Flight iteneraries- How much to include

[JustinS 44]

Hi All, 

I know these questions have probably been answered but I'm trying to get everything together. 

 

I don't have all of my boarding passes from over the years but I do have flight confirmations/iteneraries.  For those, some of them are 8 pages long (regulations, fine print etc)  Should I include the whole thing or just the pages up to the dates/times?

 

 

Also, I know I asked this in another thread but I'm submitting 4 applications and including pictures from each trip.  Should I just include 1-2 from each trip or 10-15 from each?   Also, can I print just one copy to include with the 4 apps or should I submit a huge file with 4 copies of everything?  Pictures is the one thing I've not gotten clarity on for that.   Thanks!

[Wuozopo 4,285]

Clarify a little. You are petitioning for four people- a spouse and three stepchildren?

 

Each petition has to stand alone as complete even if you mail them off all in one big envelope.

[JustinS 44]

Understood.  Yes, a spouse and three stepchildren.  I did read the instructions and realize the proof of relationship isn't required for the kids.  Just for my spouse so that helps lessen the amount of documentation. 

 

Spouse- Proof of bonafide relationship

Stepkids- Birth Certs and marriage certificate to mom

 

Is that correct?

[Wuozopo 4,285]

23 minutes ago, jseals0421@gmail. said:

Understood.  Yes, a spouse and three stepchildren.  I did read the instructions and realize the proof of relationship isn't required for the kids.  Just for my spouse so that helps lessen the amount of documentation. 

 

Spouse- Proof of bonafide relationship

Stepkids- Birth Certs and marriage certificate to mom

 

Is that correct?

 

That's what I was going to say is more important. Prove you are the legal stepparent who qualifies to petition for them.  

 

Proof of of bonafide marriage (not relationship) is of course the marriage certificate. Do you have joint anything? Credit cards, taxes, bank accounts. It's kinda hard when you live in a different country. 

 

I don't know how much you need to prove you visited. For a fiancé visa, it has to be proven you met in person during the last two years, so boarding passes and passport stamps go toward that requirement. Has that just spilled over to the spouse visa crowd? You have no requirement  of proving you met or visited. You have to show you are married---Mr and Mrs on stuff, beneficiary on your savings account or 401k, tax return filed as married even if not joint. A photo of the wedding day, photo with family members showing you try to do things real families do like pose with grandma in front of the Christmas tree.  Think more marriage, not how many times you skype or visit is my suggestion.

Edited May 14, 2017 by Wuozopo

[JustinS 44]

We just got married in April so I've only visited once since then. 

 

I was thinking provide proof  of visits before that, phone calls, messages, facebook posts etc. 

 

I have pictures from the wedding visit going to the park, the zoo, caverns, the pool and of course the wedding. 

 

I also made her beneficiary on my 401k/pension/bank accounts but as you said,  another country so I can't get a hard signature to add her as a user. 

 

Should I not include proof we have been in contact long term, which in turn proves the marriage is not a sham but a build up to an event?

[JFH 12,189]

You need to think of things in terms of evidence, not proof. You cannot prove a bona fide marriage - that would require USCIS to be able to read your mind and know your true feelings. Photos at the zoo are not proof of anything except you went to the zoo and someone nearby had a camera. You need to compile as many types of evidence as you can. The more varied, the better. Think of how detectives solve crimes - they look for as much evidence as they can in as many forms as they can (fingerprints, surveillance film, witness statements, receipts, etc) that when added together form a picture that convinces a third party to accept that something is probably true. Hence USCIS forms and employees will always talk about evidence, and not proof. You have to imagine you are trying to convince a total stranger that the two of you are married for love and not a green card. Nothing will prove it. But many things act as evidence to support your claim. 

[JustinS 44]

11 minutes ago, JFH said:

You need to think of things in terms of evidence, not proof. You cannot prove a bona fide marriage - that would require USCIS to be able to read your mind and know your true feelings. Photos at the zoo are not proof of anything except you went to the zoo and someone nearby had a camera. You need to compile as many types of evidence as you can. The more varied, the better. Think of how detectives solve crimes - they look for as much evidence as they can in as many forms as they can (fingerprints, surveillance film, witness statements, receipts, etc) that when added together form a picture that convinces a third party to accept that something is probably true. Hence USCIS forms and employees will always talk about evidence, and not proof. You have to imagine you are trying to convince a total stranger that the two of you are married for love and not a green card. Nothing will prove it. But many things act as evidence to support your claim. 

