bigtex26

Got her on my life insurance. Let me know how your bank account goes. They keep telling me its impossible without a Social.

If you explain that she's not in the US the insurance provider should be able to proceed without a SSN as by law they can't require it.

For the Joint accounts it varies by financial institution. You will need to get her signature on the IRS form W8-BEN (google it for the link to download as PDF).

State Farm Bank and BCU (Credit Union) are two institutions that I was able to get her added to even before she was in the US!

Called Both these banks - State Farm said they'd be able to add her without a Tax# and SS# but that she'd have to verify her passport documentation by being present in a StateFarm office. No way to do that if she's stuck in Mexico until her CR-1 Spousal Visa is approved.

Checked with BCU (Which I guess is affiliated with various Credit Unions here in my town) and they said she would absolutely have to show up in person, and that she would absolutely need a Social #.

Were you able to get your spouse added because she showed up in person?

I guess my only option (to get her on some form of financial mingle) would be to get her up here on a tourist visa - but that's damn near impossible as she has 0 source of income and lives in a tiny ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Will keep searching....

Family- Vargas Garcia

First- Maria

Middle- Celadonia

We just came thru Juares on K1 fiancee visa with 2 kids & this how the name thing works!

Awesome, thank you so much!

And thanks to everyone who helped out above - all my questions were answered!

Okay, I think I got this right...

Her full name looks like this: Maria Celadonia Vargas Garcia. (Her first name is both Maria Celadonia - Her father's name: Vargas - and her mothers name: Garcia.)

Now when I fill her name in on the I-130 I'll go with:

FAMILY: Vargas Garcia

FIRST: Maria Celadonia

MIDDLE: N/A

Should this be okay? I'm not too concerned with whether or not they use her first name correctly, I just don't want them to look back at her passport or marriage certificate and say they don't match up.

I'm filling out my I-130 and there seem to be a few things I'm not clear of:

C. They're asking me for Relative's name:(my wife) [Family name] [First] [Middle]

However, in Mexico they use their First Name, Father's Last name(Apellido Paterno), then Mother's Last Name(Apellido Materno).

How should I fill out her name on the I-130?

10. Question 10: "Alien Registration Number" - I don't have one because I'm a USC and use my Social #. But my .PDF form that I'm filling out won't let me put in N/A - just numbers. Should I just print this out and write N/A in? Also running into this problem with "Dates of Prior Marriage Ended." Seems obvious to write this in after I print it, but wanted to check here to make sure.

17. Question 17: "List husband/wife and all the children of your relative" - So, since I'm her husband, should I list myself here? Or is it assumed that I'm her husband from the above statement.

21. Question 21: "If filling for your husband/wife, give last address at which you lived together." - We lived together in the same house, but not in the context of a married couple. At the time I was living with her we were just acquaintances - it was only after I left Mexico that we started to date and subsequently were married. I know I could just put down that we lived together during that time - but It wouldn't make sense with my relationship timeline of her and I. So should I just leave this blank (N/A)?

22. Question 22: "Complete the information below if your relative is in the US and will apply for adjustment of status. Your relative is in the US and will apply for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident at the USCIS office in: (CITY)(STATE). If your relative is not eligible for adjustment of status, he or she will apply for a visa abroad at the American consular post in:"

- okay, its obvious to me that I would state here that she will be applying for a visa at the American consulate in Mexico as she is not eligible for AOS at the moment. HOWEVER, the question clearly states that I should only complete this question if my relative is in the US and will apply for AOS - See how the second part of the question applies to me, but the first part of the question excludes me from the entire #22 question.

Thank you so much in advance!

Required Proof of Relationship is something that varies by what stage of the process and which embassy.

For the I-130 Petition all you really need to prove is that there was a wedding and one of the spouses is a US Citizen. Good evidence for this is: Marriage Certificate, birth certificates of both parties, US Citizen's Passport bio page, either copies of boarding passes or entry/exit stamps from Passport showing travel to location of the wedding (for the spouse who lives in another country). If you have anything else like joint bank accounts go ahead and include it but at this stage they just want to see that a marriage happened.

