CR-1: proof of bona fide marriage / I-864 questions

[TTommyT 0]

Hey Visa Journey!

Currently living abroad and recently proposed to my non-local fiancee. We are due to head back to the States in about 7 months, and are looking for the quickest way to get my fiancee a visa.

Ideally, we would wait and do a proper wedding back in the US, but time is an issue for us and we are reluctant to spend any significant time apart. So we are considering going the DCF route. We are curious, however. If we marry while still abroad, then file the I-130 shortly thereafter, there wouldn't be much evidence of a bona fide and ongoing marriage. Thing is, we have been dating for a number of years and there is ample evidence of that. Would our timeline raise any eyebrows? Either way it would be a genuine marriage, it would just be the timing that's tight for us.

In this event, what could we use as proof? Would evidence of our past relationship count?

Regarding the I-864 - what tax docs do I need? I can't seem to find a straight answer. Is it JUST the 1040, or all like 100 pages of each tax year's return?

Thanks all!

[gregcrs2 1,777]

Here's what I provided for evidence of bona fide relationship/marriage:

1. A one page summary of our story

2. Flight itineraries & boarding passes showing trips taken together or to visit each other.

3. Hotel/Airbnb lodging receipts/Airbnb hosts providing reviews of our stays as a couple.

4. Photos of visits/travels as a couple and with family & friends.

5. Receipt for engagement/wedding ring set

6. Photos of our wedding party event with family & friends.

7. Airline receipt for paid future visit to my spouse.

8. Marriage Certificate

For I-864, best to just get tax transcripts from IRS. You can sign up for it at the IRS website and you can actually pull pdf files of your transcripts.

[TTommyT 0]

Thanks for your response, but you didn't really answer my questions.

Would a legal, basic marriage ceremony, then an I-130 filing raise any eyebrows (even though our marriage would be genuine)?

Could proof of our relationship before our marriage count, if it shows a relationship over a sufficient period of time?

Thanks

[gregcrs2 1,777]

A legal basic marriage ceremony and then filing I-130 would not raise eye brows. It happens often.

In fact, the time between my marriage(basic ceremony) and filing the I-130 was only 4 days. We have known each other of a year and have spent 1/2 of that time together. Yes, proof of your relationship before marriage helps to establish that there has been longevity in the relationship.

[TTommyT 0]

Great! Thanks for your advice!

[NicolaRobert 7]

If you've been living together and dating for a few years then I think you're good. If you'd just flown into the country, met and gotten married quickly then that might be more tricky but I think you're good. Have you thought about a K1 visa though? Then you could get married in the States. I'm not sure if it's possible when you're living overseas. Might be worth looking into.

When hubby and I submitted our 1-130 the proof I sent in was our marriage certificate and proof of our joint bank account. And we've actually never been asked for anything else.

As for the 1-864, you may need a joint sponsor. Because you need to be able to prove earnings in the US. We also were living overseas, but we were able to use assists to meet the threshold. You should still have tax returns though, even living overseas you might have been exempt but that's fine as long as you can show you filed.

[TTommyT 0]

Have you thought about a K1 visa though?

As for the 1-864, you may need a joint sponsor. Because you need to be able to prove earnings in the US. We also were living overseas, but we were able to use assists to meet the threshold. You should still have tax returns though, even living overseas you might have been exempt but that's fine as long as you can show you filed.

We have considered a K1. For our time frame and financial situation, though we thought the DCF would better suit us. We both really need to just get to work once we get back to the US.

We definitely need a co-sponsor. I'm just unsure of which actual pages we need for the I-864s.

Thanks!

[NicolaRobert 7]

You say you are due to head back in about 7 months, I think you'd struggle to get a CR1 by then. From what I've seen the K1 is far quicker than the CR1.

[Kastrs 723]

You do not specify what country you are in, are you sure DCF is available? If it is, a CR1 filed via DCF would be the fastest route to a visa. As for relationship evidence, evidence of your relationship prior to your marriage is totally ok to submit.

For the I864, it is best to provide your last 3 years of tax transcripts.

[Marrienne 112]

We got married on 4the December and filled 28th January. We had 3 children by that time! Haha haha. We just didn't feel that actually doing the ceremony was anything but a paper. In all aspects we were "married", we lived together, had kids etc.

However that "paper" was pretty important to the US government when it came to immigration.

We were not asked for anything to prove a bona fide marriage by the Embassy.

However this will depend on your Embassy, the country you are filling from (i.e. is it a high fraud country?) And other factors. I have learned from my time here that things are different from country to country when it comes to DCF

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

DCF is not available in all countries and you haven't said what country you are in.

[Harmonia 211]

You are confused in thinking that the CR1 requires a particular length of marriage. It doesn't. In fact, that's why its CR1, for less than 2 years of marriage. Couples married 2+ years when the immigrant arrives in the US get an IR1 visa and don't have to do Removal of Conditions in the future.

You prove a bonafide marriage by showing you've been dating and together.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Harmonia

[JRF 117]

Hey Visa Journey!

Currently living abroad and recently proposed to my non-local fiancee. We are due to head back to the States in about 7 months, and are looking for the quickest way to get my fiancee a visa.

Ideally, we would wait and do a proper wedding back in the US, but time is an issue for us and we are reluctant to spend any significant time apart. So we are considering going the DCF route. We are curious, however. If we marry while still abroad, then file the I-130 shortly thereafter, there wouldn't be much evidence of a bona fide and ongoing marriage. Thing is, we have been dating for a number of years and there is ample evidence of that. Would our timeline raise any eyebrows? Either way it would be a genuine marriage, it would just be the timing that's tight for us.

In this event, what could we use as proof? Would evidence of our past relationship count?

Regarding the I-864 - what tax docs do I need? I can't seem to find a straight answer. Is it JUST the 1040, or all like 100 pages of each tax year's return?

Thanks all!

I'm a CPA, and I'm going to answer the tax question.

You can obtain transcripts from the IRS website. Attach those to your application. Two, three pages max per year.

Best of luck!

I'm a CPA, and I'm going to answer the tax question.

You can obtain transcripts from the IRS website. free of charge no less! Attach those to your application. Two, three pages max per year.

Best of luck!