Bona fide marriage - your opinion?

[Oban 1]

Hi all!

I think after this DCF process I could become an immigration lawyer! God... tons of information. My brain is so messed up.

We are working right now on the "bona fide"-part / proof of relationship. I would like to hear your opinion (will it "pass" or not?!). We have...

1.)

A statement, written by us, explaining how me met. What happened before we moved together. About the long-distance relationship we had, etc.

2.)

A record of the local city register. This record states that we are both residing at the same address.

3.)

Pictures (-> general pictures, -> wedding pictures, -> vacation pictures, -> wedding reception pictures)

4.)

Affidavits signed by friends, relatives and parents (8-10 over all), saying that we have a true and loving relationship.

5.)

Copies of our passport stamps and a list of trips we made to visit each other over the last months (because of the long-distance relationship).

6.)

We could open a joint bank account ("must have"?????)

Okay, thats it. What do you think? I thought about using the affidavits as a "last resort". Good idea? Or should I provide them "all" evidence in advance?

Cheers,

Oban

[Oban 1]

Morning!

Where are all of you? All the guys with experience about "bona fide"-marriage?

I know, nobody can give me the promise that I will pass with the above mentioned, but I just want your opinions based on your experiences. Maybe I need more evidence?

Thanks in advance and have a great day!

Oban

[MargotDarko 0]

Hello!

You are OVER prepared! That's much more than we included with the I-130. We didn't send any pictures or affidavits or personal statements. We sent proof that we were living together (copy of our lease and copy of a tax bill at our address that has both our names on it).

All those things are fine to bring to the interview and may be helpful, but they would be total overkill in the I-130 package.

At this point, I would only include the copy of the local register and a piece of mail that is addressed to both of your at your current address (hopefully you have some type of gas or other utility set up in both your names).

About the joint bank account, hopefully your wife has left some US accounts open and maybe she could get your name added to one of them. That would be great at the interview for proof of your intent to go to the US together.

[Oban 1]

Hello!

You are OVER prepared! That's much more than we included with the I-130. We didn't send any pictures or affidavits or personal statements. We sent proof that we were living together (copy of our lease and copy of a tax bill at our address that has both our names on it).

All those things are fine to bring to the interview and may be helpful, but they would be total overkill in the I-130 package.

At this point, I would only include the copy of the local register and a piece of mail that is addressed to both of your at your current address (hopefully you have some type of gas or other utility set up in both your names).

About the joint bank account, hopefully your wife has left some US accounts open and maybe she could get your name added to one of them. That would be great at the interview for proof of your intent to go to the US together.

Hi! Thanks for your answer. All this information and process is killing me. My poor little brain is so messed up (panic!?!?!?)!

My wife has a savings accounts left, but it is nearly empty. Just a few bucks in case she has to pay some bank fees or whatever. I also doubt that she is able to put my name on this account, because I am not a permanent resident in the US nor have I a SSN. I assume the bank will not "play" this kind of game.

The joint bank account in Germany is not a problem.

Bills or invoices on both of our name is a problem! We have some postcards from friends, mentioning both of our names, but bills or a lease... no chance. I had the apartment before we moved together. Everything is on my name.

The only really OFFICIAL document we have is the city registration.

I am so confused... you said you haven't sent nearly anything withthe I-130, others wrote you have to attach evidence.

When we hand in the I-130 in person, will we get the possibility to explain some things in person to the USCIS officer? Is this relevant? Will they listen? Or is just paper the counting media?

Thanks again!

A very nervous,

Oban

[MargotDarko 0]

Hello!

You are OVER prepared! That's much more than we included with the I-130. We didn't send any pictures or affidavits or personal statements. We sent proof that we were living together (copy of our lease and copy of a tax bill at our address that has both our names on it).

All those things are fine to bring to the interview and may be helpful, but they would be total overkill in the I-130 package.

At this point, I would only include the copy of the local register and a piece of mail that is addressed to both of your at your current address (hopefully you have some type of gas or other utility set up in both your names).

About the joint bank account, hopefully your wife has left some US accounts open and maybe she could get your name added to one of them. That would be great at the interview for proof of your intent to go to the US together.

Hi! Thanks for your answer. All this information and process is killing me. My poor little brain is so messed up (panic!?!?!?)!

