JandEB

You're welcome! Feel free to use the letter as a template and tailor it based on what you have. 
Regarding IRS transcripts, even if not for immigration, it is always good to have them just in case. You never know when you're going to need them. 
Keep in mind that, even though they only asked for tax transcripts, you could and should include other evidence that proves comingling FOR THE WHOLE PERIOD YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED
When you send the package, this is how you should organize it:
- RFE letter on top.
- Your cover letter
- Index tabs
- The evidence, organized and labeled with bottom sticky tabs.
- Top double punch hole and out together with an ACCO binder.
Make a copy of the package, keep the copy, send the original with a tracking number.
Good luck!
 
 

OP, you did not send nearly enough evidence. 
If you think about it, roomates also have leases. Leases by themselves do not say anything.
You need to send more evidence. And ideally, that evidence should cover the whole period of your marriage. 
Examples of good, solid evidence that shows an ongoing relationship:
Tax transcripts filed jointly
State property taxes
Leases/ Mortgages
Joint utility bills
Joint health insurances
Joint life insurance
Joint car insurance
Power of attorneys
Boarding passes
Joint retirement accounts
Copies of DL showing same address.
 
Here is a list of what I included in my package for reference:
 
Table of Contents
Exhibit A:
Original PNC Bank Personal Check, in the amount of $680.00 for payment of the I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence + Biometric fee
Enlarged copy of USCIS Form I-551 front and back (Permanent Resident Card)
Original Form I-751 filled and signed by Xxxxxx and Xxxxx
Addendum I and II to Form I-751
 
 
Exhibit B:
Certified marriage certificate between Xxxxxx and xxxxxx, showing marriage on May xxxx xxxxxx in xxxxxxx,, West Virginia.
 
Exhibit C
Copies of Xxxxx and Xxxxx current drivers’ licenses showing joint residence at xxxxxxxxx.
Copies of xxxxxx and Xxxxx old drivers’ licenses showing joint residence at xxxxxxxxx
Exhibit D
Copies of joint IRS tax returns for 2019 and 2020.
Copy of 2019 and 2020 Xxxxx State tax refund addressed to both of us.
Copy of 2020 Xxxxx County Personal Property Tax filed jointly.
 
Exhibit E:
Three original notarized affidavits attesting to the bonafide nature of our marriage
Exhibit F:
Copies of monthly bank statements of our joint checking account (with United Bank) since inception of the accounts on xx/xx/2013 to closing of the account on xx/xx/xxxx, showing various financial co-mingling such as rent payments, car loan payments, insurance payments, grocery shopping etc.
Copy of letter from Xxxxxxx Chase bank account showing Xxxxx as an authorized user of the account.
Copy of letter from Xxxxx PNC bank account showing Xxxxxc as an authorized user of the account.
Exhibit G:
Copy of lease agreement listing us as joint tenants at old address (xxxxxx ), beginning May 18, 2018 and copies of lease renewals for the same address for subsequent terms until May 18, 2021,
Copies of Horace Mann Insurance Company yearly account statements beginning August 12, 2013 until August 12, 2016 listing us as jointly covered under homeowners insurance policy number xxxxxxxxxxxxx for our residence at xxxxxx
Copy of Veterans United pre- approval letter showing Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx as pre-approved for a home loan.
Copy of general warranty deed of our home at xxxxxx showing us both as owners of the property.
Exhibit H:
Copies of the city of Southwest Licking Community Water & Sewer District statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying water in our joint residence at xxxxxxxx
Copies of AEP ( Electric Company) monthly statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying the electric bill in our joint residence at xxxxxxx
Copies of Local Waste Services monthly statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying the trash pick up in our joint residence at xxxxxx
Copies of Spectrum (Internet) monthly statements showing Xxxxxx as responsible for paying gas and electricity in our joint residence at xxxxxx
Copies of Columbia Gas of Ohio monthly statements showing Xxxxx as responsible for paying gas in xxxxxx
 
