Help !! Proof of Bonafide Marriage

I

IndoKiddo

Registered Users (C)
I got married in India after I filed for 485. So my wifes 485 was filed after we came back to US. When we filed for her 485, I did give the marriage certificate to the lawyer. Am not sure if he submitted it to the INS or not.

But CIS issued an RFE, requesting us to show the proof of a bonafide marriage.

Unfortunately, since my bank was not available in the states I lived in the last one year, I never got a chance to add her to my bank account. Also she was not added to any of the bills.
But She has been on my apartment lease. She has been on all my credit card accounts. She has been on my health insurance as a dependent. I am about to file tax also jointly. LIke I said we do have our marriage certificate and many pictures of our marriage. Also friends who can vouch for our marriage.
What documents should I show. Would these be enough ?

Thanks for any help
 
IndoKiddo said:
Unfortunately, since my bank was not available in the states I lived in the last one year, I never got a chance to add her to my bank account. Also she was not added to any of the bills.

----> You can add her now. And then send the latest bank statement/utility bill showing her name. They only need to see that you both have bills/bank statements at the same address.

But She has been on my apartment lease. She has been on all my credit card accounts. She has been on my health insurance as a dependent. I am about to file tax also jointly. LIke I said we do have our marriage certificate and many pictures of our marriage. Also friends who can vouch for our marriage.

---> You should send all of these:
1. aptt lease copy
2. credit card statements with ur and her name on it (if her name doesn't appears - get a letter from credit card firm stating she has been an authorized user since XX/YY/ZZ)
3. Health insurance statements with ur and her name on it (do the same as credit cards if the names don't appear)
4. Tax returns
5. 4-5 marriage pictures (choose ones which show a lot of people + you both or some ceremony happenings)
6. Sworn Affidavits from your friends/parents vouching for marriage
Click to expand...

This is pretty straightforward RFE. You should not have any issues if you reply with all docs.

goodluck!

- ab
 
---> You should send all of these:
1. aptt lease copy
2. credit card statements with ur and her name on it (if her name doesn't appears - get a letter from credit card firm stating she has been an authorized user since XX/YY/ZZ)
3. Health insurance statements with ur and her name on it (do the same as credit cards if the names don't appear)
4. Tax returns
5. 4-5 marriage pictures (choose ones which show a lot of people + you both or some ceremony happenings)
6. Sworn Affidavits from your friends/parents vouching for marriage
AND again send the copy of marriage certificate
and if your name is added on her passport then send her passport first page and the page that has you name added as spouse
 
Please Advice

Hello Friends,

I have an marriage certificate issued from my country.

It has the name with intials.

It dont have my full name.

How to handle this situation.

Any advice?

Thanks
 
PCChandra said:
Hello Friends,

I have an marriage certificate issued from my country.

It has the name with intials.

It dont have my full name.

How to handle this situation.

Any advice?

Thanks
Click to expand...
--- talk to your lawyer I think you can submit Affidevit on 10 rupees stamp paper signed before Notary or executive magistrate from India with the copy of marriage certificate. let the lawyer type the affidevit and send it to you in US once you sign it send it back to lawyer and he will get it notrized, your parents or any friend from India can help you.
OR
get the new copy of marriage certificate from Registrar of marriage with full compleate names
 
Thanks

Ginnu:

Thanks for your reply.

I am planning to get affidavit (with my full name) from one from my parents and second one from my Spouse parents with notary signature.

I hope that will be sufficent.

What do you think?

Thanks
 
Another Doubt

Hello Experts,

Marriage certificate issued by Consulate General of India in US.

Is this a valid alternative document for submission to GC processing?

If not i will go for affidavit from India.

please suggest.

Thanks
 
PC Chandra,

Do you need this for filing 485 or replying to RFE? Either way, couple of points:

1. There is no "must have" list for proving bonafide marriage, especially with specs like fully spelled out marriage certs. While this provides some accomodation to folks in situations like you, it also makes the requirements fuzzy and hence requiring lots of secondary proofs.

2. More the evidence you can submit to prove your bonafide marriage, lesser the chances of ur case being transferred to local office. Submit as many as possible amongst the following:
- Original Marriage Cert (with intials)
- Marriage photos
- Current utility bills/bank statements/lease papers/insurance/tax docs showing you are living together
- Affidavits from parents, notarized in India, stating ur marriage
- Affidavits from you both, notarized in US, stating ur marriage
- Affidavit from Indian consulate in US
- etc

3. Please DO NOT get affidavits from you both made and notarized in India. YOU WOULD BE COMMITTING FRAUD. While most lawyers in India would send the docs to you for signing here in US and then notarize it later for a small amount, this is fraud. Notary, by definition, means signing a document in physical presence of the notary authority (lawyer). CIS can easily check that you were not in India on the date affidavit was made, based on your US admission/exit dates.

Goodluck!

- ab
 
atlantabhopali said:
PC Chandra,

Do you need this for filing 485 or replying to RFE? Either way, couple of points:

1. There is no "must have" list for proving bonafide marriage, especially with specs like fully spelled out marriage certs. While this provides some accomodation to folks in situations like you, it also makes the requirements fuzzy and hence requiring lots of secondary proofs.

2. More the evidence you can submit to prove your bonafide marriage, lesser the chances of ur case being transferred to local office. Submit as many as possible amongst the following:
- Original Marriage Cert (with intials)
- Marriage photos
- Current utility bills/bank statements/lease papers/insurance/tax docs showing you are living together
- Affidavits from parents, notarized in India, stating ur marriage
- Affidavits from you both, notarized in US, stating ur marriage
- Affidavit from Indian consulate in US
- etc

3. Please DO NOT get affidavits from you both made and notarized in India. YOU WOULD BE COMMITTING FRAUD. While most lawyers in India would send the docs to you for signing here in US and then notarize it later for a small amount, this is fraud. Notary, by definition, means signing a document in physical presence of the notary authority (lawyer). CIS can easily check that you were not in India on the date affidavit was made, based on your US admission/exit dates.

Goodluck!

- ab
Click to expand...


Thanks atlantabhopali for your detailed reply.

I am planning to prepare documents for my 485 filing.
 
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