I-134 AND Bank of America's lack of cooperation

[yave20b]

I just came from Bank of America where I have two accounts. I'm preparing my I-134. The instructions of course say three things are required from the bank - date account opened, total deposits for the year, and present balance. Seems simple enough. However, Bank of America said it is company policy not to give out total deposits in the letter. NO EXCEPTIONS!!! My friend who has several corporate accounts with them also is in the same boat as me. Even though he runs huge deposits through his accounts for the past 14 years and has big deposits, they refuse to put this information in his letter to the Consulate as well. Reading back in the archives on this issue, advice has ranged everywhere from don't worry about it to give them exactly what they ask for and more. Is there anyone here who has successfully gone through this without all the information in the bank letter as asked for? No amount of pleading from me or my friend has gotten Bank of America to budge from their corporate policy on this issue. Makes no sense to me. Why total deposits is such a big secret about a customer's account when present balance is not is just beyond me.

[cosmiclobster]

I can only recommend that you go higher up in the food chain of BofA's corporate structure. Write a nice letter to the president in their corporate headquarters and mention that BofA's competitors have no problem writing a consular letter. Include a letter from USCIS that shows them that this info IS required by a government agency.

Good luck.

[lassetter]

I also have my accounts at Bank Of America. They do have a system.

 

Ask for an Immigration Sponsorship Letter. It takes a few days and there is a fee for it. They will address it to the Guangzhou Consulate.

 

Rupert

[lassetter]

Sorry I forgot to write:

 

call Tracy Richey at 1800-444-8501

 

Rupert

[mikem]

I just came from Bank of America where I have two accounts. I'm preparing my I-134. The instructions of course say three things are required from the bank - date account opened, total deposits for the year, and present balance. Seems simple enough. However, Bank of America said it is company policy not to give out total deposits in the letter. NO EXCEPTIONS!!! My friend who has several corporate accounts with them also is in the same boat as me.  Even though he runs huge deposits through his accounts for the past 14 years and has big deposits, they refuse to put this information in his letter to the Consulate as well.  Reading back in the archives on this issue, advice has ranged everywhere from don't worry about it to give them exactly what they ask for and more.  Is there anyone here who has successfully gone through this without all the information in the bank letter as asked for?  No amount of pleading from me or my friend has gotten Bank of America to budge from their corporate policy on this issue. Makes no sense to me.  Why total deposits is such a big secret about a customer's account when present balance is not is just beyond me.

I too am with BOA. I used my statement cover sheets for the past year and they were never questioned..

Also BOA now says on their site that is if you use e-banking they can store your recoreds/ account info/you will have access to your account info for 7 years..

Print out the summary sheet which shows deposits and balance and you should be good to go.. Oh by the way we had 12 months at the interview and they never asked for them but as you know you want to be prepared..

Do not ask them for a Visa debt card without SSN and signature they will not issue in your SO name..PayPal will no problem.

[Trigg]

I have successfuly completed the K1 process and did so without a letter from my bank. I provided proof of income and that is all. Same is true for the I-864 for AOS, no bank letter was provided.

[yave20b]

I also have my accounts at Bank Of America.  They do have a system.

 

Ask for an Immigration Sponsorship Letter.  It takes a few days and there is a fee for it.  They will address it to the Guangzhou Consulate.

 

Rupert

Rupert, I did apply for the Immigration Sponsorship Letter which will be addressed to the Guangzhou Consulate. The bank officer filling out the request form for me told me that BA does not supply deposit information in these letters as a matter of policy. My friend who has the big account with them for his company tried going up the corporate food chain to get that information placed in his letter. They refused. Since I have online banking with BA maybe I'll try to see if I can print out some sort of summary information on my two accounts regarding deposits as suggested by Mikem. If worse-comes-to-worse maybe I'll just give them copies of the summary sheets of my monthly statements. Thanks for the help.

[MRMC]

Same here!! Total lack of cooperation. They stated that they charge for a letter and there is a form. Tomorrow I close my account.

[oregonknl]

Hey Yave,

 

frgetaboutit ~! Listen to the old timers on this issue --- Both Don and now Trigg ---- this is one issue (I believe) that is not a "slippery slope" ------ either you qualify --- or you don't...... As Trigg says, if you you qualify on income alone: FEERGETTABOUDDIT ~!!!

