transportation.

[easyriders2011 14]

Hi all,

I am filing an I-130 for my wife of almost 2 years. We lived together almost a year but my name was never on the lease, however I do have passport stamps showing us entering and exiting China at the same times. I sent 4 years worth of emails, a few letters she sent me, 5 affadavits, quite a few photos, plane tickets showing us traveling together, a few western union receipts that I could find, I also put her on my bank account as POD because they wouldn't let me do anything else without a SSN. [\b]

I went to my bank and showed them the list of requirements for my wife's immigration. One of the critical primary bonefides was a joint bank account.

They allowed me to open the account and send her the signature documents. She signed them and returned them to me and I submitted them to my bank.

Now she is on my primary bank account.

So, even if she doesn't have an SSN, it can still be done. Just take the documentation spelling out the requirement and why you need it and talk with them. Most likely they will work with you to achieve it.