RFE ,and deed only on my name

[Figtrees 12]

Hi everyone,

 

We filed removal of conditions for the green cards of me and my daughter in august 2019.
After biometrics in 2020 we didn't hear anything back until i requested for more information in march 2021.

Beginning of April we received a RFE letter stating: that the evidence we submitted wasn't sufficient enough to proof good faith marriage.
We can submit new evidence, which includes a deed, mortgage or lease agreement.

And this is where our unique situation  comes in:

We got married in 2016, received the conditional green card in 2017 and filed for removal of conditions in August 2018.

I'm the green card holder, my husband is the US citizen. I was married before up until my previous husband deceased. 
My previous husband , with whom I had children, left us money for the future of our children.
I used the money he left us to invest in property in my home country. The investment was for the future of our  children as we had planned during the time he was alive.
My current husband handles his finances differently and has accumulated quite a bit of debt. Before our marriage we agreed that because of this debt I would like to protect my children's financial future..
I sold the property in 2019 and bought the house we live in now, the deed is on my name and there is no mortgage involved.
We are now faced with this RFE and although we have a lot of proof to show that we are genuinely married, it makes me nervous.
I don't know if the weight of the proof we are submitting will outweigh the fact that he is not on the deed.

 

Also" the previous house we lived in from 2016 - 2019 was my current husband's. The deed was in his name.
He sold that property and used most of it to pay part if his debt. 

 

This is the evidence we are sending:

 

1.       Tax documents 2017 – 2020 obtained from the IRS.gov website, showing that we have been filing taxes married jointly, since 2017.

2.       W-2’s

3.       Monthly Bank of America statements 2017 – 2021, showing our transactions since 2017 up to 2021.

4.       Home insurance policy with both our names

5.       Confirmation letter from XXXX Employers Pension XXXX showing XXXX XXXX has been registered as spouse. In the event XXXX XXXX deceases before XXXX XXXX, he is the beneficiary of the spouse pension.

6.       Drivers’ licenses from both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX showing both live on the same address on XXXXXXXXXXXXX. Also included is a copy of XXXX XXXX previous driver’s license, which he lost and found after he got issued a new driver’s license. This is to proof that he has been living on XXXXXX since 2019.

7.       Auto loan Nissan bought in 2018 on both our names. The car is still in our possession.

8.       Family phone plan T-Mobile showing the phone numbers of XXXX , XXXX, XXXX, XXXX

9.       Receipt for furniture piece bought in august 2019 from City Furniture with both our names.

10.   Veterans Benefits statement listing XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX & XXXX XXXX as dependents of XXXX XXXX

         School cards of XXXX & XXXX listing XXXX as the stepfather & emergency contact # 2 , XXXX XXXX mother as emergency contact # 3 and his grandmother XXXX XXXX as # 4

12.   Affidavits from two friends that know us both.

13.   Flight itinerary back from  XXXX in 2017. XXXX flight to XXXXX  was on a later date. He couldn’t leave at the same day due to his work obligations at that time

14. Copy of passport with return date

15.   Air BNB reservation for our vacation rental in XXXXX 2017 showing the date and duration

16.   Pictures taken during our trip XXXXX 2017 while visiting XXXX, XXXX, and the XXXXX

17.   Pictures with XXXX’s mom, XXXX XXXX, during the ICE! Show T Gaylord, Florida in December 2016.

18.   Miscellaneous pictures us as a family from 2016- 2020

19.   SeaWorld Family pass 2018 with our names as the pass holders.

20.    SeaWorld trips with family 2020.

21.   Tickets for a trip with family to Discovery Cove in Orlando 2020.

22.   Sanford Zoo annual family pass 2019.

23.   Vendor Application  Event 2019, with both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX listed as participants.

24.   Reservation at hotel The Maverick XXXX December 19^th – 26^th 2020

 

We did a lot of one to two day trips, sometimes we would stay overnight in a hotel. Unfortunately we haven't been saving the receipts and my husband usually made the reservations and auto deletes his email after a certain time.
We are not on my husbands health insurance because he is insured through the VA.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Figtrees

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

My guess is that you're sending more evidence than when you first submitted, correct? 

 

I would recommend you including a letter explaining what you just explained in this post, so they understand why those documents they consider as strong evidence, are not in your packet. 