Copies veterinary bills showing us as jointly responsible for paying the veterinary bills from Xxxxx Veterinary Clinic, located xxxxx
Copies veterinary bills showing us as jointly responsible for paying the veterinary bills from Xxxxx Veterinary Hospital, located at xxxxx
Exhibit I:
Copy of previous health insurance cards, via Xxxxx former employer, showing us both covered under the same (former) insurance plan.
Copy of previous UMR health insurance cards, via Xxxxx former employer, showing us both covered under the same (former) insurance plan.
Copy of current United Health Care insurance, via Xxxxx current employer, showing us both covered under the same insurance plan.
Copy of current  dental/ vision insurance (with Principal), via xxxxxx employer, showing us both covered under the same insurance plan.
Copy of Xxxxx life insurance through previous employer, desginating spouse Xxxxx as beneficiary.
Exhibit J:
Copies of Sam’s membership  Account Number: xx-xxx-xxx-xxx-x, starting on xx/xx/xxxx listing us as joint members.
Exhibit K:
Copies of Xxxxxx Individual Retirement Account (from former WV employer) naming Xxxxx as beneficiary of the account.
Copy of Xxxxx Individual Retirement Account from Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIIA) beneficiary designation letter? listing Xxxx as beneficiary of the account.
 
Exhibit L:
Copy of Xxxxx Progressive Vehicle Insurance Card showing Xxxx as covered by this insurance.
Copy of Xxxxx Horace Mann Vehicle Insurance Card showing xxxx as covered by this insurance.
Copy of Progressive Home Advantage Insurance policy statements listing our joint residence at xxxxx as covered. Policy number: xxxxx Covered from xxxxx, 2021 to xxxxx, 2022.. 
Veterans United joint mortgage statements from August 2021 to xxxxx/2021
Exhibit M::
Flight reservations for our (postponed) trip to Argentina in July 2020.
Hotel reservations done on both our names.
Exhibit N:
Copies of photos of us together at various events with family and friends throughout the years

 

My wife and I also used RapidVisa for our filing, and I'd say it was a mixed bag:
 
1) For the initial filling out of the petition form, RapidVisa's online forms were helpful, and most of the time they were decent at responding back to questions submitted via the internal messaging system. They weren't always responsive to the internal messaging system, however, and it seems like calling on the phone is better for responses from them at times. Having them review the forms (for the extra fee) was somewhat helpful for peace of mind for us. And no RFEs were generated. We actually got our initial approval really quickly, though that has as much to do with which office our petition was assigned as RapidVisa I think.
2) For the DS-160, their online forms were great and the worksheet they provided was very helpful; it also picks up a lot of information from the previous forms.
3) If you need police clearances for places the foreign spouse has worked, RapidVisa is completely useless to resolving that. They will simply tell you that there are too many countries for them to keep track of the rules (which I suppose is understandable). We had issues getting two of my wife's clearances, and had to resolve them ourselves. One required intervention from my congressman's office to resolve a dispute between two US agencies over who should issue a letter we needed in order to request a police clearance from Hong Kong. The congressman's office was very helpful on that but RV had nothing to offer.
4) If you have unusual circumstances in your petitions, RV may or may not be able to answer your questions. I think they struggle with anything that goes outside the standard process. They had a tendency to just send links to forms and such if the question was non-standard.
5) Once your spouse has her appointment at the embassy in Manila, visiting RapidVisa to have them review the documents and prepare you for the interview was somewhat helpful. They gave some useful advice on that. If you're going to take advantage of that, make sure you give yourself enough time to talk to them before the appointment so you can resolve any issues before going to your appointment.
 
Overall, if you are nervous and find the forms confusing, RapidVisa can be helpful for getting your forms filled out well. That was our situation. But they really are most useful at the start and end of the process and less useful in the middle part. I don't regret using them, though I also feel like their services are overpriced compared to how much usage we got out of them. That said, it's definitely cheaper than if you went with an immigration lawyer, and I don't think the lawyer would have been that much more useful.
 
For our AoS, we reviewed the forms and decided we could handle them ourselves rather than spend another ~$500 on RV for the AoS. Currently in pending status so we'll see how that comes out.