For the interview it really varies by the Embassy and I would suggest you check the regional forums for this information.

At ROC you will need to provide proof of Bonefide Marriage which includes co-habitation and co-mingling of financial lives. Good evidence here includes:

1. Joint Lease or Mortgage.

2. Bills either in Joint Names or some in each name.

3. Mail sent to same address for each and or both.

4. Joint bank accounts

5. Joint Credit Cards or Auto Loans.

6. Renters, homeowners, auto, life, medical insurance in both names and/or listing each other a beneficiary.

7. 401(k) with spouse listed as beneficiary.

8. Drivers' License or State ID Cards for each showing the same address.

9. Affidavits from friends and family attesting to them knowing you as a couple.

Of course there are more things that can be provided but it seems couple who can provide most of the above list don't experience difficulties at ROC unless there is something else obviously wrong with their case file.

I'm putting my wife down as a primary beneficiary on my Life Insurance.

However, my life insurance form is asking for her Social Security # - which she obviously doesn't have yet.

Should they be okay without a SS# or is there an alternative number I can list?

By the way, how are people getting all of these joint accounts?

I haven't been able to get my wife on anything without her being a citizen.

Way to go! Goodluck with the rest of your process!

Hi there! I got married in Chile and none of my family members from the US where there and I had no affidavits from any one that attended my wedding (a civil wedding). I think you will be fine. I also sent only what they asked not even one photo!! I didn't know about this website at that time, and we were approved!!

Good luck

Well that's reassuring! Hope they're not crazy biased when it comes to Mexican citizens.

Thanks!

I'm just about ready to send out my I-130.

Only thing I'm missing is an affidavit from my uncle, the only person in my family who was a witness of my marriage to my wife in Mexico. My question is, can I send my I-130 out now, and then later send my uncle's affidavit (as its going to take him a while to send this to me in the mail).

Or should I just wait and send everything in at once, as they'll probably confuse the supplemental documents?

I'm in the same boat. Until recently marrying my girlfriend we had a very substantial and well put-together K-1 visa packet full of evidence.

However, since I now have to apply for the CR-1, my evidence seems to pale in comparison to what's expected in a CR-1 "bonifide evidence" packet.

I have very little money co-mingling with her, other than periodically sending her money through Western Union.

I'm hoping that by adding her as a signee for a joint bank account here in the U.S. will be all I need in the way of financial support.

Could somebody be so kind as to post what kind of evidence was shown in your packet that allowed the application to be accepted?

She won't be granted a tourist visa, so don't wsate the application fee. Use that money to help pay your ticket to go visit her.

You don't have to be apart duirng the processing of the visa, you just can't be together in the US. Who says you can't spend time together in Mexico. It's not like she lives in Australia. Depensing on where you live in the US, it can be a quick trip.

Yep, thankfully I'm close to the border.

I visit her about once every three months - hello frequent flyer miles!

Thanks for the all the great replies!

Yeah, this was just intended for her to visit me while we were waiting for her CR-1. But it seems I don't have a case for it.

I want to do this right and legit, without having to backtrack later on. So thanks for the honest replies!

Cheers

SHe will likely be denied a B-2 as she as no ties to home and she has clear intent to immigrate. An overstay will have negative impacts on your CR1 visa. Just jump in the boat with the rest of us and do the CR1 first the right way. It sucks, but its the right thing to do. She may be able to come visit on a B-2 while the process is going on, some have luck there, but don't let her overstay.

Yeah, there's really no chance in painting a picture that she wants to return to Mexico.

I thought, well if I'm applying for CR-1 anyways, maybe its worth a shot. 8 months+ is going to be crazy.

Think it would affect the CR-1 application negatively at all?

I just married my girlfriend in Mexico on JULY 4TH!! (Did it in 3 days- LUCK. LUCK. LUCK )

Now, my idea was to bring her up here on a CR-1. But I was told that I should just bring her up

on a B-2 Tourist Visa and while she's up here just apply for the CR-1.

Now, this makes sense to me - but I wonder.

