snowbunny

We are the lucky recipients of a three-page blue document that is a blanket RFE for evidence of relationship. We submitted several things in our original petition, but apparently that was insufficient. There is no request for affidavits or for an interview, but rather just a request to submit more proof.

Has anyone else gotten a blanket RFE? We can add to the original (filed over a year ago) with a couple more joint credit cards, a bank account - but nothing substantial like a lease (I own the house as it was given to me in the divorce decree; my ex and I are jointly on each others' mortgages because to remove our names, we'd have to pay to refinance).... or kids (my two are enough!)....

Any thoughts?

Noorah101

Go ahead and send whatever you have that's additional, like the bank statements and credit cards. Also send the same things you sent before, but updated ones...if you previously sent utility bills (from a year ago), send current ones. Send photos of the two of you together during this past year. You can include some current mail that comes to you both at the same address, even if it's junk mail. Did you do any traveling? Anything with both yuor names on it in that category? Even though they didn't mention affidavits, you can still include them if you want to.

Rene

snowbunny

I'll see what I can find... we've been too busy and skint to travel much, but there are a couple of possibilities, especially last year's spring break. We tend just to put my name on things because it's easier to spell. I've kept my kids' surname.

jeffreyhy

sb,

It makes sense that the RFE would be a blanket. They don't know the details of your life to ask for specific things - the details are what they want to find out from you.

Like you, I owned the family home myself. In addition to joint bank accounts and credit cards my wife submitted IRS 1040s to showing joint filing of tax returns and our family memberships in the zoo and museums.

What kinds of things does your family do together, as a family?

Regards, JEff

Ray

Even wills are good ...

Bill_S

Good idea. Wills, powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney, all very good things to have completely aside from their immigration usefulness.

SultanOfSwing

I recently received one of those blue forms - which perplexed me and the mrs quite a bit but she is pretty sure it is because she didn't change her name, for practical reasons mainly.

I called up the USCIS helpline and explained that we have very little in the way of joint utilities etc since all these were set up before I had an SSN and therefore I had no credit et cetera. She said that it wasn't a big deal and really all they want is a response with as much as you can give. Ultimately they are looking to prove that you didn't get married just for the GC, so we got my name put on one of her credit cards, got me on the gas/phone bills and we just filed another joint tax return so I will be getting all those in the mail soon. If they need anything else, I'm sure they'll call me in for an interview but it is a pain in the bum because we want to move house, try for more children and all that and we can't be comfortable doing that until I have the permanent unconditional GC. Never mind the enormous amounts of money we have already paid in fees/biometrics and all the rest since my I-129 was filed in '05!

Bloody red tape, eh

Trixie_b

At our interview, the officer asked for any other supportive evidence of our relationship saying "not the marriage certificate as anyone can one of those" - The hubster had thought to include the receipt from our wedding party (3 month after the marriage took place) she was pleased with that.


Good luck!

snowbunny

Thanks for the ideas, y'all. We do have a few more pieces of 'evidence' that we did a year ago and will work on others. You only get 30 days, though!

meauxna

Social ties? Costco card etc?

What about access at school? Is he an authorized kid picker upper?

snowbunny

Yep, Costco, Sams, etc. He is an authorised kid picker upper so copies of that can be made, though the schools are going to wonder why I want it!

SultanOfSwing

That is a big pain in the arse as well - 30 days isn't enough time really when everything else in the process involved at least a 90 day wait (or more in my case but don't get me started on that )

I have til the 23rd to get mine in so I'd better pull the finger out but I do think there should be more time to pull things together. As it is we won't get a new gas or phone bill before then anyway so the utilities won't even be used!

Noorah101

Maybe you can contact the utility company and have them fax or email you a statement showing both of you on the account. I mean just a statement that you guys have an account there and both names are on it (not an actual utility bill). I did that once with my electric utility.

Rene

meauxna

Wow, you guys are fancy, you belong to *both* clubs?!

WRT the school thing, I meant more than the picker upper, you know, if he is an authorized urgent contact or whatever. Trying to think of places he is 'authorized' to represent the family...

snowbunny

We belong to both mainly for bidness reasons....

Yes, T is an emergency contact on just about every medical form, school form, etc. If I'd known I needed more evidence, I could've made copies of these before I turned them in last fall.