My first RFE for I-751 help needed

[ACalmCountry 17]

45 minutes ago, JKLSemicolon said:

Whether they should be signed depends if you filed electronically (no signature) or printed them out and mailed them (with a wet signature).

 

Reading your concerns, if I were you and wanted to cover all your bases, I would:

 

- Send the tax returns (including all W2s and schedules) as they appear in TurboTax to satisfy the wording of the RFE

- Also send in the associated tax return transcripts

 

In other words, if you’re worried about whether to send one or the other, just do both.

My wife filed them online so electronically. We have had a small setback in that one of the returns was done through a different company ( h and r block) and were unable to download the return. We do however have the tax transcript from that year so hopefully that will be enough. But all other years we have the returns and tax transcripts. We could order the missing one from the IRS but it’s 47 dollars and can take up to 75 days which is too long. I have to get this package in by early February. I am hoping the IRS transcript from that missing year will be ok to satisfy. 

[ACalmCountry 17]

On 11/28/2023 at 2:46 PM, Rocio0010 said:

This was our package. We were approved without an interview. See if it helps.

 

 

COHABITATION

Copy of Owners Title Insurance Policy with original recorded warranty deed for the property located at xxxxxxxx

Copy of American Land Title Association Settlement Statement showing xxxx and xxxx as buyers of the property situated at xxxxxxxx. 

Copy of Veterans United pre- approval letter showing xxxx and xxxx as pre-approved for a home loan. Dated: Jun 18, 2021 Signed by Kris Ball (Loan Officer) 

 

Copies of xxxx xxxxxxx and xxxx xxxxxx current drivers’ licenses showing joint residence at xxxxxxxx

Copies of xxxx xxxxxand xxxxxxxxxx old drivers’ licenses showing joint residence at xxxxxxxxx

Copy of xxxx Knotts’s updated Argentinian ID listing address at xxxxxxxxx

Copies of Spectrum (Internet) monthly statements showing xxxx as responsible for paying gas and electricity in our joint residence at xxxxxxxxx

Copies of Columbia Gas of Ohio monthly statements showing xxxx as responsible for paying gas in our joint residence atxxxxxxxx

Copy of lease agreement listing us as joint tenants at previous address (xxxxxxxxxx), beginning May 28, 2019 and copies of lease renewals for the same address for subsequent terms until May 31, 2022. 

Copy of xxxx xxxxx old argentinian ID listing address at xxxxxxxxxx

Copy of Horace Mann Insurance Company new business declaration listing us as jointly covered under renters’ insurance policy number xxxxxxx  for our residence at xxxxxxxxxxxx. Effective date: 02/02/2021. Expiration date: 02/02/2022.

Copy of appointment reminder from veterinary addressed to both of us.

 

Exhibit 😧 TAX RETURNS- STATE TAXES- PROPERTY TAXES

Copies of joint IRS tax returns for 2020 and 2021.

Copy of 2021 and 2022  Monongalia County Personal Property Return filed jointly.

 

2020 and 2021 joint West Virginia Tax receipts.

  

 

Exhibit E: FINANCIAL COMMINGLING

Copies of quarterly bank statements of our joint checking account (with United Bank) since inception of the accounts on 04/19/2019 to closing of the account on xx/xx/xxxx,, showing various financial co-mingling such as Veteran United payments, rent payments, car loan payments, insurance payments, grocery shopping etc.

Copy of Chase Deposit Account Balance summary showing us as joint owners of the Chase Premier Plus Checking Account ending in 6235. Dated 10/30/2021.

 

Exhibit F: JOINT MORTGAGE STATEMENTS, UTILITIES, AND VET BILLS.

