Evidence of a bonifide marriage

[kumar1234 0]

We are including joint lease, joint bank account, bills, and affidavit from a friend. Should we also include pics? My wife has created a storyline with pictures and captions that shows how we met and our relationship evolved over the years resulting in marriage.

The only reason I am hesitant about including pics is that the package becomes pretty heavy and bulky with pictures and I am not sure if we really need them after including so many other proofs. Maybe we should save the pictures for the interview?

Many thanks!

[Otto 83]

Marriage Certificate?

[kumar1234 0]

Marriage Certificate?

yes, that's included too but I don't think marriage certificate is a proof of a bona-fide marriage (i.e. proof that marriage was NOT done for immigration purposes). Marriage certificate just proves that two people are married.. it can't prove the purpose behind the marriage.

[Slightly Bonkers 0]

For our AOS I-485, from K1, we didn't provide any proof of bona-fide marriage. It is not requested as far as I could see (please point me to where, if I'm wrong)

If you fill out your timeline, you can get more accurate help.

[Cino 5]

What is this for ? I mean for AOS application or AOS interview ?????

HERE IS MY TIMELINE :

I-130 mailed 01/13/09

I-130 received by USCIS 01/16/09

NOA1 Mail for I-130 received 01/22/09

I-485 Package mailed 02/17/09

I-485 Package received by USCIS 02/20/09

NOA1 Mail for I-485 & I-765 received 02/26/09

NOA2 e-mail for I-130 Approval 03/03/09 (47 Days)

NOA2 Hard Copy of I-130 Approval received 03/07/09

Biometrics Done 03/24/09

STILL CAN'T SEE ON-LINE STATUS FOR AOS & EAD !.....

NOTE : I DID NOT APPLY FOR I-131 (AP).

[SuperDuper! 230]

We are including joint lease, joint bank account, bills, and affidavit from a friend. Should we also include pics? My wife has created a storyline with pictures and captions that shows how we met and our relationship evolved over the years resulting in marriage.

The only reason I am hesitant about including pics is that the package becomes pretty heavy and bulky with pictures and I am not sure if we really need them after including so many other proofs. Maybe we should save the pictures for the interview?

Many thanks!

Throw in a few pics, after all, they are worth a thousand words each. Unless they are glued to 10Lb paper, I cant understand how a few pics can be so heavy. Pics do carry a lot of weight in the interview, but not so heavy as far as the postman is concerned. GudLuk

[kumar1234 0]

What is this for ? I mean for AOS application or AOS interview ?????

HERE IS MY TIMELINE :

I-130 mailed 01/13/09

I-130 received by USCIS 01/16/09

NOA1 Mail for I-130 received 01/22/09

I-485 Package mailed 02/17/09

I-485 Package received by USCIS 02/20/09

NOA1 Mail for I-485 & I-765 received 02/26/09

NOA2 e-mail for I-130 Approval 03/03/09 (47 Days)

NOA2 Hard Copy of I-130 Approval received 03/07/09

Biometrics Done 03/24/09

STILL CAN'T SEE ON-LINE STATUS FOR AOS & EAD !.....

NOTE : I DID NOT APPLY FOR I-131 (AP).

For AOS application..

Pics do carry a lot of weight in the interview, but not so heavy as far as the postman is concerned.

haha.. nice way to put it..

[Dakine 26]

We are including joint lease, joint bank account, bills, and affidavit from a friend. Should we also include pics? My wife has created a storyline with pictures and captions that shows how we met and our relationship evolved over the years resulting in marriage.

The only reason I am hesitant about including pics is that the package becomes pretty heavy and bulky with pictures and I am not sure if we really need them after including so many other proofs. Maybe we should save the pictures for the interview?

Many thanks!

More ammo the better. Load them up as they may let you slide without an interview. If you have an interview all the info you sent in will be in front of you anyway.

[crazytown4u 0]

hi, well sence my husband and i have no joint anything b/c he lives in mexico and i in the us i just had a friend who knows us in person to write a letter with her address phone# and how she knows me and my husband and singed the form also i sent pics of the wedding, with my father and him and family etc... ( of both sides) also plane tickets where i vist him ( u can also send phone bills and such things love letters, w/e can help even things that are not listed thats what i did and soo far its ok i guess have not going a call

[Nicoxcx 1]

Proof of Bonifide marriage isn't required until the Interview. You shouldn't send anything they do not ask for because (if) you get an interview they will just request it all over again.

[kumar1234 0]

thanks guys.. your replies were helpful

[JERIII 8]

Proof of Bonifide marriage isn't required until the Interview. You shouldn't send anything they do not ask for because (if) you get an interview they will just request it all over again.

That depends. Evidence of bona fides of the marriage IS required for an I-130 filing.

[Cino 5]

You do not need to prove your Bona Fide marriage with your AOS application. However you do have to at the AOS interview.

As pictures, you do not have to send them either, but IO might ask you to see them during AOS Interview.

Just to give you an idea, here what I have sent (From my AOS Cover Letter).