1. If she overstays her visit before the CR-1 is approved, will she have to return to Mexico?

2. If she's denied a B-2 Tourist Visa, will this negatively affect her approval for a CR-1?

3. I'm guessing that I have enough proof that I can help sponsor her Tourist Visa application:

I'll be providing her with the following to show during her visa interview:

- Proof of her name on my bank account as Signee

- Workplace payroll receipts to show financial support from spouse (me)

- Receipts of W-4 Tax forms that state I'm "Married"

- Copies of her name added as a life insurance beneficiary

- Our marriage certificate

Will this more or less suffice? Or will they not even look at these documents. She doesn't have

a job in Mexico, or a bank account (only the one here in the U.S.).

Thanks!

Okay, I am now marrying my Mexican fiance next week in her country.

I have done some research and the following requirements have come up:

Posted by Renee on July 27, 1999

Ah--the adventure continues!

I received my permiso last week and the boda civil is planned for 8/7. For those of you who have seen my previous postings, this is an update. For new readers, this is one gringa's encounters with Mexican bureaucracy--my fiancé is from Monterrey, we live in Nuevo Laredo, I am a daily border crosser because I work in Laredo, and my novio prefers to live/work/study in Mexico.

1) Be prepared for different information from every office you inquire at. The Mexican Consulate in Laredo gave us one set of instructions, the Office of Migracion in Nuevo Laredo another, and when we got to the Office of Migracion in Monterrey, we received yet another set of instructions. While there were some overlaps, there were also some important differences. My advice, once you've decided WHERE (which city/town) you're going to get married, inquire at the Office of Migracion which has jurisdiction for that particular locale.

2) What the Office of Migracion did NOT tell us initially was that you MUST FIRST go to the Registro Civil who will be performing the boda civil and set a date (the date can be changed later if need be) and obtain the official certificate with sello (seal). This cost 50 pesos, the official certificate is blank but does have the official sello. You don't need to have this filled out until you return it to the Registro Civil 3 or 4 days before the boda (it seems equivalent to a marriage license). More on this later.

3) The Office of Migracion gave us 2 forms to submit (the info MUST be typed in) as well as the list of the documents they needed from us. These forms will include the info about which registro civil will be performing the boda, where, and when, and other family-related info.

Posted by Renee on July 27, 1999

These forms and the following documents will be submitted to the Office of Migracion. Take your originals, but be prepared to let the Office of Migracion keep copies thereof (this means you need to bring the originals AND copies for submission!) >Passport (copy the entire thing)

>FMT (turista visa)

>the 2 forms from the Office of Migracion

>a letter, signed by both parties, saying you are contracting the marriage of your own free will and that there are no impediments to the marriage (my fiancé’s sister is a lawyer--she called a colleague and checked on the appropriate wording and form for this letter, which we then typed up--por su puesto--en espanol)

>an official copy of my fiancé’s birth certificate (acta de nacimiento)--NOTE--for this office, the date of the acta is not crucial; however, the Registro Civil requires the Acta be dated no more than 6 months prior to the boda.

> My birth certificate, and official translation into Spanish (which we had done at City College of Nuevo Laredo), AND an apostille (also translated) from the state which issued the certificate (apostille is an official document from the State's Sec'y of State certifying the birth certificate is true--varies in cost--in CO it's $2; in TX it's $10)

Posted by Renee on July 27, 1999

Any other official document (i.e., divorce decree/translation and apostille) 3 blank forms, purchased at a papeleria--Form #5 de Hacienda (it is like a blank receipt form)

Submit all this to the Office of Migracion--be prepared to return in a week to PAY the fee (in the case of Monterrey, the fee for a permiso is 1522 pesos). The office of migracion gives you one of the Form #5 de Hacienda, which you take to any bank, pay the fee, and get the form stamped. (This I had to leave to my fiancé’s mom, because I had to be back in Los Dos Laredos--in order for her to be my official representative, we had to write a letter to that effect, and have it signed by both of us and 2 witnesses--thank goodness for the sisters!--with the letter, one also has to make a copy of the "electoral card" (voter registration in Mexico) of each of the witnesses to bring with the letter).