My wife and I also used RapidVisa for our filing, and I'd say it was a mixed bag:
 
1) For the initial filling out of the petition form, RapidVisa's online forms were helpful, and most of the time they were decent at responding back to questions submitted via the internal messaging system. They weren't always responsive to the internal messaging system, however, and it seems like calling on the phone is better for responses from them at times. Having them review the forms (for the extra fee) was somewhat helpful for peace of mind for us. And no RFEs were generated. We actually got our initial approval really quickly, though that has as much to do with which office our petition was assigned as RapidVisa I think.
2) For the DS-160, their online forms were great and the worksheet they provided was very helpful; it also picks up a lot of information from the previous forms.
3) If you need police clearances for places the foreign spouse has worked, RapidVisa is completely useless to resolving that. They will simply tell you that there are too many countries for them to keep track of the rules (which I suppose is understandable). We had issues getting two of my wife's clearances, and had to resolve them ourselves. One required intervention from my congressman's office to resolve a dispute between two US agencies over who should issue a letter we needed in order to request a police clearance from Hong Kong. The congressman's office was very helpful on that but RV had nothing to offer.
4) If you have unusual circumstances in your petitions, RV may or may not be able to answer your questions. I think they struggle with anything that goes outside the standard process. They had a tendency to just send links to forms and such if the question was non-standard.
5) Once your spouse has her appointment at the embassy in Manila, visiting RapidVisa to have them review the documents and prepare you for the interview was somewhat helpful. They gave some useful advice on that. If you're going to take advantage of that, make sure you give yourself enough time to talk to them before the appointment so you can resolve any issues before going to your appointment.
 
Overall, if you are nervous and find the forms confusing, RapidVisa can be helpful for getting your forms filled out well. That was our situation. But they really are most useful at the start and end of the process and less useful in the middle part. I don't regret using them, though I also feel like their services are overpriced compared to how much usage we got out of them. That said, it's definitely cheaper than if you went with an immigration lawyer, and I don't think the lawyer would have been that much more useful.
 
For our AoS, we reviewed the forms and decided we could handle them ourselves rather than spend another ~$500 on RV for the AoS. Currently in pending status so we'll see how that comes out.

That is a really tough question.  I used RapidVisa and they did make sure my package was complete before it was sent.  It gave me some peace of mind.  I did get an RFE but it was for stuff that was already submitted... I do not think they are bad and can help the more nervous couples who don't do little details well.
 
THAT BEING SAID....I started with RapidVisa before I found this site.  If I found this first I probably would not have used RapidVisa.  This place is great and there are answers 24/7 here.  I personally don't think they are that bad but they are certainly not a requirement if you can handle small but important details.  
 
I am going to do AOS on my own with help from people here.  

I would wait until hearing from the embassy with a return email on what is going on. They may have used REFUSED as a temporarily
status until they are finished processing which may take a week or so.
The only other thing you can do is to make an inquiry through the senator as to what exactly your status is
and if it will be returned. If that is the case find out the reason and request a second interview before the petition leaves the embassy.
Let us know what happened.

I am sorry you are the victim of domestic violence. There is never ever a situation or circumstance that justifies or excuses a spouse hitting another.
You are concerned with the wrong person. Before you worry about him, consider worrying about yourself.
There is a website and hotline you can call and get some help about domestic violence: http://www.thehotline.org/
Good luck.

I'd actually seriously consider, with your setup, just going ahead and getting legally married in Mexico and dropping the K-1 for a spousal visa petition. But talk with someone who knows the legal ramifications and requirements of that first. The last thing you want to have happen is get him here and then have him charged with visa fraud if the US then or later decides the religious ceremony was a valid wedding.
Whatever course you take, remember that the single most important thing is being sure that everything you do is completely legal in the eyes of all governments concerned. I'm assuming you want to spend a long life with this guy if you're marrying him, so remind yourself that your entire future together is hanging in the balance, and that's more valuable than even thousands of dollars. Don't cut corners where there's any question of future risks.

The conflict would be what others have stated: the risk of the US looking at the religious ceremony as an actual marriage, which would void the K1 visa.
My two cents, whether you want to take it or not is up to you:
Have your fiancé stay in Mexico for his sister's wedding (trying to have him come here, file for AoS / EAD / AP, receiving it all in time, finding a trip back to Mexico in time for the wedding seems impractical)
I wouldn't risk having in ceremony in Mexico until after you are legally married in the US and have AP in hand. After this, you could go to Mexico and have a ceremony there if you so desire.
I know that this is not what you want to hear, and I know that you and others have spent a lot of money planning a Mexico wedding. Do what you can to get any of that money back if possible. I can't put myself in your situation, and I know it must really be difficult, but no amount of money spent on something that probably won't happen would cause me to risk having to start from scratch with another visa application for my loved one.
Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

Was just going to say something like this. If you have the actual religious ceremony, with the marriage license, or anything indicating you are actually getting married, you will have issues. Because now you are married and trying to enter the US on a fiance visa, when you need to be entering on a spousal visa. That is visa fraud.
If you have the ceremony with no legal binding documents, that will still cause issues because the US will see it as marriage. Like I said in my earlier post, if you are adamant about having something in Mexico and not losing any money, just have a gathering. But you are better off trying to push things around. Unfortunately you put yourself in this situation by not researching the entire process before applying for the visa, but at least there are some alternate options, even though none of them seem to be the answer you want.