 

in my case, since I'm self employed, and go through lean and fat time (lean right now... )

 

BUT ~ Still no problem ~! I didn't include monthly bank statements ---- just a letter from my various banking institutions giving broad details of banking history (6 mos. not one year) ---Plus my current balence ---- ALL THEY ARE INTERESTED IN IS THE BOTTOM LINE ~!

[Jeikun]

That's strange. I went to my local BofA, and filled out the form to order the letter. It says right on the form there is a $20 extra charge for adding the 12 months totals. The woman who helped me, wrote "needs 12 month totals" in 2 places on the form, faxed it, and in 3 days it was sent to my bank by interoffice mail and a second signed copy to my home address.

 

Of course, they managed to spell Guangzhou as Guangzhov... but I don't think it will be an issue.

 

Bottom line is, you got an idiot/asshole. B of A has no problem supplying this info (for the extra $20)

 

P.S. This was only 2 weeks ago

[Dean Hall]

2 cents worth from one of the old dogs -

 

1. Listen to what the other old dogs are saying : "forgettaboutit!"

Just list the basics of what you make.

 

I do not remember where it is, but back track far enough and you will see that we have covered this before.

 

The point of the previous research was that the BCIS sites state that the I-134 is not a binding document, and not generally used in the immigration process.

 

HOWEVER, the VO can ask for it at his discretion to ensure that the applicant will be able to stand up to the I-864 after arrival in the USA.

 

Another words, they are using it to cover their butts so that they don't give someone the visa, send them to the states only to find out that they can't be supported and would have to come back.

 

If you can show that you are 20% above poverty, you're done. Thats it.

 

I did'nt show any banking records.

 

Just 3 years worth of back taxes.

 

 

And before you guys get all huffy and close your BOA accounts, don't forget that they are major in HK, and relatively speaking can get things done in China. In the not to distant future, they are slated to be one of the first to carry truly international visa cards into China. So don't shred them yet.

 

Dean

[Guest blsqueaky]

I have successfuly completed the K1 process and did so without a letter from my bank. I provided proof of income and that is all. Same is true for the I-864 for AOS, no bank letter was provided.

Like Trigg and Dean say, listen to some of us old dogs. I did the K-3 route, sne my wife the I-134 with vertified copies of that years taxes, alond with 2 credit card bills that she used over there. No problem, in fact, they never even looked at them.

[Chinese Wife!!!]

And before you guys get all huffy and close your BOA accounts, don't forget that they are major in HK, and relatively speaking can get things done in China.  In the not to distant future, they are slated to be one of the first to carry truly international visa cards into China.  So don't shred them yet.

 

Dean

AS much as I've hated B of A in the past I admit I did reopen an account with them last year based on tips I saw here.

 

Point 1. B of A had the approriate links on its ATM card that were recommended for cash withdrawls here.

 

Point 2. B of A has a branch here in Shanghai on Nanjing St. and according to the web site more to come to China las time I looked in July.

[redling]

I have Bank of America too. I tried to get the same information that you are lookinf for by calling there customer service line. They said they would send the info, but never did. So I called again, and again I was assured that it was coming. It never came. So, I went into my local branch and talked to a lady (who turned out to be the vice presiden of the branch) and I told her what I needed. She immediately asked if it was for immigration purposes. She knew. Then she went and got a special form for me. There was going to be a small chage to process the form. They would also need my bank statements for the last year. She said that B of A would charge me more money if I didn't provide the statement to the department that handles the form. But she said that I could go online and print out my own bank statements. She then went online with me right there in the store and print the statements for me. Then faxed them for me. It must have been 50 pages.

 

It was quite a differnce from the first time I tried to get the information. She was great. Within 3-4 days I had my paper mailed to me. I suggest going into a branch and asking people until you get someone who knows what they are talking about.

 

 

Good luck!

[frank1538]

I bank with BOA and have never had any problems, but I didn't ask them for deposit/balance letters. I'm one of the old dogs who was able to meet the proverty test solely with income.