Proving a Bonifide Relationship

[TootTaLu]

My friend has lovely Israeli Fiance/Bride.

So they are in the Tampa office to get the Green Card interview.

In the waiting romm the lady was yelling at her husband and blaming him for forgetting to bring some document.

The visa officer walked over and handed them the card,no interview and said "I can see you two are really married.Have a nice day."

 

I believe it!!!!

Told to me as true story.

No joke.

[rogerinca]

I'm not sure how much weight the VO would place on just one or two affidavits...

This whole issue of submitting affidavits has had me worried since I submitted my I-130. I had asked several people to write a statement for me, but only one came through for me. I didn't want to hold up my submission, so I sent it in with only one sworn affidavit. My I-130 was approved, but now I'm worried about only having one affidavit on file when the case gets to GUZ. So... I guess my question now is... should I get my butt in gear and try to get a few more of these statements before the interview? My mother and daughter are traveling to China next month to attend our wedding ceremony, so that will give them first-hand knowledge of my relationship as well as provide the opportunity to take many family photos. I'm still in the NVC stage, so there's time... but when is the best time to "add" these statements? At the interview... Or will that be too late? And would they only be able to be presented if they are asked for by the VO? Thanks.

 

 

Hey, good to hear from you again !!

 

IMHO, your one affidavit will be sufficient. I had two, but I don¡¯t think one vs. two will matter much when they look at the entire picture (profile).

 

You have nine visits under your belt and a tenth on deck for later this month!!! I had eight visits to my Lao Po, and I think this really shows a lot to them when they tally up their ¡®check list¡¯ and look at the ¡®stereotypes¡¯ for the [profile] of who is for real and who may be a fraud.

 

Knowing you and how bright you are; coupled with all your visits, I would say you will move forward and be successful regardless of one or two or three affidavits in your file. I would have the newer photos, including those with your mom and daughter and you guys all together in China, ready to present by her at interview time. They will add much to the total. Also, if you can slip on in to an ACH on one of your trips, I think that would be a real plus too. You will do just fine.

 

Nice avatar photo of your and yours!!!

 

Best wishes always, Rog

[Shadowman]

I'm not sure how much weight the VO would place on just one or two affidavits...

This whole issue of submitting affidavits has had me worried since I submitted my I-130. I had asked several people to write a statement for me, but only one came through for me. I didn't want to hold up my submission, so I sent it in with only one sworn affidavit. My I-130 was approved, but now I'm worried about only having one affidavit on file when the case gets to GUZ. So... I guess my question now is... should I get my butt in gear and try to get a few more of these statements before the interview? My mother and daughter are traveling to China next month to attend our wedding ceremony, so that will give them first-hand knowledge of my relationship as well as provide the opportunity to take many family photos. I'm still in the NVC stage, so there's time... but when is the best time to "add" these statements? At the interview... Or will that be too late? And would they only be able to be presented if they are asked for by the VO? Thanks.

 

 

Hey, good to hear from you again !!

 

IMHO, your one affidavit will be sufficient. I had two, but I don¡¯t think one vs. two will matter much when they look at the entire picture (profile).

 

You have nine visits under your belt and a tenth on deck for later this month!!! I had eight visits to my Lao Po, and I think this really shows a lot to them when they tally up their ¡®check list¡¯ and look at the ¡®stereotypes¡¯ for the [profile] of who is for real and who may be a fraud.

 

Knowing you and how bright you are; coupled with all your visits, I would say you will move forward and be successful regardless of one or two or three affidavits in your file. I would have the newer photos, including those with your mom and daughter and you guys all together in China, ready to present by her at interview time. They will add much to the total. Also, if you can slip on in to an ACH on one of your trips, I think that would be a real plus too. You will do just fine.

 

Nice avatar photo of your and yours!!!

 

Best wishes always, Rog

Hi Roger,

 

As always, thanks for the kind and reassuring words... hearing from you is a good confidence builder as the big day inches closer. My many visits are a combination of work and personal time... but GUZ doesn't need to know that, right?! I will take heed of your (and many other's) recommendation to attend ACH and get an updated Evolution of Relationship letter notarized.

