Please Help..

S

SouthAfrican001

Registered Users (C)
I have just recently been to my my interview with my wife and the immigration officer has requested additional evidence for my greencard (I-485).
We had submitted joint banking accounts, photos, lease agreement and all other required evidence.
The additional evidence is a bill that is addressed to us both, either utility, health insurance etc. The problem is that we have always had all our bills in either one or the other's name and not both, as it was easier than cancelling the accounts we have and re-opening them in both our names. We have contacted FPL, Bellsouth, cable company etc, to see if we could have one of our names added to the monthly statment, but all have said that they cannot accommodate us on that request, as the government has restrictions on them that prohibit them from doing so.

What can I do?......both my wife and I are in a flat spin because this evidence needs to be submitted by the middle of June. It's upsetting to think that we will be separated from one another because we can't produce a bill in both our names.

I would appreciate any advice I can get.

Yours Thankfully,

B.
 
Did the officer specifically ask for a utility bill in both your names? I have seen many people on this forum who told an officer who asked something specific like that, that the utility bills are in one persons name as it is convenient or because that person is the one who handles the finances etc. Did you try telling that to the officer? Since you have already submitted things like joint bank account statements, lease, etc., maybe you should try to have a joint insurance document like auto, health etc. Do let us know what you had told the officer.
 
SouthAfrican001 said:
I have just recently been to my my interview with my wife and the immigration officer has requested additional evidence for my greencard (I-485).
We had submitted joint banking accounts, photos, lease agreement and all other required evidence.
The additional evidence is a bill that is addressed to us both, either utility, health insurance etc. The problem is that we have always had all our bills in either one or the other's name and not both, as it was easier than cancelling the accounts we have and re-opening them in both our names. We have contacted FPL, Bellsouth, cable company etc, to see if we could have one of our names added to the monthly statment, but all have said that they cannot accommodate us on that request, as the government has restrictions on them that prohibit them from doing so.

What can I do?......both my wife and I are in a flat spin because this evidence needs to be submitted by the middle of June. It's upsetting to think that we will be separated from one another because we can't produce a bill in both our names.

I would appreciate any advice I can get.

Yours Thankfully,

B.
Click to expand...

It's B.S that you were told its a govt restriction preventing them from adding a name to the existing account. Try again. It is definitely possible. Where do you live?
 
SouthAfrican001 said:
The additional evidence is a bill that is addressed to us both, either utility, health insurance etc.
Click to expand...
Wow, that seems ridiculous! :eek: My wife and I also have our bills in just one person's name. We have not had our interview yet. One thing we do have in both our names is car insurance. It is natural because we both drive the same car. Do you have car insurance?
 
The officer did not specify a utility bill but gave it as an example, along with health insurance. We do not have health insurance as of yet, so that rules that out.
We live in Florida and have spoken to the phone company (Bellsouth) and they said no....FPL said they would try and we have received to statements from them, but they are still in my wife's name (it's like pulling teeth). Bellsouth said that we could fill out paper work requesting a name to be added, but it will not be processed in time for us to submit the evidence(and that there are restrictions that the government imposses on them).
We did explain to the officer the situation, but the evidence was still requested. When we received the official letter from the officer a couple days after our interview it stated the bill has to be dated no less than 60 days prior to our interview......which makes matters even worse.
 
You only had joint bank accounts?

Well, Bellsouth not necessarily can add her as a joint holder BUT they can put her as a person with an authorization on the account so her name can appear on the statement online. I know that because we have Bellsouth and even they protested a lot, they did it. And I can print our statements online (since we don't received them by mail) and the statements are in both names.

Do you have life insurance, will, cards from friends adressed to both of you, for holidays did you received cards with both names? Even is practical to have some stuff separate that does not work in the case for USCIS.

Good luck,
 
We both had car insurance before we got married and still have those existing policies and have never changed it. I do not understand why something as small as this will result in my denial, especially since I've been in the country legally since 2000 and have had my own business(L1A visa). I have had affidavits drawn up from friends and neighbours testifying our relationship to one another, but a letter that states that 'once the evidence is submitted their decision is final" gets us a little worried.....I guess we have to bite the bullet and send in what we can.
 