Biometics Appointment is the 1st step in the process of the K1 AOS, your soon to be husband has to be personally here, this appointment applies to the EAD (Employment Authorization Document - Work Premit, and the Advanced Parole Document - Travel Document), there is "No-Way" around this Government requirement once he arrives and you two are married. You might make in InfoPass appointment (Local Office) if he comes before December, they maybe can help in the process, but before you enter this office check your attitude, as you don't want to PO these people who oversee your happiness, do this after the Biometics.
Be aware that regardless of how you work the Oct and Dec problems out, this process you can't avoid, it will happen.
Be wise and smart, this forum has a wealth of valuable information, from people who have been thru this process.
I have been thru both the K1 and CR1 process, and as painful as the process is, this is a cornerstone place of knowledge, use it wisely!

I am copying a quote below from another site b/c I am being a bit lazy. The issue is if the religious ceremony in Mexico would be considered married in Mexico. If it is, that would make the K-1 void. I googled quickly but I am no expert on what would be considered legally married by Mexican standards so I won't comment on that.
"While I fully understand your reasoning for wanting to have the religious ceremony, you need to know that it may cause an issue. Because the U.S. recognizes any "marriage" that takes place in a foreign country as long as that country's government considers it to be a valid marriage, the real issue is whether you will be considered married in your home country once you go through with the religious ceremony. This is sort of a tricky issue, but I have seen it come up before. If you are married in the eyes of your country before you come to the U.S. with a K-1 visa, you are obviously no longer a fiance. I can't tell you what to do, but can only say that it may come up in the context of the adjustment if a background check reveals some state sanctioned marriage that has already taken place."

I really am sorry that there is no easy answer to your questions. All of us on this forum have sacrificed time, money and at times our sanity with this entire process. The sure things you can count on in is : in this process, nothing goes according to the "proper" timeline we would like....
Both my husband and I are hard working professionals (as are many people here) and at the end of the day we had to decide what our priorities were...we missed several special events in our personal lives since starting this visa process but we decided from the beginning that this process was a priority.
Be thankful you found this site at this point in your journey and not after you broke the law and lost even more money. My process is going on two years shortly and we thought it would be done in a year and we would have been living together by now.
The information provided by all these people in this forum is quite helpful and useful.
All the best as you start your new life

His visa should have an expiration date on it. That will help determine your plans. I still think if the visa is good for long enough that he wait in Mexico until everything is finished. Just make absolutely sure that the wedding is only a religious ceremony and not in any way a legal ceremony. Nothing should be filed with the government recognizing the wedding. If it is the US may decide you are married and his visa is no longer valid.
Consulting with an attorney is never a bad idea but remember some of them will lie to you or promise you the moon to get your money. An attorney cannot change the law nor can they speed up the process.

We get it. You don't.
You made a mistake and as a result you deal with the consequences for not researching this.
Your attitude stinks toward the people trying to help you here.
Option 1= He misses his sister's wedding and comes sooner.
Option 2= You lose the money paid for the trip.
Option 3= start over with another petition.
EAD can take over 100 days, ours was 102, the 60-90 is an estimate.

If he was approved (and assuming he already has his visa), could you change the date he arrives to say, next week? (or make the flight for immediately after he receives his visa). That way you could get married in the next week or 2 and get AOS/AP started, that's the only way I can see you could more likely (still not guaranteed) have his documents prior to your December plans.

AP is used for reentry, he can leave anytime he wants, however, as othere have said, it takes approximately 90 days to receive the document from when you file.
This question should have been asked prior to making all kinds of wedding arrangments outside the country.

Hi Guys,
i have good news, i got my NOA1 letter on the mail on May 27, my dad had it and just gave it to me this sunday.
Thanks for the support
so as follow my timeline begins
K-1 Visa mailed may 15, 2015
Said to have been sign for May 19, 2015
NOA1 May 27, 2015
NOA2 ???

