I am submitting my I-130 packet and need advice on proof of a bona fide relationship

[nothingbychance 0]

My question: I am submitting my I-130 packet and need advice on proof of a bona fide relationship

Our story: I am an American and met my husband when I traveled to Morocco on vacation - He was my guide on a trip to the desert in May 2014.

We were both attracted to each other and wanted to spend time together so I cancelled my plans to continue my vacation to Spain and we decided to travel to other parts of Morocco together.

We spent 2 weeks travelling and then he was called back to work. I didnt want to leave him so I decided to go back to the south with him, met his family, and spent every day together for a total of 2 months.

When I returned to the USA, we skyped every day and quickly realized we wanted to spend our lives together and to get married. I own my home in America and take care of my mother so I need to continue living and working in the USA. Our relationship is non-traditional as I am 49 and he is 26. I returned to Morocco, four months later, in November 2014 and we spent 3 weeks together, filed all the paperwork, had an engagement party with his family and were married in December 2014. (We did not have a wedding - money is tight now,maybe will have before he leaves morocco once vise approved)

We skyped daily for 6 months and I returned to Morocco for 3 weeks in June 2015 and had a sort of "honeymoon" at the beach.

I will submit airline tickets and hotel receipts as well as many photos of us together during each visit and of the engagement party as well as our skype log showing the 1 year date range of daily skype calls. Additionally, I have pictures and receipts of the diamond wedding bands we chose and wear daily.

I don't know if this will be sufficient to prove a bona fide relationship? ...but we have a real relationship and desperately want to be together!!

Should I have my mother and friends write affidavits?

Should I write an affidavit (and speak to our age difference? and/or short time knowing each other before marriage?)

We were married after 6 months and have now known each other for 1 year.

Do you think we will be approved for the visa (Morocco is a high risk country) ?

is there anything else I should do?

thank you for your help

[Ismael&Blair 66]

Hi, your story has similiarities to my story. I added you as a friend and feel free to send me message if you have specific questions. I answered your questions you asked below. I hope it helps. Sorry for typing in caps. I thought it would be easier to distinguish from your font.

My question: I am submitting my I-130 packet and need advice on proof of a bona fide relationship

Should I have my mother and friends write affidavits? YES

Should I write an affidavit (and speak to our age difference? and/or short time knowing each other before marriage?) YES, SPEAK THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR HUSBAND. I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THE AGE DIFFERENCE OR THE SHORT TIME ARE ISSUES. ME & MY HUBBY ARE 18 YEARS DIFFERENCE & I'M THE OLDER ONE.

We were married after 6 months and have now known each other for 1 year. WE MARRIED 7 MONTHS AFTER BEING ENGAGED AND MEETING EACH OTHER IN PERSON. WE DID KNOW EACH OTHER OVER A YEAR ONLINE BEFORE I DECIDEDTO GO MEET HIM IN MOROCCO.

Do you think we will be approved for the visa (Morocco is a high risk country) ? ME & MY HUBBY WERE APPROVED 2 YEARS AGO AND I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK MARRYING A MOROCCO IS HIGH RISK. EVERY COUPLE'S CASE IS DIFFERENT.

is there anything else I should do? JUST FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE APPLICATION AND READ CAREFULLY; DOUBLE/TRIPLE CHECK YOUR WORK. I WOULD SAY "FRONT-LOAD" YOUR EVIDENCE. FRONT LOAD MEANS JUST SEND ALL OF THE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE WITH THE I-130 PETITION IN YOUR INITIAL PACKAGE.

thank you for your help

[nothingbychance 0]

Blair -- Thank you soooo much. I really appreciate your answers and your offer to correspond ; it really helps to have someone with a similar situation who has been through it all and can think straight LOL

[NikLR 13,220]

Time spent together is your biggest asset. You could also put him as the beneficiary in a will, for any life insurance, etc...

[nothingbychance 0]

I will add my husband to my insurance and retirement info

i wanted to add him to the mortgage but i have read some things that make that look like a tax disadvantage and also a possible problem with the bank causing payment in full and /or issues in case i want to refi. Can anyone give advice on adding my husband to the property deed and if something like this makes a difference on the approval of a case for a visa?

I have not changed my name yet but intend to. I am assuming this would also help to prove a bona fide relationship?

I have read you should change before or after but not during the visa application process...but I cant think of a reason why it would matter as I am the petitioner not the beneficiary? am I missing something?

I would add him to my bank acct but he doesnt have a social security number. Is it possible to add to my credit card (get a second card in his name) without a ssn?

We didnt have a public wedding (only an engagement party and then court papers for the marriage due to financial constraints and the inability for my family to travel to morocco.

Should we consider trying to get the money together to have a "wedding"/celebration before the visa interview?

we would have to side load the photos and receipts ...and we would have to wait until maybe may 2016 at the earliest.

