Asked for Evidence of Bonafide Marriage

[Mary G. 0]

Hi,

Finally heard back from USCIS in Frankfurt. They're requesting evidence that our marriage is bonafide. Interesting, as we expected we might need to do this, but thought we'd be asked in the interview when it'd be a lot easier to whip out photos, old letters, and emails. They also wanted us to tell them the story of how we met--also much easier to do in person.

In any case, we have so much evidence that we're submitting a CD with tons of photos and pages and pages of saved emails. Has anyone had experience submitting a CD to USCIS? Will they look at it? Or will they only look at the copied letters, joint bank statements, and story of how we met that we're including?

Thanks,

Mary

[Jenn! 918]

No, they won't look at a CD. It would be way too risky for them to put something that could potentially contain viruses into their computer system. Hard copies only.

[payxibka 10,045]

No magnetic or other media is acceptable

[raymaga 25]

I agree with the other posters, only send hard copies of evidence.

Hope you can get this sorted out quickly.

Good luck.

[sophyie 0]

Wow- that IS weird (I think). I wonder if it's related to this new law...

We did DCF in Frankfurt, and even though we got married only a couple of weeks before filing (we filed in person directly in Frankfurt), they never even looked at ANY evidence at all- not even at the interview. (I had a gread folder prepared)

Don't concentrate on the photos though, pick a couple from different years, photos that show you and his family, you with your family, the two of you surrounded by friends.

What I'd concentrate on would be things like joint bank accounts, joined lease of your apartment, letters and cards from different years addressed to the both of you, travel confirmations showing both your names... things like that.

Hope all goes well! Keep us posted!

[vylex 0]

In addition to the photos, I also recommend adding some letters from friends. There are sample ones that you can modify in the Example Forms section. I will submit a modified version of those when I file my I-130. Good luck!

[Mary G. 0]

Sophyie,

This may because my husband and I never lived in the same place (with the exception of a summer together in the US in 2006) before getting married. We met in 1995, so we'd known each other for ages...but this wouldn't show up anywhere on the I-130 application. All they see are our addresses which were always in different places until three days before we got married in Germany (this past August).

In any case, we have emails saved all the way back to 1995, so printing off a few of these should help. We might send a CD anyway since we made one already...but they can choose to discard it if they want. The other things in the "package" should be enough.

Thanks everyone for your support and help!

Mary

Wow- that IS weird (I think). I wonder if it's related to this new law...

We did DCF in Frankfurt, and even though we got married only a couple of weeks before filing (we filed in person directly in Frankfurt), they never even looked at ANY evidence at all- not even at the interview. (I had a gread folder prepared)

Don't concentrate on the photos though, pick a couple from different years, photos that show you and his family, you with your family, the two of you surrounded by friends.

What I'd concentrate on would be things like joint bank accounts, joined lease of your apartment, letters and cards from different years addressed to the both of you, travel confirmations showing both your names... things like that.

Hope all goes well! Keep us posted!

[sophyie 0]

Sophyie,

This may because my husband and I never lived in the same place (with the exception of a summer together in the US in 2006) before getting married. We met in 1995, so we'd known each other for ages...but this wouldn't show up anywhere on the I-130 application. All they see are our addresses which were always in different places until three days before we got married in Germany (this past August).

In any case, we have emails saved all the way back to 1995, so printing off a few of these should help. We might send a CD anyway since we made one already...but they can choose to discard it if they want. The other things in the "package" should be enough.

Thanks everyone for your support and help!

Mary

Yep- might very well be.

One of the 3 questions I was asked during my interview was whether we had lived together prior to getting married... (we did, for nearly 2 years).

Heeey, I just saw: you got married one day after we did!

Good luck! I'm sure it'll be fine.

[dinmir 0]

What I was wondering, is it required to have proof like joint bank account statements, drivers licenses (or any other documents indicating both people live on the same address) translated into English by a certified translator?

[Mary G. 0]

Dinmir,

This depends on where you're applying. For example, I'm applying in Frankfurt. Therefore, any documents can be in either English or German. The only document that's an exception is the police certificate or court records from Germany. If there are entries on that, then someone would need to get these documents translated into English.

Hope this information helps! Also, you don't necessarily need a certified translation. Sometimes it's sufficient that you or someone you know translates the document, and then puts their name and information on the document. For example, "I swear that this document was translated from _____________ to English to the best of my ability. Signed: __________________" I've seen these types of statements written more articulately, but at present I don't remember precisely where.

Good luck!

Mary

What I was wondering, is it required to have proof like joint bank account statements, drivers licenses (or any other documents indicating both people live on the same address) translated into English by a certified translator?

[dinmir 0]

Thanks again Mary! I was wondering because on the I-130 instructions it said something about all submitted documents having to be in English.

[Fofire 0]

Thanks again Mary! I was wondering because on the I-130 instructions it said something about all submitted documents having to be in English.

I second Mary because I have asked that question at the Embassy before and they would accept Romanian documents in Romania. I think its best to ask your embassy first, just in case your embassy decides to be a jerk.

Fofire