FAW

Make sure it doesn’t look like you married an American for a green card, dumped them, then decided to get a bride from back home.  Unfortunately this happens and probably why they make you wait the 5 years.  

42 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

If you have sufficient amount of other evidence of being together in person and your relationship then a short letter like @JFH stated above will suffice. What we see here on many occasions is that people try to use letters or affidavits to make up for the little evidence they have often to no avail. 

Makes sense - thank you 

Ok - that’s fine.  We have time spent in person.   I just didn’t know if the letters would help or not.  Thanks for the responses 🙂

When petitioning for your spouse to join you in the USA (from another country)... is it suggested for both parties to submit a letter about your story and intent (As part of your evidence) or would that do more harm than good?  Thanks.  

5 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

None of that is primary evidence.  Affidavits usually do more harm than good.  How would a postcard provide evidence of the date when two people met???

 

Primary evidence would be passport stamps and boarding passes.

Are plane ticket itineraries sufficient too?

No such thing really as Medical Insurance in Pakistan but good suggestion none the less.  Thanks 

2 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

In theory, the government could ask you to reimburse it for means-tested benefits claimed by the immigrant.

This is why, in a failed relationship, the I-864 should be withdrawn before the immigrant has a green card.

That’s the problem with fraudsters - they don’t really show their true colors until they get that green card in hand and then it’s too late.  

55 minutes ago, majm said:

The post you replied to says they were also in separate countries. My spouse and I are in separate countries and we filed a joint tax return. We also have joint bank account documentation because of the ITIN acquired from filing a joint tax return. Call your bank and ask about their requirements. For our I-130, we submitted documentation showing life insurance policies and retirement accounts with each other listed as beneficiaries, plus joint homeowners insurance. None of that required a SSN or ITIN.

I didn’t realize that.  I thought you had to have a ss#.  Thank you.  

53 minutes ago, carmel34 said:

We did a will, living will, power of attorney, HIPAA directive, joint credit card, joint IRS tax return, beneficiary on life insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, retirement accounts, etc. while living in different countries, sent it all with the I-130 petition plus evidence showing many trips together.

If you read my initial post - we are currently living in separate countries.   

Thanks - I did add him to my employment but I can’t add him to my health insurance until November during open enrollment.  

How do we amp up the bonfire marriage evidence (Finances together Part) if you both live in different countries?  My husband has his own business and he said he could add my name to that - but thinking cynically, like immigration appears to, will that even matter to them?  
 

Any other suggestions?  He sends money to me and such.  That even makes me paranoid thinking that immigration will think it’s a pay off.  GOOD GRIEF - I was going to call the bank and see if I can put him on the bank stuff but not sure if they need a ss#?  Thanks 

Are the Immigration agents suspicious that the marriage may fraudulent on both sides or that the Immigrant  (Pakistani) in this case, is trying to hustle the applicant?

33 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Yeah, I'm not so sure on the purpose or validity of bank account information being requested. If using assets, documentation of those assets is already required. Having bank account numbers does not aid in that check.

If it were to be for enforcement reasons (which is not a stated purpose of this proposal), it's quite easy for somebody to just move the funds afterwards. So it doesn't seem very effective either, and even then this is something that would need to go through the courts first anyway.

Meh...I think that part going through is a bit of along shot. But we'll see.

 

I don't think the US public - in general - is supportive of having to bear the burden of somebody who becomes a public charge based on a period of time.

Fraud certainly does happen. But unless that fraud can be proven - in which case the immigrant faces removal - it's a he-said, she-said case and somebody has to cover the burden.

Note that this only impacts people who do actually become a public charge...this is not referring to the vast majority of the immigrant population who do not.

 

The biggest enforcement issue I have with the I-864 is that the agreement itself does not have an obligation for the immigrant to mitigate enforcement of agreement. Meaning they do not have an explicit obligation to seek employment so they do not require being supported under the I-864.

I believe (it's been a bit since I read those cases) there are some district courts that have inferred such a requirement, but most do not.

 

What 10 years?

