Notarized Documents for Proof of Marriage

[nicasf 0]

Hello to all, 

 

I'm in the process of I-485 through Marriage of a US citizen. PD is January 19, and scheduled for Biometrics on Feb 25. It's a 6 years marriage.  

 

Although we expect and ready to have a long journey, we want to get ready for the interview. When we filed, we only submitted basic information like Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificates, Joint Sponsor Affidavits W2 and taxes, but not specific documents to prove joint living marriage. 

  

I have read that many people here submit or bring some notarized documents to the interview. What documents are good to be notarized and satisfy the Immigration Officer? We are asking our families and families to write letters to acknowledge our relationship throughout the years "under swear and under penalty of perjury". Do these letter need to be notarized? If so, do they need to notarized themselves or can we notarized the letter after we collect them in California. 

 

What other documents need to be notarized? How does the notarization process work in California?

 

Thank you in advance.     

 

[Verrou 1,899]

Bring co mingling proofs ( bank, credit card ) are more important than affidavits from family / friends 

[arken 4,197]

1 hour ago, nicasf said:

What documents are good to be notarized and satisfy the Immigration Officer?

Nothing needs to be notarized. 
 

 

[nicasf 0]

21 minutes ago, Misscloud said:

Bring co mingling proofs ( bank, credit card ) are more important than affidavits from family / friends 

Thank you for your answer. We are bring financial information as well. Do these need to be notarized? I'm aware financial proof could have more weight but if we ask our families and friends to write affidavits letters as part of the package, do people usually notarize these letter to prove who say they are?

 

 

 

 

[SalishSea 16,777]

32 minutes ago, nicasf said:

Thank you for your answer. We are bring financial information as well. Do these need to be notarized? I'm aware financial proof could have more weight but if we ask our families and friends to write affidavits letters as part of the package, do people usually notarize these letter to prove who say they are?

 

 

 

 

Affidavits are weak evidence.  Nothing written in an affidavit is verifiable.

 

Not sure where you got the idea things need to be notarized, but notarization doesn't 'prove' that the contents of a document are 'true.'  A notary has no insight into anyone's relationships.

 

Best evidence is financial commingling, such as jointly owned bank accounts and property, history of joint tax filing, wills/DPOA/named beneficiaries, etc.

 

If you've been together for 'years,' you probably have more solid evidence than you think you have.

[arken 4,197]

If you are providing affidavits anyway, notarization doesn't increase it's value for uscis that's why uscis doesn't ask for notarized documents.

[Verrou 1,899]

47 minutes ago, nicasf said:

Thank you for your answer. We are bring financial information as well. Do these need to be notarized? I'm aware financial proof could have more weight but if we ask our families and friends to write affidavits letters as part of the package, do people usually notarize these letter to prove who say they are?

 

 

 

 

No need notarized for financial docs 

and if u want ur family and friend to write affidavits then ask them to Notarized. It just meant whoever sign the letter is the person go to notary. That’s it 

 

ps. We married in June 2020. Just submitted AOS last week, we didn’t include any letter of affidavits from families or friends. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Misscloud

[nicasf 0]

1 hour ago, Jorgedig said:

Affidavits are weak evidence.  Nothing written in an affidavit is verifiable.

 

Not sure where you got the idea things need to be notarized, but notarization doesn't 'prove' that the contents of a document are 'true.'  A notary has no insight into anyone's relationships.

 

Best evidence is financial commingling, such as jointly owned bank accounts and property, history of joint tax filing, wills/DPOA/named beneficiaries, etc.

 

If you've been together for 'years,' you probably have more solid evidence than you think you have.

We are married since 2015 but we are not the most organized couple out there. 

 

In these years, a lot has changed for the both us. USC spouse was unemployed 2018 to 2021. We are very simple people with a joint checking account, a car with title in both our names, and apartment rent. We don't own a house with a mortgage, we don't have credit cards. 

 

I have been trying to rescue some old documents available in spouse's previous employment in which I was added as beneficiary, old tickets trips together, previous tax filings, but I feel these documents are not consistent to fill gaps in years. For example, some utility bills allow me only to access far back as 3 years.  

1 hour ago, Misscloud said:

No need notarized for financial docs 

and if u want ur family and friend to write affidavits then ask them to Notarized. It just meant whoever sign the letter is the person go to notary. That’s it 

 

ps. We married in June 2020. Just submitted AOS last week, we didn’t include any letter of affidavits from families or friends. 

 

Thank you for your kind answer. 

[carmel34 3,531]

10 hours ago, nicasf said:

We are very simple people with a joint checking account, a car with title in both our names, and apartment rent. We don't own a house with a mortgage, we don't have credit cards. 

Best evidence is financial co-mingling, documents showing that you both lived at the same address such as apartment lease, utility bills and driver's license/state ID cards, and IRS tax returns filed as MFJ, for the entire time you have been married, not just recent documents.  Good luck!