Hi JandEB!
I am a beneficiary of a K1, and I obtained my Police clearance in China (ready for the interview.) three months ago. Honestly, we just filled the 1-129F last week, but as far as docs are concern, we want to be ready.
Macau is an autonomous part of C. I assume, the processing is the same. When I processed mine, I appeared pesonally in the "Bureau of Registry..." (I can email you the complete sample if you like? Anyways, they did not require a request letter from US Embassy for the Police clearance. I simply told the officers that I need it for Immigration/marrying an American. After 75USD and 10 days later, I got two sets of Police clearance in Chinese and English.
I would not know if Phil Embassy in Macau can help her, it won't hurt to ask.
Goodluck,
ly

Please feel free to add your initial POE experiences here, or advice for your fellow future travelers!
These are some tips for arriving in the US with your Immigrant Visa and getting processed at Immigration.
Visa in passport, go to the airport. Staffers there may want to examine the visa at check-in, so leave enough time. The airline staff must make sure that you have the appropriate visa for the US; your Immigrant Visa is appropriate.
HINT: do not lock your luggage, or use TSA-approved locks, and if connecting in the US remember that your bags may be opened and hand searched/tossed. This is not unique to immigrants, but ours got trashed on our move back from Greece and several precious things were broken. When I came back from Asia just now, I came thru SFO--big enough airport for an xray machine and my bags were not disturbed, but not all have them. The TSA/Transportation Security Administration has tips and answers to your burning questions (Am I wearing the right shoes?) here: http://www.tsa.gov/public/
On the flight, you do not need to complete an I-94 (white card) although the flight attendant may force one on you. Tell them that you are moving to the US and don't need one. You will need to complete a Customs declaration. Since you are immigrating, there is no duty on your belongings.
Moving to the US & Bringing Your Stuff, US Customs Regs. for the move
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=17422&hl=
When you get to the US you will be hand-carrying the Mysterious Brown Envelope that the Consulate gave you. DO NOT OPEN. It's just all your visa paperwork. As you enter the Immigration Hall, be holding the envelope out visible to the officers--if they see your immigrant paperwork they will direct you to the right line. Go to a visitor's line, unless otherwise directed by an officer. At the first desk, they will take the envelope away and (usually) direct you to Secondary Inspection. Officers here may be armed, do not be alarmed. Take a number (like the bakery) if it's an option and wait. Usually the whole thing takes 15 minutes, but there may be others ahead of him.
In Secondary, info will be entered into the computer and a few random questions may come out (how long married, where are you going etc). You may want to confirm your US mailing address here. You'll give a fingerprint and autograph (for the Green Card) and the visa in your passport will be stamped aka endorsed. This endorsement is the equivilant of your Green Card and serves as evidence of your status as a Permanent Resident. You can travel with this stamp as a Permanent Resident until you get your Green Card. Hopefully someone will tell you "Welcome to America" as they give you instructions about removing conditions in 2 years (ideally & if applicable).
You are now a Permanent Resident! The Green Card and Social Security card will be mailed to you within 4 weeks. Until you get the Green Card, the endorsed visa is EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
If you have not received your Green Card after 4 weeks, you may as well follow up on it right away---usually nothing else will happen otherwise. Make an InfoPass appointment with your District Office (find it at uscis.gov) and take your passport down. New immigrant's cards are all produced in Texas, so your envelope will have the Texas Service Center return address on it no matter where you live (I was told this by an officer at our DO).
As you leave Immigration, you will need to collect your luggage and clear Customs. There is no duty for your used, personal belongings. Get waved through, welcomed to America and if you are connecting to another flight, look for a baggage belt and airport/airline personnel right outside of Customs. You put your luggage on the belt here and it will be taken to your next flight. You can then run or amble to your connection. If this is your final destination, have a great day, and thanks for entering America.
Social Security card note: If you applied for a Social Security card via form DS-230 II, you should be automagically issued a number and have a card mailed to you. If you do NOT receive your card within three (3) weeks of entry, you should go to your SSA office and apply anew with form SS-5. If you apply before this and have ticked the 'yes' box on DS-230, you may wind up with two SS#s. Yes, this procedure has worked successfully for the majority of people. True, it sometimes does not work. Please see the Social Security Guide here at VJ for more information: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=ssn
Others' reports:
http://www.visajourney.com/forums2/index.p...c=16291&hl=
Ellie/half-pint:
Ashleigh-Au was not taken to Secondary Inspection:
Robert&Leia reported a special process in SFO in March 2005:
prydwyn/Dennis and Leigh contribute another approach:
Please pay it forward and post your POE story once you are here! This is a stressful step for some folks, and not everyone has the benefit of traveling with their USC spouse. Your words of wisdom about this important, but low key event will be appreciated by many!
ANYONE using an Immigrant Visa can post to this thread! CR-1 & IR-1 visa folk, that is YOU!
Note: If you have been married for less than 2 years when you enter the US, your Permanent Resident status has “conditions”. A CR-1 PR is no less a PR than anyone else, but they do have an additional step to take 2 years after they enter the US. Please see the Guides for Removal of Conditions (form I-751) and the pinned thread at the top of the Removing Conditions Forum here at VJ: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=310.
I recommend the following reads to anyone who is becoming a Permanent Resident, so you can better understand your rights and responsibilities.
Now That You Are A Permanent Resident
How Do I Remove the Conditions on Permanent Residence Based on Marriage?
Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants

When my husband (a fiance back then) sent the K-1 package he sent a check for a wrong ammount, so the whole package was rejected and returned to him. He resent it later with the correct check and everything went well afterwards, but it caused a delay for a few days. It wasn't technically a RFE, but I think it can help some people Always check on the uscis website for the right fees, because sometimes they change them.

Proof of ongoing relationship isn't required for the I-129F petition. It is needed for the US Embassy interview, if anything. Since European Union countries (among some others like Canada, Australia, New Zealand) are low fraud countries, very often K1 applicants in these countries won't even be asked to show proof of ongoing relationship at the interview.
I had my K1 interview in November 2014 and I didn't need to show any proof at all. My whole interview lasted 5 minutes, it was super easy and I was approved on spot. 2 days later I received my passport with my visa in it and 9 days from the interview I was already in the US. I also have read lots of horror stories here on Visajourney and I brought tons of proof just in case. I don't regret it though. It is better to be safe then sorry, they say.
Also, it is helpful to read the Belgium US Consulate reviews here on VJ: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Belgium&cty=&dfilter=5
I wish you the best of luck!

Put the date you recieved the text, when you get your hard copy there will be a "Notice Date" printed on it. If it's different than the day you got the text, simply edit your timeline.

Example: I recieved the text on April 28th, I recieved the hard copy on May 4th. The hard copies Notice Date was April 27th, that's the day they recognize they recieved and sent notice so -THAT'S- the most important date. So then I just changed April 28th to April 27th!

I agree with both. The danger of compounding legal issues by waiting 1-2 years outweigh the chance hubby will see the light and change his mind and far outweigh the chance of a suitable amnesty program
If OP desires to maximize the options for both her and her son in the future, then she should act quickly to:
1) Leave the US prior to May. I didn't see how old the OPs son is, but finishing the school year should not take priority over exiting prior to accumulating a ban (however, if he's old enough to stay with a trusted friend or relative, then he could potentially follow the OP after school has finished).
2) Convince hubby to the the right thing and become the plaintiff in the divorce (i.e., he files the divorce action and serves it upon the OP). OP doesn't need to be present at any time. OP doesn't even need to cooperate. But as long as the US husband files the divorce, she will be considered unmarried in PI (there is some additional bureaucracy to go through, but details can be found in the PI forum here on VJ).
This keeps nearly all of her options for the future open and intact.

You're correct. His behavior might be considered borderline abusive...
http://www.womenslaw.org/simple.php?sitemap_id=39#1
What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is about one person getting and keeping power and control over another person in an intimate relationship. It is a pattern of behavior in which one intimate partner uses physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation and emotional, sexual or economic abuse to control and change the behavior of the other partner. The abusive person might be your current or former spouse, live-in lover or dating partner. To better understand all of the ways that an abuser can use power and control over a victim, you can check out what is called the "Power and Control Wheel."

Domestic violence happens to people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and religions. It occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships. A person's gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation does not determine whether s/he can be a victim of domestic violence or an abuser. Economic or professional status does not affect whether someone can commit domestic violence or be the victim of domestic violence - abusers and victims can be laborers or college professors, judges or janitors, doctors or orderlies, teachers, truck drivers, homemakers or store clerks. Domestic violence occurs in the poorest neighborhoods, the fanciest mansions and white-picket-fence neighborhoods.