I happened upon some articles last night about some changes POTUS is making about public charge immigrants.  Becoming a public charge can now jeopardize the ability for the immigrant to maintain their Green Card status.  He wants them out.  There have been a handful of states that have filed law suits against this of course.  Google it and you will find the articles.  I say good on the POTUS for making that road not so easy for those that come here, don’t have disabilities or other issues that keep them from working.  This may not be a popular opinion but it’s mine.  
 

One sided marriage fraud is very hard to prove because those immigrant people are shady/crafty criminals.  They enter the marriage with thag objective unbeknownst to the Partitioner.  Happens in every country.  

My husband, who is the immigrant, is paying for everything because that is how he is.  I didn’t tell him about the document translation fees (which I am going to go ahead and pay for).   Like it’s been stated - every couple is different with how they handle their finances.  Just be sure that you have a good understanding with each other because you are seeing this person in action and that won’t likely change.  I would say this to any couple.   The most argued topic between couples is usually about money.  

I think the I-864 is excessively binding.  I think up 5 years would be sufficient if even that.  It’s especially frustrating for those that have been frauded for a green card and then still have this obligation.  I know more than one person this has happened to.  
 

It’s interesting how much work and stress immigration makes us go though.  With that being said, there is virtually no help for those people That get played by someone.  The hypocrisy....

58 minutes ago, NikLR said:

OP since you are thorough and doing research, I highly suggest you look at the I-864 before you decide to leave work and live in Pakistan with your husband. 

I never said I was leaving work to go live in Pakistan.  Where do you see where I said this????? I said I was the one that would be doing the visiting since he isn’t likely to be granted with a visitors visa to USA 🇺🇸. 

42 minutes ago, NikLR said:

You cant submit a zip file. 

Yes,  but you can print it off and submit 

6 hours ago, pushbrk said:

And a trip to Islamabad.

Meaning a big fat NO

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

The cases I have seen have been nowhere near so dramatic, and of course we do not see a representative sample, we tend to see the failures, and to my knowledge there are no statistics published regarding this sub set.

 

 So what do we know about this case, Pakistani, USC love interest, and male,  and nothing else, the rest could cover pretty much anything. Now I admit I have a tendency to assume a poor case, otherwise why would they be asking on here, but I also know that I could be wrong.

 

The logic of not issuing a visitor visa in these circumstances is similar to not letting somebody in who already has a visa or does not need one.

I came here as I was told this was a great place to access information from people that have been through this process.  I’m very detailed and read through and study everything.  I don’t feel I have a weak case but it’s ultimately up to the powers that be. 

1 hour ago, Jorgedig said:

Yes.  He will not get a visitor's visa from Pakistan, especially with a pending I-130 petition.

 

There are lots and lots of threads here on VJ about the unique challenges for immigration from Pakistan.  I suggest you thoroughly read them so that you can avoid potential pitfalls and extra delays.

Hello - thanks.  I put in “Pakistan”  and surprisingly not much came up.  Do you have better search words to recommend please?  I would be so appreciative to read about all of these threads.  Thank you. 

Thank you 

One more question tonight please - I’m thinking that I will file my I-130 electronically.

1.) For the photo evidence - what is the best way to format the photos for electronic uploading?  
 

2.) Do I place each photo in a word document so

I can provide a date and what the photo is about?  

3.) Is there another method you all have used that is more efficient?  
 

4.) -OR- Is it just better to mail the information in?

Thank you 

looks like I will be visiting Pakistan until we can get through this.  

Thank you for clarifying.  So, the only thing to do now is file the I-130 and be thorough and patient.  

7 minutes ago, FAW said:

Hello - 

 

I married my husband in Pakistan.  We would now like to move forward and bring him to the USA.  I don’t want to move to or live in Pakistan.  I’m aware that we may have a long haul because of the country he is from, the poor system they have there to run background and criminal record/terrorist checks.  I have heard we may go into AP for a while.  My questions are:

 

1.) Regardless — Is it wise and feasible to file a  I-130 in combination with a I-485 in spite of this all?  
 

2.). Can he apply for a Visitor’s Visa to come see me in the USA while we wait?  Does it help his Visitor’s  Visa case that we are pending the approval of the I-130?
 

Any experience with this?  Thank you!😊

I 

1 minute ago, Nitas_man said:

Why would you need an I-485

I thought I read that doing this is like killing two birds with one stone.  Get the spousal visa and adjustment of status together.