 

Thanks again... all the best,

Shadowman

 

PS... used a little photoshop magic on my avatar!!

[Bryon_Tran]

Thanks for this post I was hoping somebody would post this as I'm about to fly over to Vietnam and marry my fiancee in the next few months and worry becaues none of us have been married before and I don't know what I can do to show that its legit to the consulars. I'm commited to her 100% now and forever

 

Just remember - the TIME TICK starts the day you marry. You can get most of the stuff in the above lists after you marry. I suggest you wait 2 months, handling as much as you can during these two months for 'proof', and then FRONT-LOAD yer I-130 application with this proof.

Should I wait 2 months to marry or 2 months to file after I marry? We have a date set of feb 28th and I have the time off from work and plane ticket already.

[Sebastian]

Byron - 2 months AFTER you marry.

[Bryon_Tran]

Byron - 2 months AFTER you marry.

The reason I ask is there was alot of talk about waiting after you meet somebody before you file or marry.

 

I didn't have alot of documentation between april 07 and feb 08 because I wasnt told how much or what kind of evedence to collect until I hired a lawyer in feb of 08.

 

However they know I met her in december of 07 because they reconized that on our denial letter as time of meeting her so if we get married feb of 09 Thats over 1 year after they reconized our meeting. I have continued collecting evedince except for chat logs. I didn't start collecting those until last month because of an email I recivied form a member on this board.

 

I know this time the outcome will be different because I plan on being there for the interview.

[Sebastian]

Byron - 2 months AFTER you marry.

The reason I ask is there was alot of talk about waiting after you meet somebody before you file or marry.

 

I didn't have alot of documentation between april 07 and feb 08 because I wasnt told how much or what kind of evedence to collect until I hired a lawyer in feb of 08.

 

However they know I met her in december of 07 because they reconized that on our denial letter as time of meeting her so if we get married feb of 09 Thats over 1 year after they reconized our meeting. I have continued collecting evedince except for chat logs. I didn't start collecting those until last month because of an email I recivied form a member on this board.

 

I know this time the outcome will be different because I plan on being there for the interview.

 

Ya, you've got a point - let me further scrub the rust off my brain and say -

 

1. any type of communication - keep a running log of that, don't pay attention to my 2 month window at all. so chat logs, phone records, phone bills, correspondence, letters, faxes, all from day 0 of first contact, include those as proof, in your I-130 submittal. PHOTOS fall into this category, IMO.

 

2. (during the two month window) some of the other things for 'prove up' deal with financial records of things in BOTH of your names. You can get: utility bills, lease contracts, house title addendum, done in BOTH NAMES, AFTER you marry. Getting a joint bank account is hard, almost impossible, due to the Patriot Act.

 

3. (during the two month window) after you marry, get beneficiary POD (payable on death) instructions done for 1) life insurance, 2) bank accounts, 3) credit card accounts.

 

4. (during the two month window) - get affadavit letters from those people, in usa and vietnam, who know that you are married to her. WHen you go back to marry, be prepared to gather the affadavits from her friends and family in vietnam.

 

5. (during the two month window) - take one of those glorious wedding photos of the two of you - submit it to your local newspaper with a write up of marriage announcement. Get about 20 sets of the newspaper when it's published, make a 'top clipping' and add it to yer evidence pile.

 

so - for this two month window, after you marry, get all this stuff done, then make the I-130 submittal. I am suggesting two months for 2 reasons - 1. it will take that long to get some of these things done and 2. it gives you time to totally prepare your 'relationship evidence' prior to filing, in this attempt to 'front-load' your evidence pile. Makes copies, as well - some suggest 2 sets of additional copies, others suggest 4 sets of additional copies.

 

There's also this concept of weighing 'contact and communication' versus 'actual face time'. For example, my wife and I were in daily contact almost every day for 22 months before I came to China, specifically to marry her. I've got logs of chats and phone records during this period. Some members don't have this, and even though USCIS approves a petition, GUZ will trip em up without this evidence.

