rfe RFE on i-751 condition remove on permanent resident

[VLKP 3]

Hi all,

We’re a bit panicked and need some advice. 

 

We applied i-751, to remove condition on my permanent resident status after 2 years of temporary one. And just received RFE, asking for more evidence that we lived together, especially for finance jointment. 

 

Here’s a thing..

1. since my husband was a full time student till very recent, we didn’t have joint account.

 

2. Also for utility bills like phone and all those, we never got bothered to change so his phone is under parents and mine under his name.

 

3. For lease, most of times we lived on his school housing so I’m only registered as a tanent under his lease. Also utility was fully included..

 

4. Insurance. We were kind of in a budget so he got benefit from the school and i got my own. We just joined since he started working. 

 

5. No cars..

 

Luckly we filed tax jointly so that one we can send again( we missed to sign)

 

 

We’re really scared..

Thinking if we should get an attorney but not so cheap in new york city..

 

Please help us out sharing your experience or opinion. Any idea is appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

[p-ana 933]

You can’t send what you don’t have, so send it in whatever you do have and make sure you send out a letter/ statement detailing all you have explained here in this post (he was a student, you were on budget, etc)

 

You should read other members cover letters for roc to see what they sent as proof so you can get some ideas, I can think of making power of attorney and living wills, for example

 

I don’t think an attorney would make any difference. 

[Kastrs 723]

joint credit cards?

have you taken any trips together?

wills/power of attorney

[Sukie 1,440]

The first thing to do is to breathe, and not panic.  You look like millions of other student couples.  As said above, write a cover letter to respond to the RFE.  Start with your living situation.  Do a timeline of where you have lived since you married, and give some sort of proof if you have it.  Explain that you were a tenant under his lease (and that it was school housing).  Surely he had to pay for the housing, and you can show the proof of payment with some statement from the school.

 

Then explain why you haven't done joint financial things like checking accounts, savings accounts or credit cards.  Your explanations in your letter above were quite good.

 

You do NOT need an attorney.  You must just tell your story of life together in a way that makes sense.  And you know what?  If they are not satisfied, you will get called in for an interview.  So what?  If you are a genuine couple, you'll pass.

 

I know a lot of us have inches and inches of proof - but some of us are barely squeaking by on student loans, and we get a lot of help from our parents and friends.

 

I've lived in NYC, so I know how expensive it is.    Just take a deep breath, and write a good letter!  If you want, post your letter here, and we can give you some feedback.

 

Best of luck! 

 

Sukie in NY

Edited July 16, 2018 by Sukie
typo

[cablewyres 38]

On 7/16/2018 at 5:29 AM, VLKP said:

Hi all,

We’re a bit panicked and need some advice. 

 

We applied i-751, to remove condition on my permanent resident status after 2 years of temporary one. And just received RFE, asking for more evidence that we lived together, especially for finance jointment. 

 

Here’s a thing..

1. since my husband was a full time student till very recent, we didn’t have joint account.

 

2. Also for utility bills like phone and all those, we never got bothered to change so his phone is under parents and mine under his name.

 

3. For lease, most of times we lived on his school housing so I’m only registered as a tanent under his lease. Also utility was fully included..

 

4. Insurance. We were kind of in a budget so he got benefit from the school and i got my own. We just joined since he started working. 

 

5. No cars..

 

Luckly we filed tax jointly so that one we can send again( we missed to sign)

 

 

We’re really scared..

Thinking if we should get an attorney but not so cheap in new york city..

 

Please help us out sharing your experience or opinion. Any idea is appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

As Sukie advised, no need to panic, relax and submit a full detailed explaination to USCIS od your situation. I believe your case is workable since you are genuine and have valid reason for your lack of documents.

Here are a couple of things that you can add to your list of evidences as well that may support your case if any:

-add greeting cards and letters addressed to both of you as couple

-add copies of state id or any ids that show you both have the same address

-add photos (time line it and show various events spent with family and friends)

-add sworn affidavits from friends/family

-as the others have advised, add wills and power of attorney (these are strong evidences regardless of when you garnish these documents)

 

Hope these suggestions help. Wish you luck!

[Tar999 13]

Why not open a joint bank account now?  It may not be much but if you get called for an interview atleast you will have more than what you submitted.  Also, you can add him to your credit cards as an authorized user and vice versa.  Joint club/costco/amazon memberships may also help.