 Copy of I-797C ( Relevant to Pending I-130 Application ).

 Check in the amount of $1,010.00 for Application & Biometrics Fee.

 Four (4) passport-style photograph of Beneficiary.

 Form I-485.

 Form I-765.

 Form I-693 (in the Sealed Envelope).

 Form I-864W.

 Copy of Beneficiary’s Last Social Security Statement ( Proof of I-864 not Required ).

 Copy of Recently Filed 2008 Federal Income Tax Return ( Proof of I-864 not Required ).

 G-325 A Biographic Information of Beneficiary ( 4 Copies ).

 Copy of Beneficiary’s Birth Certificate.

 Copy of Translation of Beneficiary’s Birth Certificate.

 Copy of Beneficiary’s Passport.

 Copy of I-94 .

HERE IS MY TIMELINE :

I-130 mailed 01/13/09

I-130 received by USCIS 01/16/09

NOA1 Mail for I-130 received 01/22/09

I-485 Package mailed 02/17/09

I-485 Package received by USCIS 02/20/09

NOA1 Mail for I-485 & I-765 received 02/26/09

NOA2 e-mail for I-130 Approval 03/03/09 (47 Days)

NOA2 Hard Copy of I-130 Approval received 03/07/09

Biometrics Done 03/24/09

STILL CAN'T SEE ON-LINE STATUS FOR AOS & EAD !.....

NOTE : I DID NOT APPLY FOR I-131 (AP).

[YGandMAT 0]

You do not need to prove your Bona Fide marriage with your AOS application. However you do have to at the AOS interview.

As pictures, you do not have to send them either, but IO might ask you to see them during AOS Interview.

Just to give you an idea, here what I have sent (From my AOS Cover Letter).

 Copy of I-797C ( Relevant to Pending I-130 Application ).

 Check in the amount of $1,010.00 for Application & Biometrics Fee.

 Four (4) passport-style photograph of Beneficiary.

 Form I-485.

 Form I-765.

 Form I-693 (in the Sealed Envelope).

 Form I-864W.

 Copy of Beneficiary’s Last Social Security Statement ( Proof of I-864 not Required ).

 Copy of Recently Filed 2008 Federal Income Tax Return ( Proof of I-864 not Required ).

 G-325 A Biographic Information of Beneficiary ( 4 Copies ).

 Copy of Beneficiary’s Birth Certificate.

 Copy of Translation of Beneficiary’s Birth Certificate.

 Copy of Beneficiary’s Passport.

 Copy of I-94 .

HERE IS MY TIMELINE :

I-130 mailed 01/13/09

I-130 received by USCIS 01/16/09

NOA1 Mail for I-130 received 01/22/09

I-485 Package mailed 02/17/09

I-485 Package received by USCIS 02/20/09

NOA1 Mail for I-485 & I-765 received 02/26/09

NOA2 e-mail for I-130 Approval 03/03/09 (47 Days)

NOA2 Hard Copy of I-130 Approval received 03/07/09

Biometrics Done 03/24/09

STILL CAN'T SEE ON-LINE STATUS FOR AOS & EAD !.....

NOTE : I DID NOT APPLY FOR I-131 (AP).

Yes. CINO is right. All we sent for AOS was the required documentation. We took the evidence that bonafides marriage until the AOS interview. No need to mail.

[JERIII 8]

You do not need to prove your Bona Fide marriage with your AOS application. However you do have to at the AOS interview.

Yes. CINO is right. All we sent for AOS was the required documentation. We took the evidence that bonafides marriage until the AOS interview. No need to mail.

Actually, CINO is not completely right.

The original poster states (in another topic) that he and his spouse are filing an I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. If this is the case, they must submit evidence of the bona fides of the marriage with the I-130. (It is not required for the AOS application itself.)

I quote from the I-130 instructions:

NOTE: In addition to the required documentation listed above, you should submit one or more of the following types of documentation that may evidence that bona fides of your marriage:

E. Documentation showing joint ownership or property; or

F. A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence; or

G. Documentation showing co-mingling of financial resources; or

H. Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to you, the petitioner, and your spouse together; or

I. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship. (Each affidavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner of beneficiary, if any, and complete information and details explaining how the person acquired his or her knowledge of your marriage); or

J. Any other relevant documentation to establish that there is an ongoing marital union.

The I-130 Guide here on VisaJourney says the same thing.

Note that this requirement has been added to the I-130 fairly recently (within the last couple years, I think??) and many people here filed before the requirement was added. It also seems to be sporadically enforced. However, the instructions also say:

Initial Processing. Once the petition has been accepted, it will be checked for completeness, including submission of the required initial evidence. If you do not completely fill out the form or file it without the required initial evidence, you will not establish a basis for eligibility, and USCIS may deny your petition.

One more thing, I and my wife recently completely the GC process starting from a joint I-130/AOS filing. We submitted a modest amount of evidence with the I-130. When we were interviewed, we were not asked for any evidence at all.