Guiri

Hi,

I've looked around on the net for examples of affidavits of a bona fide marriage and can't find much. Does anyone have a template for this? Is there a standard accepted format for it?

Thanks in advance.

Rete

Not sure what you are talking about. Are you talking about someone writing a letter attesting to their belief that you are legitimately married and live together as husband and wife. Or are you talking a legal document stating that your marriage is legally valid?

Guiri

To quote the i-130 instructions:

Noorah101

There is no set standard for this. It is up to the person writing the affidavit to specify how/when/where, in their own words.

They should sign the statement, and provide their full information (name, address, phone number).

Rene

ian-mstm

By your own post later on, you should be trying to demonstrate the bona fides of the marital relationship... not the bona fides of the marriage. It's the relationship that needs verification... things that demonstrate that you have done stuff together - publicly - as a married couple.

I'll note here, that such affidavits are really only needed if you have NO other proof of your relationship together.

Ian

Guiri

Thanks for your replies.

Well, I did start a thread not long ago about this here: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8950529 Maybe we CAN change the lease to show my name on it too, but having only been a visitor to the USA surely that will appear to be contradictory to my status up to this point? Why would a visitor on a VW have a joint bank account/name on bills/name on a lease? Looks fake. So I think affidavits are our only option, unless someone can convince us otheriwse!

traceym

Ok we had, wedding photo's, photo's of us on holiday together, flight details of us meeting up, letters written by our friends and family who know us for some time about our relationship. No joint accounts on anything as it means nothing, I could put joe Bloggs on my rental agreement it doesn't mean were married though. All they want is simple plain evidence that you are a couple.

Rete

USCIS isn't particularly stupid. They know that newlyweds will not have much, and sometimes nothing, in the way of proof of joint domicile. And actually that is what is required by them. With out having to go back to your prior posts, is your wife submitting the I-130 so that you will ultimately obtain an immediate relative visa at a US Consulate abroad or are you in the US and she is submitting the I-130 for you and at the same time you are submitted the I-485 and other required documents for Adjustment of Status.

Think about it. If you have only been married for 30 to 60 days, how much evidence can you have? If you are living with your spouse in a house or apartment they owned or rented prior to your marriage, you will not be on the deed nor will your name be on the lease. Your name will not appear on the cable tv bill or the phone bill or the utility bill.

However, you might be able to use:

A letter from the US Spouse's employer stating that you are listed on your spouse's 401K, healthcare, life insurance, emergency contact list.

A copy of your name on a joint bank statement.

If you share a cell phone package, your name and hers on the bill for that.

Pictures of your wedding with yourselves and perhaps friends and/or family members present

If you want a letter then it should include: The legal status of the individual in the US, their name, address, daytime phone number. It must provide a date in which they were with you in a situation where you acted as a married couple, i.e. "On November 1, 2010, Guiri and his wife invited me to dinner at their place. I noted how much of a loving couple they are and believe their marriage to valid."

Songbird

Although we didn't need them we did get a few friends who knew us to write brief informal (apart from the necessary)letters which they signed dated and gave their contact details on. Letters took the form of;

I / we, (persons / peoples name) have known ( couples name) for (insert ) We / I are their (neighbors / work colleges / relative / friends) .......

then they write how they know you as a couple, if you have any social activities together etc etc. They finished them with a ' very happy to give my support for (couple) in this matter. They are a wonderful happily married couple. If you want any more details or verification then please contact me at ....'

My letters were about as informal you could get, talked about the fun crazy quickie wedding we had (one of my writers was the girl who was my maid of honor and she helped me get it all together in a bout 10 days!). One of them (hubby's mate) even wrote how I was like a mother hen driving hubby nuts and how he liked to help him 'escape' to do the 'guy things' especially when there was a football game on! lol Along with the letters we enclosed photographs of said friends and us enjoying times at the bar, parties etc. Don't know if USCIS actually read the letters but was amusing us reading them and seeing how we were perceived by our friends

traceym

I kept mine, scanned into the computer, they are great to look back on. My MIL wrote something like, I dont know what her job title is but she does something really important!

Songbird

priceless!! Bless her heart!!

traceym

Guess she thought doing 'something really important' would swing the Visa!

Ray

try this

jeffreyhy

G,

The instruction you quote is as close to a template as you can get - the affidavit should include the information listed in the instruction.

Why? Because every situation is different, every couple is different, and every affiant is going to know the couple they are writing about in a different way. In short, every affidavit is going to be unique.

If you want a template, take each item of information that the instruction asks for, write them one item to a line in list form rather than in sentence form, and there's your template. Now have your affiants fill in the information that they have about you following each item in the list.

Regards, JEff

Guiri

Hi thanks for all you replies about this.

Another quick question - should the affidavits be hand-written or typed?? I realise it doesn't specify on the i-130 instructions but does anyone have any idea about this? Does it matter?