KiwiB

Ahem. Apparently I was definitely worried about nothing. I checked case status this morning, and it was still sitting on my biometrics appointment info from March.

Checked again just now, and case status has been updated to...

On December 29, 2011, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

I filed a response to an RFE (to remove conditions) about two weeks ago. My deadline is January 6th. I sent it via FedEx.

The RFE told me to send it to the normal Vermont service center address (no attn or box number).

I looked at my FedEx ticket again today and realized that the guy had entered the address as:

United States Immigration and Naturalization Services

75 Lower Welden Street

St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

So, he got the first line wrong, and didn't put in the "Vermont Service Center" part.

FedEx tracking has the package marked as delivered, and it has "Signed for by: A.SCOSS" marked on the delivery info.

Do you think I should send it again, in case there's some confusion about where it's supposed to go, or am I worrying about nothing?

So quick update: We ended up going a similar route to Sib's post above, but we managed to find some things that dated back from my old job at the very start of our marriage. We also had an immigration attorney we'd worked with before review the packet before we sent it in. She said she felt that what we'd assembled was "excellent".

Sent the packet FedEx, and it's been delivered according to their tracking system.

Is there any way to make sure USCIS has received it? I had until January 6th 2012 to respond. Ideally I'd like to ensure that they got it so I could resend if they didn't. I'd read in the forums that checking the case status online was unreliable for I-751's. Should I call them in a couple of weeks?

Cheers!

Adding each other to accounts now does nothing to change the past. You need documentation spanning the period of time that you've been married that shows a mixing of your two lives. Adding a name to an account that isn't your primary household account would raise more questions than it would answer.

Unfortunately the primary household account is the one that my name isn't on. Again, best I can do for that is getting my name added now and an affidavit from the bank manager stating that although it's been in her name, it's been used as our primary account and has had funds that we have both earned deposited into it ( I can probably back the deposit of funds part up with tax documents).

What about providing documentation that shows that joint household bills, and bills in my name (like my credit card), were paid from that checking account?

I can get 2010 transcripts, but I can't get W2's.

Driver's licenses have been suggested, and we have those.

They are being pretty specific about what they want on the RFE:

- Residential lease or mortgage in our names.

- Bank accounts in both our names that shows support of the marital household.

- Joint health insurance.

It's clear enough, the problem is these things don't really exist. So I'm trying desperately to figure out what I can supply instead. One thing that did interest me was this specific phrase, included in the RFE...

"Affidavits can be used to support evidence" That's why I keep mentioning on the bank manager, insurance agent etc. part in conjunction with other evidence.

Again, thanks for the feedback and good-luck wishes so far.

Filed in VT service center in march in the 90 day window. I have until January 30th to send the evidence.

Thank you for all of the feedback so far.

I have both of our names on the insurance for both of our cars. We also have drivers licenses showing the same address.

The "old" life insurance policy is still in effect. It's a policy on my wife with me as the beneficiary. That was taken out before we sent in the I-751.

The "new" life insurance policy is on me, with my wife as the beneficiary. This was taken out 3 months ago.

Here's the part I'm a bit stuck on - I can have my name added to our main checking account, as they specifically requested something like that. But it wouldn't span the entirety of the marriage. Am I wasting my time getting an affidavit from the bank manager stating that although my wife was the only name on the checking account, that we have been handling our finances with them as a couple. i.e. we sat down with him 6 months ago to discuss refinancing but did not go through with it.

I can also have her added to my credit card accounts, and mine to hers. Again, am I wasting my time with this?

I have personal mail that is addressed to both of us from both my side of the family and my wife's. Should I send some of this? If so, should I send copies?

Thanks again!

I can get many of those things. The question is wether they will consider them if I go and get my name in the car title/registration/bank account now, or if it wil look like we are trying to make it up because they asked.

Hi Folks,

I just got a request for more evidence back for the I-751 we filed. I was hoping to get some feedback on what sort of evidence would be the best to send in.

We sent:

- 2008/2009 Tax forms (jointly filed).

- 3 Statements from a checking account in both our names, from a variety of points in our 2 year marriage.

- Life Insurance for my wife, with me as beneficiary.

- Phone, Gas, and Electric bills in both our names.

- 2 Affidavits from friends and family attesting to having known us as a couple.

- Commercial lease for office space we rent in both our names.

- Forms from doctors office naming me as emergency contact for my wife.

- Forms from doctors office naming my wife as emergency contact for me.

So, here's the situation that makes it a bit of a challenge to come up with better evidence and/or might make them suspicious:

1) The age difference between my wife and I is fairly large (15+ years. She's older than I am).

2) The joint checking account does not have a huge amount of money running through it. It is not the primary account. We did not put me on the primary account as she handles all the finances for the home and I handle them for the business. It just didn't seem important, and we didn't think ahead.

3) We're self-employed and have 50/50 partnership in the company, which is an LLC.

4) No shared credit cards due to her poor credit.

5) My name is not on the mortgage or title of the house as it came from her divorce (from a US citizen) and she and I have always agreed that it is her house, not mine.

6) She didn't take my last name.

They requested additional evidence such as:

- Residential lease or mortgage in our names (Don't have this. Probably can't get it)

- Bank accounts in both our names that supports the marital household. (I can get this done, but it won't span the marriage).

- Joint health insurance (see below).

They also said that what I submitted would be considered, but that certain things would be considered more strongly if I could provide those. A residential lease verses the commercial lease we submitted, for instance.

So, what do you think I can provide? And, will it make a difference if I go ahead and get my name on the checking account, or mortgage, now that they've requested more evidence? Or, will that look like we're manufacturing it?

What I can think of, and get, is the following:

- Name on main checking account and affidavit from our bank manager attesting that he has known us as a couple and that my not being on the account was because my wife handles finances.

- Documents showing 50/50 ownership in our business, which is an LLC. The company has been in existence for 3 years.

- Statements showing payments to credit cards and loans in my name from the main checking account (which is, again, in her name right now).

- 2010 tax returns, filed jointly.

- Statements/Documents showing distribution of funds to partners in the LLC, and the fact that all of the funds we earned were deposited in her account. Can also back this up with affidavit from banker.

- A new life insurance policy on me, which we took out 2-3 months before getting the RFE. Affidavit from Insurance broker attesting to knowing us as a couple and her knowledge that we have been working with her to put in place better insurance as our financial situation allows.

- Our company health insurance policy. It is not a joint policy, but it does show the same billing address. I can also get an affidavit from the insurance broker stating that, because we are the owners of the company, we cannot go on the policy jointly.

- Boarding passes to flights on a recent trip we took to San Francisco and previous trips to other parts of the country, itinerary, hotel bill for single room etc.

- Vet bills with both our names on them, from during and before the marriage.

- More random affidavits from people who know us as a couple and as business people. i.e. our business coach. Seems like this is the least worthwhile thing, though.

I'm pretty anxious about this, so any feedback you can give me on the above, or any general advice, would be much appreciated. If you think I need to get a lawyer, please let me know that, too. It's going to be a stretch to do that financially though.

If it makes a difference, I'm from New Zealand.

Thanks so much in advance for your help.