 

I suggest to front-load any petition, because of the 'dead time' between a consulate receiving the paperfile from NVC and the interview date. The VO then have TIME to review the 11 inches of evidence (exageration for effect) that you originally submitted, because it's IN the casefile that was sent over from NVC. Carting along this evidence for interview day , IMO, is mostly useless if one is expecting a VO to actually pore over it - they can't - they only have a few minutes during each interview. Sure, some things are looked at, the VO ask's the applicant for some things, but mostly, 2 years of chat logs won't be looked at during the actual interview.

 

Anyway, that's my opinion based on reading lots o stuff, here, on VJ, and the USCIS website. I could be dead wrong, as well - but hey - this advice is free - do with it what you will.

Edited February 9, 2009 by Sebastian (see edit history)

[rogerinca]

I'm not sure how much weight the VO would place on just one or two affidavits...

This whole issue of submitting affidavits has had me worried since I submitted my I-130. I had asked several people to write a statement for me, but only one came through for me. I didn't want to hold up my submission, so I sent it in with only one sworn affidavit. My I-130 was approved, but now I'm worried about only having one affidavit on file when the case gets to GUZ. So... I guess my question now is... should I get my butt in gear and try to get a few more of these statements before the interview? My mother and daughter are traveling to China next month to attend our wedding ceremony, so that will give them first-hand knowledge of my relationship as well as provide the opportunity to take many family photos. I'm still in the NVC stage, so there's time... but when is the best time to "add" these statements? At the interview... Or will that be too late? And would they only be able to be presented if they are asked for by the VO? Thanks.

 

 

Hey, good to hear from you again !!

 

IMHO, your one affidavit will be sufficient. I had two, but I don’t think one vs. two will matter much when they look at the entire picture (profile).

 

You have nine visits under your belt and a tenth on deck for later this month!!! I had eight visits to my Lao Po, and I think this really shows a lot to them when they tally up their ‘check list’ and look at the ‘stereotypes’ for the [profile] of who is for real and who may be a fraud.

 

Knowing you and how bright you are; coupled with all your visits, I would say you will move forward and be successful regardless of one or two or three affidavits in your file. I would have the newer photos, including those with your mom and daughter and you guys all together in China, ready to present by her at interview time. They will add much to the total. Also, if you can slip on in to an ACH on one of your trips, I think that would be a real plus too. You will do just fine.

 

Nice avatar photo of your and yours!!!

 

Best wishes always, Rog

Hi Roger,

 

As always, thanks for the kind and reassuring words... hearing from you is a good confidence builder as the big day inches closer. My many visits are a combination of work and personal time... but GUZ doesn't need to know that, right?! I will take heed of your (and many other's) recommendation to attend ACH and get an updated Evolution of Relationship letter notarized.

 

Thanks again... all the best,

Shadowman

 

PS... used a little photoshop magic on my avatar!!

 

 

Hey, a visit to your spouse in China, is a visit, it really doesn't matter if some work is involved along the way !! I, like you, mixed some business in with the trips and we did everything together, in that regard. Again, with your total number of trips to see her, coupled with your marriage there, and now your mom coming over to 'meet the family', I think you will be in real good shape !!

 

BTW, my EOR letter was over four pages long. With all the visits and the marriage in country, there was a lot to outline and talk about. Some here will tell you to keep it short and sweet, but long and sweet is fine, if you have the walk, to go along with the talk; IMO.

 

 

Best wishes and please keep us apprised.

 

Rog

Edited February 10, 2009 by rogerinca (see edit history)

[Bryon_Tran]

Byron - 2 months AFTER you marry.

The reason I ask is there was alot of talk about waiting after you meet somebody before you file or marry.

 

I didn't have alot of documentation between april 07 and feb 08 because I wasnt told how much or what kind of evedence to collect until I hired a lawyer in feb of 08.

 

However they know I met her in december of 07 because they reconized that on our denial letter as time of meeting her so if we get married feb of 09 Thats over 1 year after they reconized our meeting. I have continued collecting evedince except for chat logs. I didn't start collecting those until last month because of an email I recivied form a member on this board.

 

I know this time the outcome will be different because I plan on being there for the interview.