Veterans United joint mortgage statements from August 2021 to January /2022

Copies of the city of Southwest Licking Community Water & Sewer District statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying water in our joint residence xxxxxxxxx 

Copies of AEP (Electric Company) monthly statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying the electric bill in our joint residence at xxxxxxxxx

Copies of Local Waste Services monthly statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying the trash pick up in our joint residence at xxxxxxxx

Copies veterinary bills showing us as jointly responsible for paying the veterinary bill

Copy of note from landlord in Morgantown stating he was responsible for paying the utilities on the property rented at xxxxxxxxx  for the time period we lived there.

 

Exhibit G:  JOINT HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE OVER THE YEARS.

Copy of xxxx’s current life insurance underwritten by Principal Life Insurance company listing xxxx as beneficiary of this insurance. 

Copy of current  dental/ vision insurance (with Principal), via xxxx’s current employer, showing us both covered under the same insurance plan. Effective date: 08/09/2021.

Copy of current United Health Care insurance, via xxxx’s current employer, showing us both covered under the same insurance plan.

Public Employees Insurance Agency certification letter showing xxxx as policy holder and xxxx as covered by this insurance. 

Copy of xxxx’s life insurance underwritten by United Omaha Life Insurance Company designating spouse xxxx as beneficiary.

Copy of previous health insurance cards (Independence), via xxxx former employer (xxxxx), showing us both covered under the same (former) insurance plan.

 

EXHIBIT H: Special Permissions

One Point of Care (OPOC.US) authorization for use and disclosure of private health information, providing authorization on behalf of xxxx to disclose private health information and listing xxxx as spouse.

 

 

 

Exhibit H:  JOINT RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS

Copy of xxxx  Individual Retirement Account from Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIIA) beneficiary designation letter? listing xxxx as beneficiary of the account.

Copy of West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board Pre- Retirement Beneficiary Designation showing xxxx as member, and xxxx as beneficiary of the account. 

 

Exhibit I:  JOINT VEHICLE AND HOME INSURANCE.

Copy of xxxx ’s xxxxxxx Vehicle Insurance Card showing xxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxxxx . Effective date: 08/18/2021. Expiration date: 02/18/2022.

Copy of xxxx’s Vehicle Insurance Card showing xxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxx . Effective date: 08/20/2021. Expiration date: 08/20/2022/ 

Copy of Progressive Home Advantage Insurance policy statement listing our joint residence at xxxxxx . Policy number: xxxxx. Covered from July 23, 2021 to July 23, 2022. 

Copy of AAA (American Automobile Association) joint statement with a payment date of 11/16/2021.

Copy of xxxx xxxx Farm Vehicle Insurance Card and Renewal Policies showing xxxx xxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number:xxxxxx. Covered from February 10, 2020  to July 9,2020.

Copy of xxxx xxxx State Farm Vehicle Insurance Card and Renewal Policies showing xxxx xxxxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxxxx. Covered from July 09, 2020  to January 09,2021.

Copy of xxxx xxxxxx State Farm Vehicle Insurance Card and Renewal Policies showing xxxx xxxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxxx. Covered from January 09, 2021  to July 9,2021.

 

Exhibit K: JOINT MEMBERSHIPS

Copies of Sam’s membership listing xxxx xxxxx as a complimentary member of the account.

 

Exhibit L: TRIPS TAKEN TOGETHER

Flight reservations for our (postponed due to COVID) trip to Argentina in July 2020.

 

EXHIBIT M: EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION:

West Virginia University Outpatient Face Sheet for patient xxxx listing, xxxx, as emergency contact.

Family Vision Clinic patient sheet  for patient xxxx listing, xxxx, as emergency contact.

Paylocity profile for xxxx, listing husband xxxx as emergency contact.

Orthopedic ONE Patient Information sheet  for patient xxxx listing, xxxx, as emergency contact.

 

Exhibit N: PICTURES

Copies of photos of us together at various events with family and friends throughout the years

Copy of wedding pics.

Include some of everyday pics already sent with AOS.

