Help with I130 bonafide marriage

[lilsweetie 35]

Just now, pushbrk said:

And without knowing the circumstances of THIS or any other case, you haven't a clue whether THEIR affidavits will be helpful, harmful or useless.  More often than anything, they are useless.  Sometimes they are harmful and SELDOM are they "helpful".

I'm glad that there are differing opinions for the OP to consider. There is yours that says do not include affidavits, and Jhonny's and mine that recommend including them. 

That's all we can do here - and now it is up to the OP right?

[pushbrk 14,106]

Just now, lilsweetie said:

If I'm not mistaken, VJ is a place for people to share their experiences, and what worked and did not work for them. 

So based on my experience, it was beneficial to include the affidavits. I don't see the harm in including them, as I don't think they would be detrimental, so that is what I based my advice on. Is your advice NOT to include affidavits?

I'm sorry but based on your experience you haven't a clue whether your affidavits were "beneficial".  Again, you only know they weren't harmful enough to be a hindrance.

 

[lilsweetie 35]

1 minute ago, pushbrk said:

I'm sorry but based on your experience you haven't a clue whether your affidavits were "beneficial".  Again, you only know they weren't harmful enough to be a hindrance.

 

I'm not sure what bone you have to pick here, and how can any of us know for 100% whether what we did / wrote / included was beneficial versus not a hindrance. So I don't really see the point in continuing to argue over this.

[Jhonny 472]

16 minutes ago, lilsweetie said:

I'm not sure what bone you have to pick here, and how can any of us know for 100% whether what we did / wrote / included was beneficial versus not a hindrance. So I don't really see the point in continuing to argue over this.

I'm going to talk about my experience (pending even to NOA1).

I include it the affidavit of my Chapel Bishop, and I really not considering that is unhelpfull, is the testimony  of a serious member of a church that 

Is affirming that my marriage is real !!! Without doubt I include it, what could be wrong about it, I think anything!

 

[pushbrk 14,106]

9 minutes ago, Jhonny said:

I'm going to talk about my experience (pending even to NOA1).

I include it the affidavit of my Chapel Bishop, and I really not considering that is unhelpfull, is the testimony  of a serious member of a church that 

Is affirming that my marriage is real !!! Without doubt I include it, what could be wrong about it, I think anything!

 

If you read the instructions for affidavits it becomes clear that the only kind that have a chance of being helpful would be affidavit(s) from people who have observed the evolution of your relationship.  The marriage certificate is the document that evidences the marriage took place.  That has nothing to do with what USCIS means by "bona fide RELATIONSHIP".  Affiants whose knowledge is limited to attending or even officiating at a ceremony or reception, are not really qualified to speak to the bona fides of the relationship itself.

 

[Jhonny 472]

1 minute ago, pushbrk said:

If you read the instructions for affidavits it becomes clear that the only kind that have a chance of being helpful would be affidavit(s) from people who have observed the evolution of your relationship.  The marriage certificate is the document that evidences the marriage took place.  That has nothing to do with what USCIS means by "bona fide RELATIONSHIP".  Affiants whose knowledge is limited to attending or even officiating at a ceremony or reception, are not really qualified to speak to the bona fides of the relationship itself.

 

Well I know the characteristics of our denomination (headquarted in U.S), and yes, in the affidavit the bishop is not talking about how pretty we look together, he's talking about how he see our progress, he's gaving his testimony about us, and he's one of the most cualified people to talk about our relationship!

[pushbrk 14,106]

34 minutes ago, lilsweetie said:

I'm not sure what bone you have to pick here, and how can any of us know for 100% whether what we did / wrote / included was beneficial versus not a hindrance. So I don't really see the point in continuing to argue over this.

No bone to pick.  I've expressed my opinion about affidavits from third parties here many times as have many other "senior" members.  The general consensus, since they were first mentioned in the I-130 instructions years ago, (more than 10 years ago) was that unless the affiant could write about their observations of the relationship over time, the use of affidavits was more likely to hurt than help.  Evidence of time spent together in person, and examples of how and how frequently the couple communicates, are far more effective than anything else, except (possibly but not necessarily) both names on the birth certificate of a child.  

 

Many of the items in the list that follows the words, "In addition to the required...." are really not applicable to people who haven't actually resided together in the same country yet.  Affidavits from third parties appears next to last on that list before "any other....", (which is what most people concentrate on in visa cases) for a reason.  The reason is you provide affidavits only when you don't have much of the actually useful evidence.

[pushbrk 14,106]

3 minutes ago, Jhonny said:

Well I know the characteristics of our denomination (headquarted in U.S), and yes, in the affidavit the bishop is not talking about how pretty we look together, he's talking about how he see our progress, he's gaving his testimony about us, and he's one of the most cualified people to talk about our relationship!

Then that would probably be an affidavit that does no harm, but most likely was unnecessary, depending on your OTHER relationship evidence.

 

How is it your Bishop observed the development of your relationship prior to filing the I-130 in a visa case?

Edited August 22, 2017 by pushbrk

[Jhonny 472]

Just now, pushbrk said:

Then that would probably be an affidavit that does no harm, but most likely was unnecessary, depending on your OTHER relationship evidence.

Well, I include it because is a member of a very well structurated church denomination (LDS) to which we belong.

My other evidences are:

1- Proof of at around 9 times she visited me (one of those was 1 entire month) (one of those with my stepchild) (Boarding passes, Bag Tags and Passports Stamps).

2- 5 photos (wedding etc...)

3- Copy of W.U receipts Money send by her to me.

4- Evidence of Whatsapp talks for more than one hour several times at day (we talk everyday like that).

And the letter of the Bishop as the last one!

That's my evidence and affidavit.