[Figtrees 12]

@Allaboutwaiting , that's correct .The first package was a large envelope. This time its going to be package of approx. 5 lb.
I wasn't sure if including an explanation about our house situation would help or worsen the situation.

[Bob in Boston 734]

5 minutes ago, Figtrees said:

@Allaboutwaiting , that's correct .The first package was a large envelope. This time its going to be package of approx. 5 lb.
I wasn't sure if including an explanation about our house situation would help or worsen the situation.

what about the utility bills and such, can you add his name to the accounts? Also explain that due to his high debt and bad credit you keep your finances separate for the safety of your kids financial future

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

Just now, Figtrees said:

I wasn't sure if including an explanation about our house situation would help or worsen the situation.

It shouldn't worsen the situation. 

 

The reviewing officer has no way to know why there's no deed on both names or why there's no joint health insurance. If you don't provide an explanation, they will just assume things. 

 

If you feel there are details that might sound "off", just omit them. 

For instance, regarding the house ownership, you can simply say that you both decided not to add him to the deed. 

 

[Figtrees 12]

17 minutes ago, Bob in Boston said:

what about the utility bills and such, can you add his name to the accounts? Also explain that due to his high debt and bad credit you keep your finances separate for the safety of your kids financial future

When we lived n the previous house he could add me to the existing water bill and the power bill was on my name because he had bad credit score. 
In this house we have a well and the power bill is again on my name because of his credit score. I think we have to do that and explain why we choose to do it like this.
 

[Bob in Boston 734]

1 minute ago, Figtrees said:

When we lived n the previous house he could add me to the existing water bill and the power bill was on my name because he had bad credit score. 
In this house we have a well and the power bill is again on my name because of his credit score. I think we have to do that and explain why we choose to do it like this.

Great reason to keep his name away from yours. Bad credit affects a lot of things.

[Figtrees 12]

20 minutes ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

It shouldn't worsen the situation. 

 

The reviewing officer has no way to know why there's no deed on both names or why there's no joint health insurance. If you don't provide an explanation, they will just assume things. 

 

If you feel there are details that might sound "off", just omit them. 

For instance, regarding the house ownership, you can simply say that you both decided not to add him to the deed. 

 

I think it all comes down how its worded. On on hand I want to be open and explain the situation as it is, I don't feel its something wrong but i don't want to make it sound "off" as well.
Looking back,  I realize our housing situation is probably the biggest thing that was missing.so we probably have to elaborate on that part.

[Figtrees 12]

3 minutes ago, Bob in Boston said:

Great reason to keep his name away from yours. Bad credit affects a lot of things.

Yeah, he is trying to repair that and that goes well now, but he loves to live life to the fullest.

That costs money 🙂

 

[LirikVJUser 28]

11 hours ago, Figtrees said:

Hi everyone,

 

We filed removal of conditions for the green cards of me and my daughter in august 2019.
After biometrics in 2020 we didn't hear anything back until i requested for more information in march 2021.

Beginning of April we received a RFE letter stating: that the evidence we submitted wasn't sufficient enough to proof good faith marriage.
We can submit new evidence, which includes a deed, mortgage or lease agreement.

And this is where our unique situation  comes in:

We got married in 2016, received the conditional green card in 2017 and filed for removal of conditions in August 2018.

I'm the green card holder, my husband is the US citizen. I was married before up until my previous husband deceased. 
My previous husband , with whom I had children, left us money for the future of our children.
I used the money he left us to invest in property in my home country. The investment was for the future of our  children as we had planned during the time he was alive.
My current husband handles his finances differently and has accumulated quite a bit of debt. Before our marriage we agreed that because of this debt I would like to protect my children's financial future..
I sold the property in 2019 and bought the house we live in now, the deed is on my name and there is no mortgage involved.
We are now faced with this RFE and although we have a lot of proof to show that we are genuinely married, it makes me nervous.
I don't know if the weight of the proof we are submitting will outweigh the fact that he is not on the deed.

 

Also" the previous house we lived in from 2016 - 2019 was my current husband's. The deed was in his name.
He sold that property and used most of it to pay part if his debt. 

 

This is the evidence we are sending:

 

1.       Tax documents 2017 – 2020 obtained from the IRS.gov website, showing that we have been filing taxes married jointly, since 2017.