 

Ya, you've got a point - let me further scrub the rust off my brain and say -

 

1. any type of communication - keep a running log of that, don't pay attention to my 2 month window at all. so chat logs, phone records, phone bills, correspondence, letters, faxes, all from day 0 of first contact, include those as proof, in your I-130 submittal. PHOTOS fall into this category, IMO.

 

2. (during the two month window) some of the other things for 'prove up' deal with financial records of things in BOTH of your names. You can get: utility bills, lease contracts, house title addendum, done in BOTH NAMES, AFTER you marry. Getting a joint bank account is hard, almost impossible, due to the Patriot Act.

 

3. (during the two month window) after you marry, get beneficiary POD (payable on death) instructions done for 1) life insurance, 2) bank accounts, 3) credit card accounts.

 

4. (during the two month window) - get affadavit letters from those people, in usa and vietnam, who know that you are married to her. WHen you go back to marry, be prepared to gather the affadavits from her friends and family in vietnam.

 

5. (during the two month window) - take one of those glorious wedding photos of the two of you - submit it to your local newspaper with a write up of marriage announcement. Get about 20 sets of the newspaper when it's published, make a 'top clipping' and add it to yer evidence pile.

 

so - for this two month window, after you marry, get all this stuff done, then make the I-130 submittal. I am suggesting two months for 2 reasons - 1. it will take that long to get some of these things done and 2. it gives you time to totally prepare your 'relationship evidence' prior to filing, in this attempt to 'front-load' your evidence pile. Makes copies, as well - some suggest 2 sets of additional copies, others suggest 4 sets of additional copies.

 

There's also this concept of weighing 'contact and communication' versus 'actual face time'. For example, my wife and I were in daily contact almost every day for 22 months before I came to China, specifically to marry her. I've got logs of chats and phone records during this period. Some members don't have this, and even though USCIS approves a petition, GUZ will trip em up without this evidence.

 

I suggest to front-load any petition, because of the 'dead time' between a consulate receiving the paperfile from NVC and the interview date. The VO then have TIME to review the 11 inches of evidence (exageration for effect) that you originally submitted, because it's IN the casefile that was sent over from NVC. Carting along this evidence for interview day , IMO, is mostly useless if one is expecting a VO to actually pore over it - they can't - they only have a few minutes during each interview. Sure, some things are looked at, the VO ask's the applicant for some things, but mostly, 2 years of chat logs won't be looked at during the actual interview.

 

Anyway, that's my opinion based on reading lots o stuff, here, on VJ, and the USCIS website. I could be dead wrong, as well - but hey - this advice is free - do with it what you will.

Thanks for this huge post and the other ones as well. I am no very good at legal papers but I read threw the I-130 like you said and read the part about the affidavids. I have one more very import question do the affidavits need to be notorized? I read somewhere that stated it would have to be in the instructions and in the I-130 instructions it does not say so I assume you wouldn't have to have it notorized.

[Sebastian]

Byron - I had my affadavits notarized. I don't know what the exact 'rule' is, but that's wot I did.

[Bryon_Tran]

Byron - I had my affadavits notarized. I don't know what the exact 'rule' is, but that's wot I did.

Ok thanks for the input. I have a good ideal of what I'm going to do. I have a bunch of people that are sending my congradualtion cards I will use those but In addition I will have about 4 or 5 close people sign an affadavit and get it notorized. I heard banks can do them for free most of the time.

 

I have googled I130 notorized and affidavid I did find something from a USCIS employee that said to save the notorized documents for the interview only to send copies with the I130 so that is what I plan on doing also. I will ask Ellis and see what he thinks as well.

 

Thanks for the help will keep everybody posted on progress. I leave on the 21st for Vietnam not brining my computer but I will check in with my soon to be wifes computer

[jst]

Thanks for this post I was hoping somebody would post this as I'm about to fly over to Vietnam and marry my fiancee in the next few months and worry becaues none of us have been married before and I don't know what I can do to show that its legit to the consulars. I'm commited to her 100% now and forever

 

Just remember - the TIME TICK starts the day you marry. You can get most of the stuff in the above lists after you marry. I suggest you wait 2 months, handling as much as you can during these two months for 'proof', and then FRONT-LOAD yer I-130 application with this proof.