 

Exhibit O: 

Copies of greeting cards, letters and packages from family and friends addressed to us throughout the years

If I may ask a quick question of you. In your answer you describe using an internet bill as evidence. Is that just showing your partner’s name or both names? Also in your bank statements you describe evidence of the purchase of groceries but I’m interested in how you specifically showed or highlighted that. This is one thing I keep going over in my brain. Is it enough to show that we have joint bank account statements. I’m curious how people highlighted who was buying groceries etc obviously one way is to copy our cards and show that they are both being used but curious as to how you did that. 

[Rocio0010 5,577]

15 hours ago, ACalmCountry said:

internet bill as evidence

Ha! I just now read that I wrote "Copies of Spectrum (Internet) monthly statements showing xxxx as responsible for paying gas and electricity in our joint" hahaha. I guess it didn't matter since I an now a citizen.

Anyhow, no, the internet is only on my name. That's why I put it under "cohabitation" because I wanted to show that we live together.

15 hours ago, ACalmCountry said:

I’m interested in how you specifically showed or highlighted that

I didn't.

 

[OldUser 5,199]

15 hours ago, ACalmCountry said:

I’m curious how people highlighted who was buying groceries etc obviously one way is to copy our cards and show that they are both being used but curious as to how you did that. 

Let the immigration officer do some work 😃 You provide the evidence, they'll figure it out. Or you can mention it in the cover letter briefly.

[Rocio0010 5,577]

When is your deadline to reply? You're overthinking it!

[ACalmCountry 17]

5 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

When is your deadline to reply? You're overthinking it!

I still have a few weeks. I know I’ve been told several times I’m overthinking it! I guess I recall seeing somewhere regarding groceries being mentioned as a way of  showing commingling and I just keep going over it in my head how do I show that! Some of our older bank statements we don’t even have the cards for anymore. It’s ridiculous I know. This whole process has worn me down. My stress levels are just off the charts right now. I’m feeling confident one minute then stressed the next. Anyway thanks to you all again for your reasoned, patient advice! I feel our evidence is pretty good and I just have to keep reminding myself that most cases are accepted. I just don’t want to lapse into laziness with a few weeks to go (as I said I’m getting worn  down) or miss anything that I may need to put in hence my returning now and then to this thread. I’m waiting on a real ID I applied for and I’m now working on photos. I really wanted to get this in  with two weeks to go so hopefully I can id rather get it in a week or so before the due date. The cover letter will be completed last as I attempt to assemble this mass of papers into a somewhat coherent order. I have folders and paper clips and whatnot ready to go. So final stages for me the package not  far away.

Edited January 10 by ACalmCountry

[Rocio0010 5,577]

17 minutes ago, ACalmCountry said:

I still have a few weeks. I know I’ve been told several times I’m overthinking it! I guess I recall seeing somewhere regarding groceries being mentioned as a way of  showing commingling and I just keep going over it in my head how do I show that! Some of our older bank statements we don’t even have the cards for anymore. It’s ridiculous I know. This whole process has worn me down. My stress levels are just off the charts right now. I’m feeling confident one minute then stressed the next. Anyway thanks to you all again for your reasoned, patient advice! I feel our evidence is pretty good and I just have to keep reminding myself that most cases are accepted. I just don’t want to lapse into laziness with a few weeks to go (as I said I’m getting worn  down) or miss anything that I may need to put in hence my returning now and then to this thread. I’m waiting on a real ID I applied for and I’m now working on photos. I really wanted to get this in  with two weeks to go so hopefully I can id rather get it in a week or so before the due date. The cover letter will be completed last as I attempt to assemble this mass of papers into a somewhat coherent order. I have folders and paper clips and whatnot ready to go. So final stages for me the package not  far away.

Just use my list and get what you have from there. That’s actually my cover letter. Copy, paste, change to what you do have. Tailor it to what you need and you’ll be fine. 
I couldn’t believe it that I was approved without an interview. My one and only interview was for citizenship, and it was only 20’. You can do it

[mindthegap 2,550]

8 hours ago, OldUser said:

Let the immigration officer do some work 😃 You provide the evidence, they'll figure it out. 