 

[pushbrk 14,106]

3 minutes ago, Jhonny said:

Well, I include it because is a member of a very well structurated church denomination (LDS) to which we belong.

My other evidences are:

1- Proof of at around 9 times she visited me (one of those was 1 entire month) (one of those with my stepchild) (Boarding passes, Bag Tags and Passports Stamps).

2- 5 photos (wedding etc...)

3- Copy of W.U receipts Money send by her to me.

4- Evidence of Whatsapp talks for more than one hour several times at day (we talk everyday like that).

And the letter of the Bishop as the last one!

That's my evidence and affidavit.

 

So you're the foreigner and the Bishop observed the relationship during her visits to Colombia.  That makes sense.  However, with nine visits prior to filing the I-130, you really didn't need ANY other evidence of the relationship.  Of course the photos are customarily included.  Evidence of the US Citizen sending money to the foreigner is not particularly relevant though and actually can hurt rather than help.  That's not what is meant by co-mingling of finances.  Had you been asking my advice in advance, I would have advised against including that kind of money evidence and against bothering your Bishop about an unnecessary affidavit.  Just my opinion based on years of careful observation and the advice of others even more experienced.  You see, I've closely observed many hundreds of spouse visa cases be successful with ZERO affidavits submitted as relationship evidence.

[Jhonny 472]

11 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

So you're the foreigner and the Bishop observed the relationship during her visits to Colombia.  That makes sense.  However, with nine visits prior to filing the I-130, you really didn't need ANY other evidence of the relationship.  Of course the photos are customarily included.  Evidence of the US Citizen sending money to the foreigner is not particularly relevant though and actually can hurt rather than help.  That's not what is meant by co-mingling of finances.  Had you been asking my advice in advance, I would have advised against including that kind of money evidence and against bothering your Bishop about an unnecessary affidavit.  Just my opinion based on years of careful observation and the advice of others even more experienced.  You see, I've closely observed many hundreds of spouse visa cases be successful with ZERO affidavits submitted as relationship evidence.

Well, it's already done  but I'm thinking not having any kind of troubles with that, the evidence of money sent, is for this reason in that stage I was living in Cuba (I'm in Colombia now) and everyone know (and more U.S institutions) the economic situation in Cuba, so in this case (another particular case) I don't think will hurt the process .

So 9 visits of my wife to me is enough in your opinion, well I most said that I feel relief!!!

Well, as I say, let's see what times says!

Thank you for your advise!

Appreciated! (And will consult you next times) (Hope not be too many)

Edited August 22, 2017 by Jhonny

[pushbrk 14,106]

3 hours ago, Jhonny said:

Well, it's already done  but I'm thinking not having any kind of troubles with that, the evidence of money sent, is for this reason in that stage I was living in Cuba (I'm in Colombia now) and everyone know (and more U.S institutions) the economic situation in Cuba, so in this case (another particular case) I don't think will hurt the process .

So 9 visits of my wife to me is enough in your opinion, well I most said that I feel relief!!!

Well, as I say, let's see what times says!

Thank you for your advise!

Appreciated! (And will consult you next times) (Hope not be too many)

I'm not suggesting there will NOW be a problem with having included the receipts.  Something like that can never hurt enough to outweigh all those visits. I just would have left them out.  Understanding your financial troubles, is WHY you don't use such evidence.  It is NOT co-mingling of finances.  It's a one-way financial transfer.

[Jhonny 472]

39 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

I'm not suggesting there will NOW be a problem with having included the receipts.  Something like that can never hurt enough to outweigh all those visits. I just would have left them out.  Understanding your financial troubles, is WHY you don't use such evidence.  It is NOT co-mingling of finances.  It's a one-way financial transfer.

Ok understood then.Well we used that based in many comments about that.

What I said,is done,and sent😊... 

The most we should do is pray...

Well,let's what bring us tomorrow,now what I have to say is good night to everyone.

[Abies 1,713]

15 hours ago, lilsweetie said:

If I'm not mistaken, VJ is a place for people to share their experiences, and what worked and did not work for them. 

So based on my experience, it was beneficial to include the affidavits. I don't see the harm in including them, as I don't think they would be detrimental, so that is what I based my advice on. Is your advice NOT to include affidavits?

Good. I included sworn affidavits to my i130. I even had a RFE for Affidavit Of Bona fide relationship from my previous K1. It's a good thing to include Affidativ of third party.

[DILAW 94]

It really depend on the officer handling your case is what I say makes the biggest difference.  It also makes a difference what country the foreign spouse is from and their religion even though they will never tell you this.  I know a couple of members kept going back and forth, but from my own experince member PUSHBRK is knowledgeable, but not in 100% of the cases.   My spouse is from Yemen and 99% of US Citizens who married from Yemen and trying to get their wife to the States get their cases transferred to the local office in their state and the US Citizen is scheduled for an interview.  Even my Congresswoman and Senator told me 99% of applicants once the word "YEMEN" is on the form that the case is transferred to the local office and PUSHBRK lightly argued with me that its not necessary.  He's like I said knowledgeable, but not in ALL cases from all countries.

As far as what proofs for a bonafide marriage, I sent 9 pictures, call logs from 2015 up until 2017 and screenshots of text messages between my wife and I from 2015 to 2017, monthly money transfer receipts, passport stamps showing I visited her, boarding passes for both of us when we traveled to 3 different countries, hotels where we stayed together, marriage certificate and affidavits from my father, mother and sister and I still got transferred to the local office and waiting for an interview.  Its been over 8 months and I haven't heard anything.  

My advise is send as much as you wish, because if you experience any delays you will wish you sent more even if sending more evidence wouldn't change the situation.