[VLKP 3]

Omg thank you for all the ideas! So we’re trying to genuinely let them know our own situation so far and from now on. Since my husband just started a job(was a full time student and zero income so far) and now became a two income family, our situation is getting a bit different. Hello to the real adult life. 

 

We’re currently collecting all kinds of evidence even receipt from Amazon that we purchased since it’s under husband’s account(that we use together), shipping to the address under his name but paid with my card billing address “his” address. Which kinda prove we live together.. i think. 

 

Also additionally made a timeline of entire our marriage. A table showing “featured” event of every month through Jan 2015 to July 2018, now. Mostly photos and explanation of the photo, where and with who but also included tickets or cards if i have. 

 

Also we just made a new joint account and both authorized credit cards since, again, he just got a job. But we were thinking no point to show them the joint account that we make NOW since well, thought they won’t consider one that made after rfe.

But seeing your reply, you’re right. We’re gonna explain why we’re making one now not before, on the cover of section(yes I’m making a cover for every section to explain since some evidence are a bit random). And also we can use them on the interview if we get called. 

 

 

This entire forum helped us to be calmed and actually work on the right point to start with. (I feel like this sentense doesnt make sense but you got the idea i assume  )To be honest, I’ve always been a ghost user, getting info and leave. But with these all your help, I truly feel i want to give this back to others. 

Will update soon after i send the evidence or when i get a response from them. 

 

Thank you everybody!!!

(still more ideas are welcome of course <3 )

 

 

[vane2018 1]

Hello,

I agree with the other responses. No need to worry too much , just try to gather any other possible evidence and organize it as well as you can.

I was curious , how long after filing did you received the RFE? also, did you file at CSC? thanks and I wish you the best of luck.

[VLKP 3]

For the answer:

So i filed i-751 in May 2017 and my green card was about to expire in August. Then received the extension letter in June, 2017. 

I live in NYC and filed to Vermont center.

Received RFE in early July 2018.

 

**********

Oh and big note for all!!! 

I also got a stamp for extension for another year because i once got caught on immigration at the airport flying in from Canada in late June. They were saying that my extension letter says “received at June XX, 2017”, the a year extension is from June and it was a couple days after the date. They made a scene bring up people to confirm who’s right and in the end they said they can decide either way. That totally scared me so i went to stamp extension right away. 

**********

 

Also after filed i-751, because i read here and there that it’ll take 4-10months, i made so many calls to confirm.. I specifically remember when i called them on July 2017 and asked where they are and they said they’re currently working on who applied in July 2016... they said they won’t start until the day of your green card expires. That point i kinda knew that I won’t get this any time faster. 

 

Hope it helps

[vane2018 1]

thanks for the reply!

[Amadia 711]

OP, 

Did you and your spouse ever buy furniture together for your apartment? Those receipts can help as well.

[VLKP 3]

Hi for all!!!!

I’m here to share my result and i got approved!!! You all are right. No need to panic and just gather anything might be helpful. Already received the letter and expecting the card to be arrived in a few days. Amazing!

 

So basically because we did not have anything sharing in financially, was a bit hard. I even sent Amazon purchased receipt under husband’s account, delivered to my name with my address and another account showing the opposite around to show we lived together. 

 

The one i did and think it definitely established all statement is Timeline. 

I made a table has every month of past 3.5 years and wrote featured event that we had of each month. Of course with evidence, photo or tickets, anything. My goal of this was not about prove something financial or address, our legitimate happy lovely married life together. 

 

I also sent 3 more affidavits although they did not mention to send again. 

And another letter explaining our current situation- which he was a student with no incom, i brought money and too young to have kids or any financial statement but we’re planning it now since he started a job. And because he got a job we started making joint account and shared creditcard (partially because just to use as a proof for greencard but also because we can do it NOW, not before). Of course we submitted copies of these all new borned bank accounts and credit card to them with explanations. 

 

Super long list on coverletter and i feel it’s so many samples out there so ill just keep mine myself but if you want!!! Let me know! 

 

Thanks everybody for fantastic help!!

And I’d love to share the help i got so if anyone have a question, feel free to ask 🤘

 

and the attached photo is the file i sent. Thickest documents ever i sent to anyone. 

(I put index stickers on the first page of every document written same number as i dex page i placed after coverletter then they can find things faster? Haha..)

[p-ana 933]

That’s great, congrats!