Bona fide marriage

[claire2007 0]

Hi,

First off thanks to all of you who replied to my last post with advice. It has really helped me. But I need help once again and I've noticed other people have been asking the same question.

How much evidence do you need to prove a bona fide marriage after a divorce? And what other things can you submit when you don't have bank statements etc.?

Here's my list of what I have.....please feel free to add anything you think might help.

Pictures - before and after wedding

Cards we received at the wedding

E-mails we have sent to each other before and after we got married

Husbands tax return - we filed seperately but my SSN and name is on his tax raturn

Contract from our gym with both our names on it

Letters showing we had mail delivered to the same address

Again any help, advice or suggestions will do. Thanks guys.

[kofuku 0]

How about lease/mortgage showing both your names? Bills and Bank statements in your names? 401k/Life Insurance showing you or spouse as beneficiaries? What you've included so far shows that mail gets delivered to both of you, but nothing to prove that you share a life together.

[claire2007 0]

No lease - living with relatives

Bank statement - account only in his name

Bills - all in his name

Life insurance - don't have one

Health insurence - can't afford it

[R751 0]

Hi,

First off thanks to all of you who replied to my last post with advice. It has really helped me. But I need help once again and I've noticed other people have been asking the same question.

How much evidence do you need to prove a bona fide marriage after a divorce? And what other things can you submit when you don't have bank statements etc.?

Here's my list of what I have.....please feel free to add anything you think might help.

Pictures - before and after wedding

Cards we received at the wedding

E-mails we have sent to each other before and after we got married

Husbands tax return - we filed seperately but my SSN and name is on his tax raturn

Contract from our gym with both our names on it

Letters showing we had mail delivered to the same address

Again any help, advice or suggestions will do. Thanks guys.

I guess following things are most important:

Kid's (if any) birth certificate

Financial docs (IRS tax returns, joint bank accounts, joint credit cards, joint CDs, joint car title....)

Joint apartment lease or joint house ownership

Joint Insurance docs (medical, dental, life etc..)

drivers license (with same address), any other govt issued papers to addressed to both of you and sent at your joint address.

Joint Utility bills

Key is that pics, cards, memberships and lots of non-govt mails can be easily faked. There is no harm in sending these but, IMO, above mentioned things makes your case stronger in USCIS eyes.

Edited July 27, 2007 by R751

[R751 0]

Hi,

First off thanks to all of you who replied to my last post with advice. It has really helped me. But I need help once again and I've noticed other people have been asking the same question.............

What are your timelines, if you don't mind sharing with us....

[Wild Wind 0]

I am in the process of filing my wife’s I-751 currently this is what I have as of now.

1. Copy I-551 front and back.

2. Affidavit – From my wife’s employer who knows both of us well.

3. Thank you notes from a neighbor and a friend address to the both of us.

4. Pictures and ticket stubs from a play we attended the Green Bird, San Francisco Ferry Ride, State Fair.

5. Pictures of a trip to the mountains and the snow to visit brother.

6. Pictures with both family members.

7. Itinerary of our trip to China in 2007 along with pictures.

8. Designated beneficiary of my 401 and 457 investment plans, pay warrants beneficiary.

9. Health, Dental enrolment documents.

10. Tax transcripts from IRS 2005 and 2006.

11. Both of our DMV cards showing our address.

12. Furniture receipts of purchases we made with both names on invoice.

13. Goodwill donations from both of us with our address included on receipt.

14. Passport with all visa’s and stamps.

15. Immigration letter she received when she arrived at LAX.

[claire2007 0]

This is my timeline

Married July 2006

Filed for visa at European embassy August 2006

Visa approved December 2006

POE January 2007

[Nikita2Charles 31]

For us we didn't send any pictures

After we got married, add my wife name to the utilities bill, Joint account

So for removal we sent out

Utilties bill, Join account statement for the past 6 months. health and life Insurance card from work showing my wife as beneficiary, Mortgage statement showing both of our name on it, and that was it. I took it as a habit for the mortgage payment to make my wife fill out the check with her signature and all, and sent copy of those.

[Marilyn. 340]

This is my timeline

Married July 2006

Filed for visa at European embassy August 2006

Visa approved December 2006

POE January 2007

so it looks like it will be awhile before you file to remove conditions...

so you have time to try and get your name added to the utilities etc and get a joint bank account etc....

ok ignore all that.. I didn't see the divorce part....

I am going to move this thread to this forum... "Effects of Major Family Changes on Immigration Benefits"

Edited July 30, 2007 by MarilynP

[claire2007 0]

This is my timeline

Married July 2006

Filed for visa at European embassy August 2006

Visa approved December 2006

POE January 2007

so it looks like it will be awhile before you file to remove conditions...

so you have time to try and get your name added to the utilities etc and get a joint bank account etc....

ok ignore all that.. I didn't see the divorce part....

I am going to move this thread to this forum... "Effects of Major Family Changes on Immigration Benefits"

It wouldn't be a problem getting my name on bank accounts etc. if our marriage wasn't falling apart and I wasn't thinking about leaving my husband.

[Marilyn. 340]

This is my timeline

Married July 2006

Filed for visa at European embassy August 2006

Visa approved December 2006

POE January 2007

so it looks like it will be awhile before you file to remove conditions...

so you have time to try and get your name added to the utilities etc and get a joint bank account etc....

ok ignore all that.. I didn't see the divorce part....

I am going to move this thread to this forum... "Effects of Major Family Changes on Immigration Benefits"

It wouldn't be a problem getting my name on bank accounts etc. if our marriage wasn't falling apart and I wasn't thinking about leaving my husband.

I am sorry about that....

like I said I missed the part about divorce, sorry

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Bank statement - account only in his name

Bills - all in his name

The above can all still be submitted, to demonstrate that his address is yours and that you have access to proprietary information as well.

What about

library cards,

driver's licenses

cable tv bill

Magazine subscriptions

For younger or less fortunate individuals that either don't have or can't afford life and health insurance, for which notation of the principle beneficiary can be a good evidence of the bona fide nature of the marriage, then placing one's spouse's name on the title of the auto is a good idea, regardless of whether the individual drives or not.