My wife has a savings accounts left, but it is nearly empty. Just a few bucks in case she has to pay some bank fees or whatever. I also doubt that she is able to put my name on this account, because I am not a permanent resident in the US nor have I a SSN. I assume the bank will not "play" this kind of game.

The joint bank account in Germany is not a problem.

Bills or invoices on both of our name is a problem! We have some postcards from friends, mentioning both of our names, but bills or a lease... no chance. I had the apartment before we moved together. Everything is on my name.

The only really OFFICIAL document we have is the city registration.

I am so confused... you said you haven't sent nearly anything withthe I-130, others wrote you have to attach evidence.

When we hand in the I-130 in person, will we get the possibility to explain some things in person to the USCIS officer? Is this relevant? Will they listen? Or is just paper the counting media?

Thanks again!

A very nervous,

Oban

It's okay! No need to be so nervous.

There isn't any difference between me saying there's no need to send a lot with the I-130 and others saying you have to attach evidence. You should attach evidence; it's just that you don't need as much as you've prepared. In the I-130, there's instructions on things to include. It doesn't say to include all of it - it says to "include one or more of the following" and then lists the acceptable things.

As you don't have any bills or any other official mail that lists both your names, the joint bank account in Germany is actually a good idea. A statement with both your names on it as well as the copy of the city registry is all you need to meet the requirements on the I-130 instructions.

I don't know much about interviews for the I-130 as I did mine by mail and that's the more common thing. I don't see why you wouldn't get a chance to answer in person if they have any problem with the form or the documents you've shown.

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

We got an RFE for "proof of bona fide relationship" -- unfortunately we had used the I-130 on the London Embassy website which was out of date and did not mention that these things had to be included. My husband and I had never bothered to put ANYTHING in our joint names, and this didn't turn out to be a problem. We included copies of bills and our individual bank account statements that showed we both lived at the same address, some pictures of us together and with our respective families, and three affidavits (as per instructions on the RFE) from colleagues saying they knew we were married and continued to have a relationship. I was also instructed to swear an affidavit myself on how I met and married my husband, and when my former marriage broke down. I think they wanted to ascertain that I hadn't divorced my ex to marry my husband, but I was able to show I had met him after I had separated from my ex but before the divorce. (I had a very unseemly 11 days between the decree absolute and the marriage!)

I'll echo Margot here -- you have waaaaaaaay more than enough! If you have anything in joint names, include proof of that. Maybe choose 3 of the affidavits if you feel like it. And...remember to breathe! DCF is very, very easy in comparison to all the other immigration routes. You'll be fine!

[Teacher 0]

Hello, Oban.

Good luck on opening a joint bank account. When my fiance visited last we went around to different banks to try and do this but they wouldn't put him on an account because he doesn't have a social security/tax ID number. So, I just keep records of him transferring money into my personal checking account. Although, you must be careful with this too because you may have to prove that it's not a loan from a friend to look good for an Affidavit of Support and that you really don't have this money. If this happens they may just require a signed letter that states the money is a gift and not a loan.

It's inconvenient because his bank charges him and fee for sending and mine charges a fee for receiving funds.

Although, there is none in the area in which I live you might have more luck with an international bank like HSBC.

Maybe you could open an account with a German bank?

[Oban 1]

Hi all! Thanks for your answers, I feel a bit more relaxed. I hope it will be as easy as described. I just read about this guy from sweden, who got denied in stockholm etc.

But I feel a bit more calm now!

About the joint bank account in the US

We have to ask, but I think also that I will need a SSN

A joint bank account in Germany is no problem at all!

Cheers,

Oban

[MargotDarko 0]

Hi all! Thanks for your answers, I feel a bit more relaxed. I hope it will be as easy as described. I just read about this guy from sweden, who got denied in stockholm etc.

But I feel a bit more calm now!

About the joint bank account in the US

We have to ask, but I think also that I will need a SSN

A joint bank account in Germany is no problem at all!

Cheers,

Oban

Any joint bank account would fulfill the requirement for the I-130 to show a bonafide relationship. I was just suggesting the US account (if it were possible, sometimes banks don't need the SSN) for purposes of showing intent to move to the US and live together after you get the visa. That's definitely not necessary though.

[Mephibosheth 0]

All I had was a copy of the city registration proving we're living at the same address, a copy of a bank statement (German bank account with both names) and a copy of something from the German health insurance (DAK) with both our names on it

Edited August 29, 2007 by Mephibosheth