SouthAfrican001 said:
The officer did not specify a utility bill but gave it as an example, along with health insurance. We do not have health insurance as of yet, so that rules that out.
We live in Florida and have spoken to the phone company (Bellsouth) and they said no....FPL said they would try and we have received to statements from them, but they are still in my wife's name (it's like pulling teeth). Bellsouth said that we could fill out paper work requesting a name to be added, but it will not be processed in time for us to submit the evidence(and that there are restrictions that the government imposses on them).
We did explain to the officer the situation, but the evidence was still requested. When we received the official letter from the officer a couple days after our interview it stated the bill has to be dated no less than 60 days prior to our interview......which makes matters even worse.
Click to expand...


That is BS from Bellsouth...but well, we did fight that battle with them way before our interview. So by the time of our interview we already had several months in both names.

And what happened with your lease agreement, is not in both names?
 
running_swede said:
Wow, that seems ridiculous! :eek: My wife and I also have our bills in just one person's name. We have not had our interview yet. One thing we do have in both our names is car insurance. It is natural because we both drive the same car. Do you have car insurance?
Click to expand...


I recommend you that start your joint accounts dear, because they do ask for it. And is in fact part of the evidence that you must bring to your interview if it's based on marriage. Remember you must demostrate that you live in the same address and you share responsabilities.
 
The problem is that you already can start "adding" your name since they want something old! ouff that is a though one.

Check out your old mails or letters!!! Are you both part of an association? I am running out of ideas...keep the faith. I know is silly since is practical sometimes to have things separate and there are indeed businesses that does not add anybody unless you are a USC or LPR which is understandable if it's credit.

Do you have a card from a supermarket or store or a gas card?
 
We are looking for anything we can find with both our names, even though it may not be bills, but it's hard to have all the evidence especially since we've only been married for 10 months......
Thanks for your comments Cherr
 
my phone company gave me the same BS, but one helpful rep gave me a wonderful alternative. The phone bill was in my name and she offered to add my wife;s name in the C/O section in the address. This way, the bill is addressed in my name and my wife's name appears right below my name in the C/O section. See if your phone company buys this idea...
 
cherr1980 said:
I recommend you that start your joint accounts dear, because they do ask for it. And is in fact part of the evidence that you must bring to your interview if it's based on marriage. Remember you must demostrate that you live in the same address and you share responsabilities.
Click to expand...
I am not really worried about it myself. :cool: We have a lot of joint accounts (bank accounts, investment accounts, car insurance, lease, and soon a mortgage) and we have a child together. Some of the accounts date back to even before we were married. I do feel sorry for SouthAfrican001 though.
 
Oh I thought that you said like the only account you had was your bank account...that is why I said it. You should be more than cover. When my husband and I went to the interview we were closing our house.

Yes, me too. Hope he can find some stuff that can help him. I ran out of ideas though.
 
Hi SouthAfrican,

Maybe this helps... We have two cell phones, both of which were in my husbands name. I though I won't be able to get one because I don't have credit history.
We decided to give it a try and T-Mobile approved my credit (miracle). The thing is, you can't have two names on the cell phone account. So now we have two cell phones, one in his and other one in my name+we are keeping track of our daily phone calls and text messages to each other.
After T-Mobile approved my credit, we switched COMED (lights), AT&T (home phone & DSL). They both requested my SS# with all other info: address; checking account etc. Since I have all of that, I didn't encounter any problems. Maybe you should look up in getting COMCAST (if available in your area) because they don't run credit check and both of your names can show up on the bill if you request so.
Since we don't have a car, we have a shared public transportation account.
So don't worry, just exercise your options.
Good luck!
 
Nah no problem...I am thinking that today I am not in my 120% anyway...probably too much coffee in my system hehe :)

Glorya, the problem is that he needs to get something or a bill with both names dated prior to his interview. Even if they can get now accounts in both names won't be valid for USCIS because the dates won't be as per instructions.

South, can you ask to those companies if they can write you a letter saying why they are not able to add your name as a joint bill?

Good luck,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top