Should I wait 2 months to marry or 2 months to file after I marry? We have a date set of feb 28th and I have the time off from work and plane ticket already.

 

Bryon,

 

Are you getting married in Vietnam or just having a family ceremony. It is a process to be married in Vietnam. It will take you about 30 days for all the paperwork to clear. Also you have to go to the crazy hospital and get checked. Depending on where you are, most things can be done in about 1 week if you have about $1500.00 to pay people off, your fiance will understand this. My previous marriage was with a vietnamese lady and I went thru the process.

[jst]

Need to say, the Vo's main thing to look for is if your wife is bonified, not you. They are not susposed to do this but she has the burden of proof. It is not the things you do to try to prove she is your wife as most things cannot and should not be done until she arrives in the states.

[Bryon_Tran]

Thanks for this post I was hoping somebody would post this as I'm about to fly over to Vietnam and marry my fiancee in the next few months and worry becaues none of us have been married before and I don't know what I can do to show that its legit to the consulars. I'm commited to her 100% now and forever

 

Just remember - the TIME TICK starts the day you marry. You can get most of the stuff in the above lists after you marry. I suggest you wait 2 months, handling as much as you can during these two months for 'proof', and then FRONT-LOAD yer I-130 application with this proof.

Should I wait 2 months to marry or 2 months to file after I marry? We have a date set of feb 28th and I have the time off from work and plane ticket already.

 

Bryon,

 

Are you getting married in Vietnam or just having a family ceremony. It is a process to be married in Vietnam. It will take you about 30 days for all the paperwork to clear. Also you have to go to the crazy hospital and get checked. Depending on where you are, most things can be done in about 1 week if you have about $1500.00 to pay people off, your fiance will understand this. My previous marriage was with a vietnamese lady and I went thru the process.

We were going to get married Im going to take 2 trips however my world just went upside down. I had a gameplan and was following that untill I recived email from my attorny today who will remain nameless.

 

I was advised that my case is very difficult to get a visa. I was advised that Thailand is my best option. This is very dishartning since I sent her money to pay for everything so far. I'm at a loss now not sure what to believe. I was told by the attornys assistan last month that I couldnt get married in Thailand. What is going on in Ho Chi Minh? I should have the same chance as anybody on here unless Ho Chi Minh is worse than Guz.

 

I cant even think straight right now. not sure what to do

[jst]

Thanks for this post I was hoping somebody would post this as I'm about to fly over to Vietnam and marry my fiancee in the next few months and worry becaues none of us have been married before and I don't know what I can do to show that its legit to the consulars. I'm commited to her 100% now and forever

 

Just remember - the TIME TICK starts the day you marry. You can get most of the stuff in the above lists after you marry. I suggest you wait 2 months, handling as much as you can during these two months for 'proof', and then FRONT-LOAD yer I-130 application with this proof.

 

yes, I just posted about 15 minutes ago that thailand is a much better option

Should I wait 2 months to marry or 2 months to file after I marry? We have a date set of feb 28th and I have the time off from work and plane ticket already.

 

Bryon,

 

Are you getting married in Vietnam or just having a family ceremony. It is a process to be married in Vietnam. It will take you about 30 days for all the paperwork to clear. Also you have to go to the crazy hospital and get checked. Depending on where you are, most things can be done in about 1 week if you have about $1500.00 to pay people off, your fiance will understand this. My previous marriage was with a vietnamese lady and I went thru the process.

We were going to get married Im going to take 2 trips however my world just went upside down. I had a gameplan and was following that untill I recived email from my attorny today who will remain nameless.

 

I was advised that my case is very difficult to get a visa. I was advised that Thailand is my best option. This is very dishartning since I sent her money to pay for everything so far. I'm at a loss now not sure what to believe. I was told by the attornys assistan last month that I couldnt get married in Thailand. What is going on in Ho Chi Minh? I should have the same chance as anybody on here unless Ho Chi Minh is worse than Guz.

 

I cant even think straight right now. not sure what to do