I would hope that family outings support as evidence.... in either case.. I'll include a little of everything across the board..... Visits, pictures, conversations, beneficiary documents...  all things you would do for/with a long distance spouse. Any other advice of good things to include would be appreciated.  Oh, amazon receipts for gifts (kids and spouse) and paypal transfers?  I'm thinking those would help.

[JFH 12,189]

Try to avoid things that involve an exchange of money. Financial arrangements such a wills, joint savings, being named beneficiaries on each other's life insurances etc are good but the exchange of money from one to another is not always a good thing (can look like one is paying the other).

 

Here is what we included:

- copy of my I-94 record that showed I visited my husband several times a year

- a few photos from each time we were together 

- a few photos from our wedding day

- copies of letters and cards sent to us as a couple from various friends and family members congratulating us on our marriage and anniversary 

- a sample of emails and messages between us over the course of the relationship. We were careful to not just include romantic "I love you so much" type messages but also ones where we discussed day to day things as married couples do (whether to spend thanksgiving with his sister or his brother, what color curtains to buy for the living room, my health, money, work, my mother's dog having cancer, someone's new baby, and so on. I also included a string of messages where we had s disagreement but worked it out

- my hospital record from summer 2015 (I was in the neuro unit hoping to have surgery to cure my epilepsy) where the surgeon wrote "I spoke to her husband, F..., on the phone today and explained..."

-police report from a minor car accident we were in outside his apartment building in the US where the officer wrote "Mr H. and his wife, JH, were leaving the parking lot..."

- paperwork that shows we are the beneficiaries on each other's insurance plans and wills

- copy of the report from pre-marital counseling (which was a requirement at the time in the state where we married - is no longer required)

 

essentially anything that placed us on the same place at the same time or that showed we were married for love.

 

[JessieABC 159]

On 5/14/2017 at 8:09 PM, jseals0421@gmail. said:

I would hope that family outings support as evidence.... in either case.. I'll include a little of everything across the board..... Visits, pictures, conversations, beneficiary documents...  all things you would do for/with a long distance spouse. Any other advice of good things to include would be appreciated.  Oh, amazon receipts for gifts (kids and spouse) and paypal transfers?  I'm thinking those would help.

Receipts are always good. Some other simple things you can do:

• Add her as an authorized user to your credit card and have her do the same
• 401K beneficiary is good, but you can also add her to your savings / checking accounts/ROTH IRA (if applicable), etc. and get a verification letter from the bank/investment firm
• Add her as a life insurance beneficiary (if your employer provides this, should be relatively easy as well)

If she has visited you as well, print out the I-9\4 travel logs reflecting her visits: I-94 US travel history 

Providing evidence of correspondence over time definitely strengthens your case.  The following is great if you have it available:

• travel itineraries with both your names
• Photos with friends and family
• Photos with her and her kids
• Expense receipts related to costs associated with your wedding
• Letters/Cards addressed to you both from family members

As @JFH mentioned above, definitely include snippets of casual context (e.g., shopping list, laundry, about the family/kids, health-related, job-related) and not just "I love you babe" conversations.  

[JustinS 44]

11 hours ago, JessieABC said:

Receipts are always good. Some other simple things you can do:

• Add her as an authorized user to your credit card and have her do the same
• 401K beneficiary is good, but you can also add her to your savings / checking accounts/ROTH IRA (if applicable), etc. and get a verification letter from the bank/investment firm
• Add her as a life insurance beneficiary (if your employer provides this, should be relatively easy as well)

If she has visited you as well, print out the I-9\4 travel logs reflecting her visits: I-94 US travel history 

Providing evidence of correspondence over time definitely strengthens your case.  The following is great if you have it available:

• travel itineraries with both your names
• Photos with friends and family
• Photos with her and her kids
• Expense receipts related to costs associated with your wedding
• Letters/Cards addressed to you both from family members

As @JFH mentioned above, definitely include snippets of casual context (e.g., shopping list, laundry, about the family/kids, health-related, job-related) and not just "I love you babe" conversations.  

Receipts- Check

Added her to my 401k/pension/checking/savings as a beneficiary (check)... I can't add her as a user without her being here

Life insurance beneficiary- Check

 

Travel iteneraries- check

Photos with family/friends....no such luck

Photos with her and the kids- Check

Expense receipts- Check

Letters/cards from to both of us- no such luck

 

Conversation I can do.  I probably have 2-3 years worth of history even though we have only been married a month..... what should I do... a snippet a month? I'm having an issue not including pre-marriage things as that led up to it being a bonafide marriage. That does help right?