Help! Did not create enough joint finances

[DirtyHarry 5]

Hello,

I just received a letter from the USCIS for the I-751 form which is due before 10/31/2016. I did not realize we would need so much documentation for the renewal. I only have a joint account with my wife that I opened earlier in 2016. We do have a joint credit card statements from October 2014 and tax return documents but that is it.

We did go for a trip to Las Vegas, Canada and a cruise in the Carribbean.

Now I will try to add her to the car title and the home title but I am really scared. Her Green card expires on 10/31. I plan to file the I-751 sometime in September after I have added her to my home and car title.

I had a K1 visa rejection after which I filed the CR1. We waited 2 years before she came here. One would think this would be sufficient. I thought I was past all this and only needed a form to get through.

Please help.

Regards,

Harry

[canadian_wife 1,791]

I am sorry that you were uninformed about the removal of conditions aspect of this. It is necessary for all K1 arrivals and Cr1 visa holders.

I did not have a home in shared name with my husband nor did we have joint credit cards. We also did not have a joint vehicle. We did have trips together, we did lots of volunteer work together, we also had life insurance, health insurance and wills that listed each other. We also had tax returns, shared bills, and a joint bank account.

Read the directions for the I751 form. I do not believe that the US citizen does this, if I remember correctly the beneficiary does this.

Good luck

PS - if she applies for citizenship as a result of marriage to you, you'll have to do this all over again as well.

[Sukie 1,440]

It's not just about financial "togetherness", though that seems to be the key factor that USCIS looks for.

Send in what you can. Your lack of financial togetherness will not automatically disqualify her, but the likelihood of your being called to an interview is much higher.

Sukie in NY

[DirtyHarry 5]

Thanks for your posts! I guess I have to make the best of this and move forward. At least she is with me. Since her Green card expires on 10/31, I technically have till 10/30 to file the 751. I see from Canadian Wife's posts that it took 209 days. Will she be out of status from 10/31/2016 till she gets the 751 approved? How does that work?

[Ashiraz 16]

Thanks for your posts! I guess I have to make the best of this and move forward. At least she is with me. Since her Green card expires on 10/31, I technically have till 10/30 to file the 751. I see from Canadian Wife's posts that it took 209 days. Will she be out of status from 10/31/2016 till she gets the 751 approved? How does that work?

Once you file the ROC application, you will receive a letter that states that the green card has been extended for one year. Just file as much documentation as you can. Hopefully everything will go smoothly.

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Well, not the green card as that has an expiration date, but yes, her status will be extended for 1 year allowing her to work and travel.

209 days yes it was a LONG wait but not as long as my citizenship. That was over 2 years

Good luck

[SennaBrigante 92]

We also didn't have much joint financials. Just a joint checking account, tax returns and life, medical insurance we me as a dependent/beneficiary. We do have a daughter though. I'm also pretty worried about my ROC but it's out of my hands now. Just letting you know that you're not alone

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

I had to add my husband to joint accounts before he could get his visa

to checking

to deed to house

to life insurance policies

to will

of course, to taxes, we did that after marriage

Now, i have a gf on here with husband from Morocco and they are telling her the same

add him to all accounts and they listed even her 401 K

This is a lot scary to do as WHAT IF THEY STILL DENY HIS VISA ?? How do you straighten out a mess immigration put u in??

I told her i did add Adil to all and we were granted the visa

now, reading all of you get one without going thru this at interview stage for visa, i wonder why we jump thru hoops that others don't have to

nothing against anyone here but it is a bit too much sometimes

As for the OP, each of you need to do a will with the other as beneficary

write a letter saying you do not use credit cards

put her on utility bills

car insurance or car title if she doesn't drive

life insurance beneficary at work

health insurance policy

combine your assests and trust me, you have more than you think

[PostOakGuy 13]

How can the government hold a US citizen responsible for the I864 before the conditions are even removed?

Also, has there ever been a case where a married couple actually had to be separated and later divorced just because USCIS didn't like there proof of relationship. As long as you file taxes together and don't mind and interview who the hell cares if you get an RFE. I serious doubt that USCIS has ever split even one authentic couple up!

Am I missing something?

[Stevephoto 224]

OP (and others): consider making out wills (easily done with plenty of websites offering inexpensive wills--download, fill out, take to you bank with two friends and have it notarized) and medical power of attorney forms. Life insurance and 401K information (showing spouses as beneficiaries) are good too. Good luck.

[christophec 16]

I do not have a active joint bank account either...

we have joint health insurance, joint lease, joint credit card, joint bills but the joint account we have we do not use it because I opened my company at the same time and our expenses goes through the company..

Im sending the ROC tomorrow (along with other proofs than the financials), but I wonder...

[DirtyHarry 5]

I will addl her to my accounts, deeds and create the wills before I send the I-751. I have till the end of October so that should be enough time.

To answer PostOakGuy: I am sure the USCIS will *eventually* give us the approval. However, I do not want to spend the next 3 years fighting cases, visiting lawyers, filling out paperwork. I would lose my job and sanity in the process. I have been through a K1 rejection before. It cost me a fortune in terms of time, money and stress. I think all my hair went grey with paper work and stress.

Christophec: You should be good. Joint lease and joint bills should suffice.