I am worried they will think that if we didn't have a traditional wedding celebration that we do not have a bona fide relationship and we will already have a red flag in a high risk countery due to our age difference????

Thanks for any help with the follow-up questions!

Edited August 10, 2015 by nothingbychance

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

I am also older than Adil

we now have the visa

but yes, add him to your will (l appointed my son as executor with provision he care for my husband as Adil was not in USl), life insuanrce as beneficarary. i did a quick claim deed adding him to deed of my house, and added him to water bill. I also did the W9 at income tax time to get his ITIN which allowed him to be on my tax returns. With the ITIN I was able to add him to my checking account. He can not have debit card till signs at the bank but his name is now on all statements.

And Morocco is considered a high risk country no matter what anyone else tells you

Affidavits are helpful. I had to do several including according to the RFE i received asking for one from family who could not attend wedding celebration.

not hard to do / exaamples online

you run into a huge RFE like i did, let me know if you need anything

Just message me

Jeanne

Edited August 10, 2015 by Adil & Jeanne

[nothingbychance 0]

one other thought: proof of a bona fide relationship - they list receipts for gifts -

i have purchased him clothing/shoes ($500), computer tablet to communicate ($500) -- is providing receipts for this type of thing helpful for our case?

he has not purchased anything for me as his salary is quite low.

AND I purchased our wedding bands $800 his $250 mine -- no engagement ring

thanks in advance for your help

[Joshua@Tinz 52]

I gave them more then they asked for and I think this is always good. I would send everything an anything. I think I sent 56 airline tickets where tinz and I traveled together to different places or she was coming in and out of china when I was working there. I sent facebook conversations, skype conversations,text message screenshots, everything I could find and made it as thick as possible. We have an obvious advantage in that we spent about 4 years together. But my point is that I would send everything. If your considering it, send it. Make them dog thru piles of paperwork. That was my lawyers advice anyway

[Ryan H 3,790]

I have not changed my name yet but intend to. I am assuming this would also help to prove a bona fide relationship?

I have read you should change before or after but not during the visa application process...but I cant think of a reason why it would matter as I am the petitioner not the beneficiary? am I missing something?

Changing your name is a personal choice that has no bearing on the process in any way, shape, or form.

[Ismael&Blair 66]

For us, it didn't make a difference for the approval of a case for a visa. I didn't add my husband to any property deed, create a will or having a joint bank account together prior to him coming to America. These action items are more for the "Removing Conditions of Green Card" process which we are doing now after he has been here in the US 2 years.

In addition, I didn't change my last name to my husband's until he arrived here because I didn't want to confuse the petition process. I got advice from someone that it would actually delay the process & get them all confused.

Yes, I wasn't able to add him to any bank accounts, get a credit card or health insurance because he didn't have a social security number.

Just stick to the story of how you guys met and how you guys fell in love and how you guys married. Get people's affadivt that know you guys and was there to witness you and your husband's relationship. That would show a bona fide relationship. It's not so much about joining material assets right now because you guys are not living together right? If you show too much of this type of giving him money and buying him things, it would actually cause them to ask your husband more questions during the interview. Why?

And again, when you mentioned " I am worried they will think that if we didn't have a traditional wedding celebration that we do not have a bona fide relationship and we will already have a red flag in a high risk countery due to our age difference???? "

We didn't have a big wedding celebration either. It was a small intimate family gathering. As long as you have photos and/or receipts to show that your marriage took place and you have included a copy of your marriage license and the certified translation of it, it's good proof. For example, we went to go to the ADOUL office to finally sign the marriage paperwork on one day & we have a family gathering 3 days later. We have photos and a timeline to show when we met, fell in love, our continued communication, and my trips over to see him, and finally our marriage process.

Hope this makes sense. Personally, I would think if I showed so much merging of financial stuff right away in a relationship would mean red flags to me. In my opinion, my husband married me for ME and not for my "fiancial assets". Good luck and keep in touch!

I will add my husband to my insurance and retirement info

i wanted to add him to the mortgage but i have read some things that make that look like a tax disadvantage and also a possible problem with the bank causing payment in full and /or issues in case i want to refi. Can anyone give advice on adding my husband to the property deed and if something like this makes a difference on the approval of a case for a visa?

I have not changed my name yet but intend to. I am assuming this would also help to prove a bona fide relationship?

I have read you should change before or after but not during the visa application process...but I cant think of a reason why it would matter as I am the petitioner not the beneficiary? am I missing something?

I would add him to my bank acct but he doesnt have a social security number. Is it possible to add to my credit card (get a second card in his name) without a ssn?

We didnt have a public wedding (only an engagement party and then court papers for the marriage due to financial constraints and the inability for my family to travel to morocco.