Return a week later to pick up the permiso (assuming it has been approved). Gloria picked it up on the 19th, it was dated the 14th (recall, Gloria had submitted the payment on the 12th), and the boda civil is truly on for the 7th of August!

On the 3rd or 4th of August, my fiancé is going to go to Monterrey, taking his Acta de Nacimiento, my birth certificate (and apostille and translations--all copied), the permiso (a simple one page document), and results of our blood tests (which can be done in either locale--but the Registro informed us NOT to take them before August 1!)--which here in Nuevo Laredo will cost appx. 350 pesos, the certificate con sello (now including all typed information) originally obtained from the Registro Civil AND 1000 pesos (would've been cheaper if we'd had the boda at the Office--but the Registro #2 in San Nicolas de los Garza is closed Sat. so the boda will be at the family's house). Bus fare to Monterrey (the cheap route, via Sabinas Hidalgo--costs 94 pesos; the directo is 124 pesos). Cost breakdown thus far (just the big stuff; in pesos):

1360 - translations

1522 - fee for permiso

50 - to set date for boda

1000 - for boda civil

--comes to 3932 thus far (does not include fees for copies, apostilles, new acta de nacimiento, bus fares, nor blood tests) After the 7th, I'll conclude this wonderful and crazy adventure by posting an account of the boda civil. (Not the end by all means! after the boda we have 30 days to register my change of status with migracion--this time in Nuevo Laredo!)

Renee

Posted by Renee on August 11, 1999

Greetings to all--

this is the follow up to my postings about my adventures as a norteamericana tying the knot (in Mexico) with my novio (now marido!), who is a Mexican national from Monterrey. The boda civil went so quickly, it was rather anti-climatic, given all the other activities involved in obtaining el permiso.

Oddly enough, things went as planned with no additional "surprises" encountered. After work, Aug 2, we went to a laboratorio (in Nuevo Laredo) and had the "examen prenupcial" done (blood tests). The clinica we used charged 310 pesos for the tests; the results were available the next morning (the tests are for blood type/RH factor, gonorrhea, and AIDS). (BTW, the other labs we'd asked were charging 350 and more for the 2 exams; however, if we'd had them done at the university in Monterrey, I believe they are less than 100 for both). Vicente headed on to Monterrey on the 4th, submitted all the documents (and the 1000 pesos) at the Registro Civil where we had obtained our "certificado" back on 7/5. I headed down after work on Friday, 8/6. Vicente and his family had taken care of most of the details (the buffet--antojitos tipicales de Mexico--I've got their card if anyone in the Monterrey area ever wants them to cater--I was impressed at the quality and service and price), the pastel, cerveza (en barril), etc.

The juzgada was a stylish young woman (quite de moda) who never once pronounced my name correctly (I can forgive trouble with my appellido, but with "Renee?"--ah well). The legal questions she zipped through rapidly. However, she gave a very dramatic delivery of the speech that is part of the ceremony (although I never could relocate my copy of the text, a colleague here at the library--a Zacatecan, thinks he has a copy). After the few "si's," and 5 signatures (w/ 5 right thumbprints) by each of us, and the signatures of the witnesses (and yes, it was acceptable for us to have Vicente's siblings serve as witnesses--3 sisters and a brother), it was over and time for the party.

We now have to submit a copy of our "acta de matrimonio" at the Office of Migracion where I filed for the permiso. However! Because we are living in Nuevo Laredo, we'll also be checking with the Migracion here to make the appropriate follow-through on changing my FMT (probably to an FM3).

I'll keep updating as I encounter more adventures. In retrospect, it really was not too difficult--but I learned that one really needs to seek information directly from the offices involved, and keep asking, "algo mas?" (as, is there anything else I should know about or do?) Vicente and I are both glad it's now a done deal.

Now this had been written up in 1999 - has anybody married a Mexican recently who can confirm this procedure?

Thanks!

If you have adequate proof of a bona-fide relationship to file K-1, you should be OK for CR-1. Add her as a beneficiary to life insurance, retirement programs. You typically don't need SSN for that. You likely won't interview until early 2012 so you will also have a 2011 joint tax return.

