Filing I-751 soon: advice required

[US_VJ 59]

Hi guys, 

 

I'm filing soon and wanted to get your advice on a few things

 

1) Do you print everything single sided, including bank statements? 

2) For photos I'm simply putting them in a word file with captions and printing the file as I would any other document. That is fine, right? or do they really want pics on a glossy paper?

3) The form version on USCIS website says it expires in 2019, but that's the only one available. I'm assuming that is okay to use? 

 

For joint account/mortgage statements, I am only planning to send last 12 months, with letter from the bank saying that we've had this account for more than 5 years. I didn't want to inundate them with too much. Other pieces of evidence include: mortgage, joint utility; joint auto title; joint health and home/auto insurance; beneficiaries in brokerage account. 

 

Finally, due to our financial situation it makes sense to file our taxes under married file separately category (filing together would increase one of our monthly tuition loan repayment by quite a bit). I'm still planning to include my tax transcript that shows my spouse listed, even though we file under separately filing category. Lawyers I've spoken to say there is nothing wrong with married filing separately, if it makes sense to your circumstances, after all it's an option offered by the government and completely legal, and it's not looked down by USCIS. My question is, should I send my tax transcript at all? Anyone who filed MFS sent their transcript?

 

Thanks guys, and goodluck with your applications!

[mushroomspore 3,043]

6 minutes ago, SS_SS said:

Hi guys, 

 

I'm filing soon and wanted to get your advice on a few things

 

1) Do you print everything single sided, including bank statements? 

2) For photos I'm simply putting them in a word file with captions and printing the file as I would any other document. That is fine, right? or do they really want pics on a glossy paper?

3) The form version on USCIS website says it expires in 2019, but that's the only one available. I'm assuming that is okay to use? 

 

For joint account/mortgage statements, I am only planning to send last 12 months, with letter from the bank saying that we've had this account for more than 5 years. I didn't want to inundate them with too much. Other pieces of evidence include: mortgage, joint utility; joint auto title; joint health and home/auto insurance; beneficiaries in brokerage account. 

 

Finally, due to our financial situation it makes sense to file our taxes under married file separately category (filing together would increase one of our monthly tuition loan repayment by quite a bit). I'm still planning to include my tax transcript that shows my spouse listed, even though we file under separately filing category. Lawyers I've spoken to say there is nothing wrong with married filing separately, if it makes sense to your circumstances, after all it's an option offered by the government and completely legal, and it's not looked down by USCIS. My question is, should I send my tax transcript at all? Anyone who filed MFS sent their transcript?

 

Thanks guys, and goodluck with your applications!

1. Yes.

2. We did the Word file thing with captions too. No issues.

3. Whatever is on the website is the current form. I forget what exactly that "expiration date" means but it does not mean the form is obsolete.

 

RE: Joint acct/mortgage - I think that should be okay. Technically for RoC, USCIS wants to see evidence that covers the totality of the marriage, not just the time between AOS and the present. The official letter from the bank saying you guys have had the account should cover that though. Your other evidence is good.

 

RE: Taxes - I don't know much about MFS but the best bet would be to send your AND your spouse's transcripts.

[mindthegap 2,521]

1 - double sided is fine for stuff that came double sided, like bank or credit card statements.

For written stuff, letters, affidavits, photos, then single sided. 

 

2 - yes that is fine. Alternatively, bulk order glossy prints from walgreens/walmart etc , and write on back or attach to paper with written notes on. Cost per photo print may be cheaper than colour ink printing per page

 

3 - Whichever is the one currently on the website.

 

 

Taxes are an IRS issue, not a USCIS issue. Changing how you file just to suit a subjective & arbitrary checklist by USCIS is daft.

 

 

[US_VJ 59]

Great--thanks guys. I'll be mailing mine end of this week. There are just two sets of addresses, correct? One for folks using USCIS and another for UPS and Fedex. I am asking because in some of the older posts, people seem to have sent it to addresses depending on the state they resided in. 

 

I'm in NYC so hopefully package eventually gets routed to Vermont (?), which seems to be faster than other centers. I remember waiting for 14 months for my adjustment of status interview. 

 

I think sending my spouse's transcript is a good idea. The reason I was thinking not to send it was that when you file MFS, the spouse whose SSN is listed on one form has to file MFS too with other other spouse's SSN too--otherwise the IRS simply rejects the filing; so it's automatically implied that my spouse's return will have my SSN. But USCIS folks don't know how this might work, so better to send both. 