😂

[ACalmCountry 17]

On 1/10/2024 at 12:29 PM, Rocio0010 said:

Just use my list and get what you have from there. That’s actually my cover letter. Copy, paste, change to what you do have. Tailor it to what you need and you’ll be fine. 
I couldn’t believe it that I was approved without an interview. My one and only interview was for citizenship, and it was only 20’. You can do it

Well a lot of the stuff on your list we just don’t have! With around three weeks to go I feel like I have some strong evidence and quite a lot of secondary evidence to make up for what I dont have. We have affidavit from the pastor who married us for example which although secondary evidence I feel is pretty good. There’s a lot of what we don’t have though. No trips together, no health insurance on her side. I have a 403b she’s listed as a benificiary. It’s automatic but I made sure I added her manually and printed it out. No emergency contact stuff on her side or mine, no will, we have car insurance but she’s the only one listed. The car title is in both at names though so that’s good. The car title is the only thing I have really as a joint asset. We rent don’t own a home. I spent a lot of time compiling various mail showing the address we live at. It’s probably more skewed towards me but there are a few of hers too. As well as a joint P.O. Box we share. We have the application for that with me listed as a user. My California Real ID arrived so that’s good. Has the residential address on it (although her drivers licence has the P.O. Box so it’s really only beneficial to show I live at our address) still I felt I needed it.
 

 

So at that stage I’ve hit a wall. Not sure what other joint stuff I have apart from the car. It’s worrying. I have joint bank statements for all years and the tax returns and tax transcripts.lots of photos from various years to now.which I will print shortly . My daughters birth certificate I will include obviously. Christmas cards, wedding congratulations etc I have some text messages I printed out of mundane daily stuff: “put the dog out” “there’s some food there when you get home” that kind of thing. Secondary evidence is ok.  It’s a big package so far but I keep worrying of course. Next weekend I will spend compiling what I have in to some sort of order. Then work on my cover letter. And then send it. Hope to send it a week before due date. I just wish I had a few more joint assets or stuff like that. Happy with the bank statements and tax stuff and rent stuff but wish I had more joint assets but I can only give them what I have I guess.

Edited January 19 by ACalmCountry

[Rocio0010 5,577]

2 hours ago, ACalmCountry said:

Well a lot of the stuff on your list we just don’t have! With around three weeks to go I feel like I have some strong evidence and quite a lot of secondary evidence to make up for what I dont have. We have affidavit from the pastor who married us for example which although secondary evidence I feel is pretty good. There’s a lot of what we don’t have though. No trips together, no health insurance on her side. I have a 403b she’s listed as a benificiary. It’s automatic but I made sure I added her manually and printed it out. No emergency contact stuff on her side or mine, no will, we have car insurance but she’s the only one listed. The car title is in both at names though so that’s good. The car title is the only thing I have really as a joint asset. We rent don’t own a home. I spent a lot of time compiling various mail showing the address we live at. It’s probably more skewed towards me but there are a few of hers too. As well as a joint P.O. Box we share. We have the application for that with me listed as a user. My California Real ID arrived so that’s good. Has the residential address on it (although her drivers licence has the P.O. Box so it’s really only beneficial to show I live at our address) still I felt I needed it.
 

 

So at that stage I’ve hit a wall. Not sure what other joint stuff I have apart from the car. It’s worrying. I have joint bank statements for all years and the tax returns and tax transcripts.lots of photos from various years to now.which I will print shortly . My daughters birth certificate I will include obviously. Christmas cards, wedding congratulations etc I have some text messages I printed out of mundane daily stuff: “put the dog out” “there’s some food there when you get home” that kind of thing. Secondary evidence is ok.  It’s a big package so far but I keep worrying of course. Next weekend I will spend compiling what I have in to some sort of order. Then work on my cover letter. And then send it. Hope to send it a week before due date. I just wish I had a few more joint assets or stuff like that. Happy with the bank statements and tax stuff and rent stuff but wish I had more joint assets but I can only give them what I have I guess.