Should we consider trying to get the money together to have a "wedding"/celebration before the visa interview?

we would have to side load the photos and receipts ...and we would have to wait until maybe may 2016 at the earliest.

I am worried they will think that if we didn't have a traditional wedding celebration that we do not have a bona fide relationship and we will already have a red flag in a high risk countery due to our age difference????

Thanks for any help with the follow-up questions!

[Jucia 5]

Before submitting my I-130 petition I had a consultation with an immigration attorney and he advised me to include affidavits, pictures, plane tickets, etc. just as you've mentioned. In addition, however, he also advised me to include anything that shows our intent to live together as husband and wife, such as a commingling of finances and/or property. Since my husband had not been to the states yet, I could not add him to my lease or bank accounts, but I did add him as an authorized user on one of my credit cards and I added him as a beneficiary to my life insurance through work. Just another option to consider.

[nothingbychance 0]

Jucia - Thank you for the info regarding commingling assets. I will add him to my life insurance and I am going to try to add his name on the credit card and on some of my utilities.

Blair thanks for the additional info about your I-130 packet -- it really helps me since you were already approved and your situation is so similiar to mine.

i did go to the social security office monday to change my name -- of course they gave me a hard time and said my english translation was not certified (when of course it was) they sent me away with a receipt stating i would be contacted within 4 weeks. -yikes. so to my surprise they called yesterday and said they would accept it!! so in 10 days i will have the card and can get my drivers license then apply for the passport....uggghhhh it is all sooooooo much work and frustration.

so I decided that I am going to send the I-130 in my married name since to my knowledge they don't require anything else from me that has to be in the new name (only birth certificate and pages of passport with stamps entering/exiting morocco to visit him as my fiance)

My list of items for proof of bona fide relationship will be:

1. Airplane Tickets and apt rental receipt for 3 visits to Morocco totaling 3 1/2 months of time spent together in 1 year (june 2014-july 2015)
2. 30 photos of us during 3 morocco visits and engagement party
3. 3 affidavits from Brother, Mother, and best friend - all american citizens (none have met in person only on skype/facebook/telephone)
4. 1 spousal affidavit listing timeline and explanation of meeting, visits, proposal, marriage
5. Changed my name to his last name - copy of ss card
6. Print out of utility with his name added
7. Printout of Life insurance beneficiary from work listing his name
8. twelve Monthly logs from skype showing daily calls of typically 1 hour per day
9. I will try to add him as a user on the credit card and send a printout if I can do it in the next week

Do you think this list is complete enough or is there something else I should try to get before I send the I-130 packet?

Thanks to everyone who has been replying...even the smallest bits of information I find to be soooo helpful. Than you!

[2far 185]

Personally, I would omit #6 and #9. These aren't really proof of your relationship, these are just things that you are putting together for the sake of paperwork.

I would question why his name is added to a bill when he isn't in country yet. It doesn't make sense for a normal situation (say your husband lived out of state, instead of out of country)

They don't expect you to have much co-mingling of finances and shared bills when you are living on different continents.

Your strongest evidence is the first 4 items on your list. The time you have spent together in person is invaluable. I think you should focus on this and not confuse the issue with unnecessary paperwork.

I know how intimidating and daunting this process can seem. The items you are including in your package looks good (except 6 and 9). Organize it all the best you can and send it off.

Best of luck!

[NikLR 13,220]

You can certainly add him to the credit card as an authorized user. It's a good piece of evidence and will help for ROC as well.

My husband added me to his bank account and to his car insurance before I moved. He got a better deal as a married man than a single one.

[MoroccanEscape 31]

Hello,

I will be following this closely as I am in a similar situation. I am 49 and my husband is 33. We were married on May 26th, 2015 in Marrakech. I first visited him in March of 2014 for 2 weeks and then returned at the end of July, 2014. We lived together in several different cities in Morocco for a little over 10 months and were married just days before I returned to the US. I came home to a job and a place to live, but had to get a car. I am just now, at the end of August going to be able to apply for his visa--FINALLY !

While we lived together for 10 months in Morocco, all of the apartments we lived in were in the names of the people I worked for. However, everyone knew we were together. We had an engagement party in early April with his family, but by the time our marriage was complete, we didn't have time or the money for a wedding party. It's something we are planning for when he gets his visa and comes to the US.

I have tons of pictures of us together--and can get affidavits from his friends and mine--I have added him to the lease of the apt I'm renting as well. I have the passport stamps in my passport to show my time in Morocco as well as a job contract I had, airline tickets, train tickets, etc. Like you, I'm worried about our age difference as well. I would have spent more time in Morocco, but my daughter was here in the states and I couldn't bear to be away from her any longer.

Please, lets keep in touch as our stories are so close and I know that we could use the support as we go through this process. It's not going to be a quick or easy one, but it will be one that will be well worth it in the end.

Best of luck to you !