2.       W-2’s

3.       Monthly Bank of America statements 2017 – 2021, showing our transactions since 2017 up to 2021.

4.       Home insurance policy with both our names

5.       Confirmation letter from XXXX Employers Pension XXXX showing XXXX XXXX has been registered as spouse. In the event XXXX XXXX deceases before XXXX XXXX, he is the beneficiary of the spouse pension.

6.       Drivers’ licenses from both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX showing both live on the same address on XXXXXXXXXXXXX. Also included is a copy of XXXX XXXX previous driver’s license, which he lost and found after he got issued a new driver’s license. This is to proof that he has been living on XXXXXX since 2019.

7.       Auto loan Nissan bought in 2018 on both our names. The car is still in our possession.

8.       Family phone plan T-Mobile showing the phone numbers of XXXX , XXXX, XXXX, XXXX

9.       Receipt for furniture piece bought in august 2019 from City Furniture with both our names.

10.   Veterans Benefits statement listing XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX & XXXX XXXX as dependents of XXXX XXXX

         School cards of XXXX & XXXX listing XXXX as the stepfather & emergency contact # 2 , XXXX XXXX mother as emergency contact # 3 and his grandmother XXXX XXXX as # 4

12.   Affidavits from two friends that know us both.

13.   Flight itinerary back from  XXXX in 2017. XXXX flight to XXXXX  was on a later date. He couldn’t leave at the same day due to his work obligations at that time

14. Copy of passport with return date

15.   Air BNB reservation for our vacation rental in XXXXX 2017 showing the date and duration

16.   Pictures taken during our trip XXXXX 2017 while visiting XXXX, XXXX, and the XXXXX

17.   Pictures with XXXX’s mom, XXXX XXXX, during the ICE! Show T Gaylord, Florida in December 2016.

18.   Miscellaneous pictures us as a family from 2016- 2020

19.   SeaWorld Family pass 2018 with our names as the pass holders.

20.    SeaWorld trips with family 2020.

21.   Tickets for a trip with family to Discovery Cove in Orlando 2020.

22.   Sanford Zoo annual family pass 2019.

23.   Vendor Application  Event 2019, with both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX listed as participants.

24.   Reservation at hotel The Maverick XXXX December 19^th – 26^th 2020

 

We did a lot of one to two day trips, sometimes we would stay overnight in a hotel. Unfortunately we haven't been saving the receipts and my husband usually made the reservations and auto deletes his email after a certain time.
We are not on my husbands health insurance because he is insured through the VA.

 

 

I'm just curious, did your online status also change to "RFE was sent"?

[Brittani 484]

22 hours ago, Figtrees said:

Hi everyone,

 

We filed removal of conditions for the green cards of me and my daughter in august 2019.
After biometrics in 2020 we didn't hear anything back until i requested for more information in march 2021.

Beginning of April we received a RFE letter stating: that the evidence we submitted wasn't sufficient enough to proof good faith marriage.
We can submit new evidence, which includes a deed, mortgage or lease agreement.

And this is where our unique situation  comes in:

We got married in 2016, received the conditional green card in 2017 and filed for removal of conditions in August 2018.

I'm the green card holder, my husband is the US citizen. I was married before up until my previous husband deceased. 
My previous husband , with whom I had children, left us money for the future of our children.
I used the money he left us to invest in property in my home country. The investment was for the future of our  children as we had planned during the time he was alive.
My current husband handles his finances differently and has accumulated quite a bit of debt. Before our marriage we agreed that because of this debt I would like to protect my children's financial future..
I sold the property in 2019 and bought the house we live in now, the deed is on my name and there is no mortgage involved.
We are now faced with this RFE and although we have a lot of proof to show that we are genuinely married, it makes me nervous.
I don't know if the weight of the proof we are submitting will outweigh the fact that he is not on the deed.

 

Also" the previous house we lived in from 2016 - 2019 was my current husband's. The deed was in his name.
He sold that property and used most of it to pay part if his debt. 

 

This is the evidence we are sending:

 

1.       Tax documents 2017 – 2020 obtained from the IRS.gov website, showing that we have been filing taxes married jointly, since 2017.

2.       W-2’s

3.       Monthly Bank of America statements 2017 – 2021, showing our transactions since 2017 up to 2021.

4.       Home insurance policy with both our names

5.       Confirmation letter from XXXX Employers Pension XXXX showing XXXX XXXX has been registered as spouse. In the event XXXX XXXX deceases before XXXX XXXX, he is the beneficiary of the spouse pension.