That sounds like solid evidence.

How about joint lease?

Joint utility bills?

[ACalmCountry 17]

52 minutes ago, Rocio0010 said:

That sounds like solid evidence.

How about joint lease?

Joint utility bills?

No joint utility bills. I may have time to put myself on them perhaps. The lease is tricky and is the one causing me the most concern. Our RFE listed that income certification forms were not acceptable that a lease agreement was. Our apartments rent is based on income. I went to our landlord and asked him for lease agreements he explained that he has the income certifications we do each year but no actual lease agreement as such is done each year.  The income certification forms are signed and have all members of the household. The original lease agreement was with my wife and then every year after it’s just a recertification. Obviously it’s a concern and is the biggest worry I have because I’m giving them exactly what they said they don’t want. I went back to my landlord and asked him for a letter explaining why we don’t have lease agreements as such. He put his phone number on too. 

[OldUser 5,199]

8 minutes ago, ACalmCountry said:

No joint utility bills. I may have time to put myself on them perhaps. The lease is tricky and is the one causing me the most concern. Our RFE listed that income certification forms were not acceptable that a lease agreement was. Our apartments rent is based on income. I went to our landlord and asked him for lease agreements he explained that he has the income certifications we do each year but no actual lease agreement as such is done each year.  The income certification forms are signed and have all members of the household. The original lease agreement was with my wife and then every year after it’s just a recertification. Obviously it’s a concern and is the biggest worry I have because I’m giving them exactly what they said they don’t want. I went back to my landlord and asked him for a letter explaining why we don’t have lease agreements as such. He put his phone number on too. 

Well, I'd send the original lease agreement listing you and your wife.

 

When I had lease, it was for 1 year, then month to month. There were no documents every year for it, but since we still lived there, there was nothing else to include. I only included original lease which was still in effect. Got approved.

Edited January 20 by OldUser

[ACalmCountry 17]

21 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Well, I'd send the original lease agreement listing you and your wife.

 

When I had lease, it was for 1 year, then month to month. There were no documents every year for it, but since we still lived there, there was nothing else to include. I only included original lease which was still in effect. Got approved.

The original lease agreement is just her. Before we were married. Several years before.I’m not listed. But I may include it anyway with explanation. 

Edited January 20 by ACalmCountry

[OldUser 5,199]

1 hour ago, ACalmCountry said:

The original lease agreement is just her. Before we were married. Several years before.I’m not listed. But I may include it anyway with explanation. 

She should have included you once you moved in. Actually, other than original lease agreement, I also included lease amendment letter which added my spouse when we moved together....

[OldUser 5,199]

13 minutes ago, OldUser said:

She should have included you once you moved in. Actually, other than original lease agreement, I also included lease amendment letter which added my spouse when we moved together....

Outside of paperwork for immigration, here are the other important benefits of being on lease:

- If your spouse has an argument with you, she cannot kick you out of the place since you're listed as a tenant on lease. I know this doesn't happen in happy marriages and the chances are low.

- If your spouse dies or abandons you, the landlord can kick you out of the place since you're not a tenant on agreement

- You're not building history, and without it renting in your name would be harder in the future.

 

It's never late to include yourself on that lease, I highly recommend it. Saving a few hundred bucks is not worth it.

 

Also, there's always a chance USCIS can send agents to talk to property manager / receptionist / landlord. If they don't have a clue you live there or don't have any paperwork to support that, USCIS may be skeptical you actually live there.

 

Not having a joint lease / mortgage is one of the little red flags that weakens your case. It's possible to get approved without it, but why making it more difficult?

 

 

Edited January 20 by OldUser