I-751 living in a van

[Lana and Tom 1]

Hello everyone,

We are about to finish up all the documentation for Removal of conditions.

I am a bit nervous because it seems like it is important to show that we are living together. We have been living full time in a van since September 2022, so we don't have any utility bills or mortgage or whatever to show that we have been living together. The van's title is on my husband's name because he bought it before we got married with his own money. I helped building it, but do not want to claim any ownership ( we just think it is healthier and less stressfull that way).

All of our mail goes to my in-laws. That is our official address, but we just visit them every 2 weeks or so and don't pay any rent.

 

So far this is what we have

• Copies of the passports and green card of immigrant spouse
• A copy of our joint federal and state tax returns 2020-2022
• Copies of bank statements from our joint account from the day of opening (September 2022) until now.
• Copy of our health insurance cards showing a joint policy.
• Copy of the title of one of our cars, showing joint ownership.
• Copy of car insurance notices.
• Documentation of vacations that we have taken, including flight itineraries, hotel bills and pictures of us together. (we have taken a lot of vacations, long trips while working from the road together, so there is about 40 pages of that)
• Family pictures of us together.
• Copies of Airbnb reservations of the first months living together in NYC

 

 

Compared to others this seems not a lot evidence to me. Do you have any idea how to proof that we have been cohabitating? 

I have a lot of texts between us asking to bring milk/ telling where I parked the van etc. should i include that?

We are just living quite a different lifestyle where we don't spend much and thus travel a lot/work less, I am afraid that this is making it quite complicated for us in this situation.

 

Thanks for any help!

[OldUser 4,871]

You'll definitely have to be creative because of your unusual lifestyle. Some ideas:

 

1. Do you know any other people / couples living similar lifestyle? Maybe they can write affidavits

2. Do you stop at trailer parks / camp sites for few days or weeks? Maybe you have receipts from there and management can write affidavits?

3. Do you have any subsciptions, family phone plans showing both names?

4. Do you go to the same doctor / dentist? Can you show you're both patients at the same place or had joint visits?

[Marieke H 2,314]

I think you have a pretty decent list of evidence, especially with the insurance and joint bank account. You could consider including a letter explaining the living situation so they'll know why there isn't a lease.

[Boiler 43,506]

Pretty sure we have had similar cases on here, there is a couple that occasionally appears on Hacking who live in a Semi, I agree the normal list may not work for you but I could see how you could sell it as a stringer situation.

 

Some years back I met a couple, she was a travelling nurse, he seemed to do odd jobs where they happened to be, and they would take breaks between contracts, same sort of deal.

[Lemonslice 4,560]

Wills/living wills, evidence of being beneficiaries on each other's financial and insurance accounts. 

 

 

[Lana and Tom 1]

2 hours ago, Boiler said:

Pretty sure we have had similar cases on here, there is a couple that occasionally appears on Hacking who live in a Semi, I agree the normal list may not work for you but I could see how you could sell it as a stringer situation.

 

Some years back I met a couple, she was a travelling nurse, he seemed to do odd jobs where they happened to be, and they would take breaks between contracts, same sort of deal.

What do you mean by sell it as a stringer situation?

[Lil bear 3,833]

4 minutes ago, Lana and Tom said:

What do you mean by sell it as a stringer situation?

Spelling error .. should read “ stronger” situation. If you are able to document your travels together then you will have strong evidence of being together 24/7!! You just have to think outside the usual “ evidence checklist” box !!!! 

[Lana and Tom 1]

9 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Spelling error .. should read “ stronger” situation. If you are able to document your travels together then you will have strong evidence of being together 24/7!! You just have to think outside the usual “ evidence checklist” box !!!! 

Haha, that's a good spelling error. Thanks a lot, you made me feel way less stressed!

[millefleur 5,037]

5 hours ago, Lana and Tom said:

I have a lot of texts between us asking to bring milk/ telling where I parked the van etc. should i include that?

I don't think it hurts to include that given the unusual situation.

 

Not sure if you were already planning to include it but photos of you both, the van, in different locations just as backup evidence to show that you do indeed live in the van (maybe some pictures doing day-to-day things together etc.)

 

For financial evidence, you can always open a credit card and add the spouse as an authorised user as well.

[carmel34 3,531]

two driver's licenses showing the same address would help as this is normal for married couples

[Sukie 1,439]

As two others have said, get in front of any questions with a letter of explanation of your lifestyle.  Pictures of the van, documentation of where the van has been, and where you park it.  Vive le difference!

 

In Australia they have a name for retired people who sell up and travel in their camper vans - "Grey Nomads"!!!

 

Sukie in NY

[PVR Bound 130]

You co-habit together.. doesn’t matter if the home is made of bricks, built in a tree or is on wheels. You still cohabit as a married couple. Just provide evidence as others have stated. In any case, my thought is a couple living together in the confines of a van since September 2022 shows the best evidence of commitment as a couple. 
 

Your life style is where we’re headed: right now the van is already out on my drive way. Just have a small issue of not yet having an empty nest. I like the idea of being a grey nomad.

 

good luck from super jealous 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Old_Glory

[Lana and Tom 1]

Thanks everyone! You really helped me! 💙