[Sukie 1,439]

Do follow the instructions re: timing of evidence FROM THE DATE OF MARRIAGE.  Send copies of your bank statements since you married - but maybe only quarterly statements.  Your having a letter from the bank covering 5 years seems creative, but I, myself, would not have chanced it.  We sent 4 statements per year.

 

Sukie in NY

[Scandi 3,970]

1. They specifically write on their website that they want single sided. https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/form-filing-tips

 

2. No glossy photos, regular print-outs on copy paper is the way to go. Write little captions under each photo to explain them (dates, places etc).

 

3. The right form is always the one available on their website the day you ship off your package, no matter what dates it has. You can also check the tab where it says "edition" and it tells you which edition to use. 

 

4. Definitely both yours and your spouse's transcripts, that way they can see the same address on both (proof of co-habitation). 

 

5. Do not do the last 12 months, they want to see evidence from the entire marriage. Rather pick 4 statements from each year instead of all of them from the last year. 

Edited July 19, 2021 by Scandi

[carmel34 3,531]

3 hours ago, SS_SS said:

I didn't want to inundate them with too much.

We filed the I-751 in late May, and the package was 528 single-sided pages.  How much you send is a personal decision of course, but I wanted to be as thorough as possible with evidence since the date of our marriage, so we sent every page of our joint checking account since marriage (3 years) and every page of our joint credit card statements (3 years), plus all IRS tax transcripts and much more.  The I-751 instructions say regarding evidence of the bona fide marriage relationship, to "Submit copies of as many documents as you can to establish this fact, to demonstrate the circumstances of the relationship from the date of the marriage to the present date..." (page 5 of the I-751 instructions), so that's exactly what we did.  Good luck!

[USC4SPOUSE 506]

8 hours ago, carmel34 said:

We filed the I-751 in late May, and the package was 528 single-sided pages.  How much you send is a personal decision of course, but I wanted to be as thorough as possible with evidence since the date of our marriage, so we sent every page of our joint checking account since marriage (3 years) and every page of our joint credit card statements (3 years), plus all IRS tax transcripts and much more.  The I-751 instructions say regarding evidence of the bona fide marriage relationship, to "Submit copies of as many documents as you can to establish this fact, to demonstrate the circumstances of the relationship from the date of the marriage to the present date..." (page 5 of the I-751 instructions), so that's exactly what we did.  Good luck!

That is exactly what we did. We sent every page of every statement from each month. since 2017 until the time we filed. That's what the instructions state and that is what we did.  

[bakphx1 785]

I generally agree except on one point.  I was light on the info prior to receiving the I130.  I guess there’s not a lot to show in terms of bank records.  Those who do AOS often don’t have a lot of that stuff since prior to AOS the person coming to the US doesn’t have a Social Security number or start working.  They do need three years of tax returns and another tax year will pass by the time you have an interview, if you have one.  To avoid the interview, be as complete and organized as possible.  

[NYLondon 142]

We submitted these items yesterday.  I hope they're enough.  We had loads of evidence for the AOS and didn't want to repeat that.  Also felt that our banking accounts are the same so they can see that when reviewing.  Ah well, fingers crossed it was enough.  Did the hole punch and folder with it attached, and sticky divider labels on the bottom for organisation. 

·        Copies of the passport and the front and back of the permanent residency card of...

·        Deed to house

·        Fire Safety Compliance for House

·        Town Taxpayer notice

·        Mortgage statements (2) from Bank

·        Joint Credit Cards and statement (Chase)

·        Joint Checking Account Statement

·        Joint Savings Account Statement

·        Car Lease Agreement

·        Credit Union Statement for Lease

·        Esurance Policy for car

·        State Insurance Identity Card

·        401K Beneficiary

·        Life Insurance Beneficiary (A)

·        Life Insurance Beneficiary

(B)

·        IRS Tax Return Transcripts for 2018, 2019 & 2020

·        State tax Returns for 2018, 2019 & 2020

·        Itineraries for trips to Philadelphia (June 2019), UK (Jan 2020) and Africa (April/May 2019)

·        Membership to club

       Change of address stamps on letters

·        Photos from the last few years

·        Copies of Housewarming cards from our friends and family

[US_VJ 59]

Did anyone send copies of their passport (biographical page) with their application. It's not asked in the instructions, but I see folks sending it. Is it okay not to send it? 

[Strontium 70]

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Edited July 28, 2021 by Strontium
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