I would say from a strictly immigration perspective the CR-1 is better. What is better for the two of you from a relationship perspective should be really what drives the decision.

Good way of looking at it. I'm much less intimidated by the CR1 process now.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions!

Don't know how a situation like that would work on a K1, but for a CR-1, there is the DS-3032 that she would sign that can designate you as the agent. Being designated as the agent, you would receive all correspondence from the NVC.

Awesome! Solves that problem! Thanks Ryan

I agree with everything said here with one important missed downside: CR1 is at least 1-2 months longer, which was important for me. In addition, CR1 requires more proof of ongoing relationship and often longer relationship than K1 does. If you do not care about your fiancee working from day 1, you can find the way to drive in most states. In most states you can apply for DL immediately, pass driving test, get married immediately. The DL will be valid until I94 expires. Most of the time if you do everything promptly by the time your I94 expires you will get EAD card and this is sufficient to get temporary DL for another 60 days until your GC arrives. The rest is the same as with GC.. bank accounts, etc.

Proof of ongoing relationship is a big concern for me as well. Since we went from being fiances to now possible newlyweds. We don't jointly own anything (or kids) - so the only thing we'd have is our visiting photos, affidavits from sworn parties (medical professionals most likely who are both family and friends), and a newly created joint banking account.

Just for the records, I haven't applied for K-1 yet or CR1. So I'm weighing my options.

Reading up on how the NVC sends the fiance applicant various forms for the CR1, this has been another area of concern for me, as she does not have a functional mailing address out on her remote ranch. I wonder if they would also send me all her required materials.

Ok here's a follow up to this question -

My fiance and I have now put in serious thought of getting married in Mexico in a week - then having her come up on the CR1 app.

Now, I know that if I had gone with the K-1, I would have received everything she needed in the mail, and would not have to worry about her ever receiving mail in her remote ranch.

My question now is: If I'm going with CR1 (Spousal Visa) - will she then need a working mail address to be able receive her forms from the NVC? Or will I be sent this stuff too?

Thanks for all the help!

Ya'll are brilliant!

Was reading up on CR1 in the guides and found this:

Note: Technically, a US Legal Permanent Resident can apply for this visa for their Non-US Citizen Spouse however the waiting time is up to five years. They can file and wait for a visa number to become available (again up to five years) or wait until they themselves become a US Citizen -- whichever comes first will allow the visa process to move forward immediately.

Can this really take up to five years?

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I'm going to research this a bit more - frankly I was feeling very comfortable with the K-1 process, but I'm sure if I familiarize myself with the CR1 it shouldn't be that much more difficult.

Okay, then we may rethink getting married in Mexico.

I checked CR1 - looks very similar to K-3... Is the only difference the fact that CR1 gives permanent residence automatically? Sorry for delving into a newb question.

We decided to get married simply because we thought it might be faster/easier than the K-1.

I guess this isn't the case?

I'm going to be getting married (Civil) to my fiance in Mexico in a week.

Before our decision for this, I had everything ready to go with my K-1 visa application.

My question is, should I continue my plans to get her to the U.S. through the K-1 fiance visa, then marry her in the U.S.?

Or is it easier (or quicker) to get her up her through another application/process?

Bonus question: When we have our civil marriage in Mexico, will that automatically mean we are legit married in the U.S.? Will it stand for anything or will we have to have another civil marriage in the U.S. when she gets here?

My fiance lives on a ranch that does not receive postal mail. What the people of this ranch usually do is travel to the nearest town and pickup mail from friends or family. Now, I know a number of forms required in the K-1 Visa application require that I supply USCIS with my fiance's current home address.

Now she has a physical address (because they have SKY-TV and electricity) - which might suffice for a technical "home address."

But for the purposes of her receiving her packets once the K-1 is approved, she will be out of luck. Is there some way around this? Can I specify in my K-1 Application to send her materials to a specific address? Or should I risk providing an incorrect home address in efforts to get her materials to another mailing address?

Thanks!