6.       Drivers’ licenses from both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX showing both live on the same address on XXXXXXXXXXXXX. Also included is a copy of XXXX XXXX previous driver’s license, which he lost and found after he got issued a new driver’s license. This is to proof that he has been living on XXXXXX since 2019.

7.       Auto loan Nissan bought in 2018 on both our names. The car is still in our possession.

8.       Family phone plan T-Mobile showing the phone numbers of XXXX , XXXX, XXXX, XXXX

9.       Receipt for furniture piece bought in august 2019 from City Furniture with both our names.

10.   Veterans Benefits statement listing XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX & XXXX XXXX as dependents of XXXX XXXX

         School cards of XXXX & XXXX listing XXXX as the stepfather & emergency contact # 2 , XXXX XXXX mother as emergency contact # 3 and his grandmother XXXX XXXX as # 4

12.   Affidavits from two friends that know us both.

13.   Flight itinerary back from  XXXX in 2017. XXXX flight to XXXXX  was on a later date. He couldn’t leave at the same day due to his work obligations at that time

14. Copy of passport with return date

15.   Air BNB reservation for our vacation rental in XXXXX 2017 showing the date and duration

16.   Pictures taken during our trip XXXXX 2017 while visiting XXXX, XXXX, and the XXXXX

17.   Pictures with XXXX’s mom, XXXX XXXX, during the ICE! Show T Gaylord, Florida in December 2016.

18.   Miscellaneous pictures us as a family from 2016- 2020

19.   SeaWorld Family pass 2018 with our names as the pass holders.

20.    SeaWorld trips with family 2020.

21.   Tickets for a trip with family to Discovery Cove in Orlando 2020.

22.   Sanford Zoo annual family pass 2019.

23.   Vendor Application  Event 2019, with both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX listed as participants.

24.   Reservation at hotel The Maverick XXXX December 19^th – 26^th 2020

 

We did a lot of one to two day trips, sometimes we would stay overnight in a hotel. Unfortunately we haven't been saving the receipts and my husband usually made the reservations and auto deletes his email after a certain time.
We are not on my husbands health insurance because he is insured through the VA.

 

 

All that evidence should be plenty but my question is (and I don't mean this rudely) why didn't you send that stuff in with the original petition? If you had I doubt you would have gotten a RFE...

[Figtrees 12]

10 hours ago, LirikBlaidd87 said:

I'm just curious, did your online status also change to "RFE was sent"?

I checked this morning,  it still shows the same information as it did January 2020....

[ronniebreda 120]

In my opinion, you have to remember that these are strangers that have no idea about your situation. If there are gaps or situations that are not explained, then you are just leaving it up to a stranger to assume whatever they want. 

We had a special situation with health insurance and lease/housing at the beginning of our marriage, so we wrote a letter explaining it and adding any evidence to support the letter. We had no issues. 

If your marriage is real (which it seems like it is  ) have no worries, you cannot assume what they are going to think, they understand that life does not follow an exact path. Hope this helps!

[Figtrees 12]

14 minutes ago, Brittani said:

All that evidence should be plenty but my question is (and I don't mean this rudely) why didn't you send that stuff in with the original petition? If you had I doubt you would have gotten a RFE...

That's a good question.

I sent tax documents from H&R Block, bank passes and receipt of a hotel we stayed during our trip to my home country.

 

To be honest,  we had so much going at that time with moving, selling the house,  I basically slacked and wasn't thoroughly. 

[Figtrees 12]

1 minute ago, ronniebreda said:

In my opinion, you have to remember that these are strangers that have no idea about your situation. If there are gaps or situations that are not explained, then you are just leaving it up to a stranger to assume whatever they want. 

We had a special situation with health insurance and lease/housing at the beginning of our marriage, so we wrote a letter explaining it and adding any evidence to support the letter. We had no issues. 

If your marriage is real (which it seems like it is  ) have no worries, you cannot assume what they are going to think, they understand that life does not follow an exact path. Hope this helps!

You're absolutely right. I have to remind my self that a missing piece, even if it's tiny can cause a puzzle to look off and lead to assuming. Usually the worst.

 

To be honest, it's just not in mine or my husband's system to view every little piece as evidence of our marriage. The house situation is a different situation by itself and we just didn't know how to deal with that, as in explaining it to USCIS. I thought about a letter, but wasn't sure if that's gonna help or make things look worse.

I'm glad I asked for input here 😌