Proving domicile at the interview
#16
Thread Starter
Forum Regular



Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 113
From: London

We just completed this interview process.
It is not so much YOUR intent to domicile in USA, its your wife's.
I submitted my bank account statements, voter registration card, car insurance there, car registration (I'd left much of my stuff in storage, but insured), storage unit there, anything I could get my hands on. Of course my IRS transcripts and 1040s had my US address on them.
We also provided all our realtor correspondence, and our solicitor paperwork here that showed our house on the market (it wasn't sold at that time.)
Now what happened on my UK husband's side, which the ConOff only seemed to really want to see - was paperwork from his company. Once they saw that he was already employed in the USA, they were absolutely fine. My husband also found out from them that job searching is not any indication of anything (anyone can make that stuff up), nor are job offers. However job acceptances are a different situation in their eyes (meaning, and offer is nothing, an acceptance and contract - its a done deal.)
We also gave our shipping quotes as well, receipts for our sold vehicles, some closed accounts (a few sundry banking accounts we didn't need open, for example.)
For the USC, its about intent to re-domicile (or already domiciled) and for you, its to prove you won't become a public charge.
If her company is paying for you both to move back/to the USA, then she can have them provide paperwork to that effect, which means intent to (re) domicile in USA is the easy part.
This was just our experience at the end of May.
Good luck!
It is not so much YOUR intent to domicile in USA, its your wife's.
I submitted my bank account statements, voter registration card, car insurance there, car registration (I'd left much of my stuff in storage, but insured), storage unit there, anything I could get my hands on. Of course my IRS transcripts and 1040s had my US address on them.
We also provided all our realtor correspondence, and our solicitor paperwork here that showed our house on the market (it wasn't sold at that time.)
Now what happened on my UK husband's side, which the ConOff only seemed to really want to see - was paperwork from his company. Once they saw that he was already employed in the USA, they were absolutely fine. My husband also found out from them that job searching is not any indication of anything (anyone can make that stuff up), nor are job offers. However job acceptances are a different situation in their eyes (meaning, and offer is nothing, an acceptance and contract - its a done deal.)
We also gave our shipping quotes as well, receipts for our sold vehicles, some closed accounts (a few sundry banking accounts we didn't need open, for example.)
For the USC, its about intent to re-domicile (or already domiciled) and for you, its to prove you won't become a public charge.
If her company is paying for you both to move back/to the USA, then she can have them provide paperwork to that effect, which means intent to (re) domicile in USA is the easy part.
This was just our experience at the end of May.
Good luck!
Some of that we can use, but unlike what seems like a large majority of people on the forum, we are not going to ready-made jobs nor are we being sent out by our companies. In fact, we are only going to be looking for part-time jobs in the first instance until we find our feet. thefore, job acceptances aren't an option.
I do have a joint sponsor who meets the requirements for the i864 and we have savings which we can prove, as well as a reasonable amount of equity in our UK property. I realise no single thing is definitive, but I hope there is sufficient weight of evidence that we're moving and that we are not going to become poor on the streets.
I will just gather as much as I can to prove that we're kosher and take it from there. There isn't much else i can do, i think.
Thanks
#17
Thread Starter
Forum Regular



Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 113
From: London

Your thinking is much too narrow.
Do you understand that getting (or not) a job as soon as you land is irrelevant? They like to see evidence that you're looking for a job. Get the evidence... yes, even if you have no intention of using it.
Again, it doesn't matter that you don't intent to rent. Get a realtor and use their services... even if you have no intention of using it, you should provide documentation that you are looking for a place.
Think about what they want to see... and give them what they want. You do want the visa, right?
Ian
Do you understand that getting (or not) a job as soon as you land is irrelevant? They like to see evidence that you're looking for a job. Get the evidence... yes, even if you have no intention of using it.
Again, it doesn't matter that you don't intent to rent. Get a realtor and use their services... even if you have no intention of using it, you should provide documentation that you are looking for a place.
Think about what they want to see... and give them what they want. You do want the visa, right?
Ian
Good thinking, Ian
I will work on that asap.
Cheers
#18
Agreed.
Hairball - standard lists of what has worked for others can give you some ideas, but every person's situation is different in some respects. Such lists are not restrictive - don't worry about what you haven't got, examine your own situation and determine what you have got.
Regards, JEff
Hairball - standard lists of what has worked for others can give you some ideas, but every person's situation is different in some respects. Such lists are not restrictive - don't worry about what you haven't got, examine your own situation and determine what you have got.
Regards, JEff
#19
Some of that we can use, but unlike what seems like a large majority of people on the forum, we are not going to ready-made jobs nor are we being sent out by our companies. In fact, we are only going to be looking for part-time jobs in the first instance until we find our feet. thefore, job acceptances aren't an option.
Rene
#20
Thread Starter
Forum Regular



Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 113
From: London

Since you're only going to look for part time jobs, how about registering ahead of time with a temp service? You can show that you've sent them your resume and get some correspondence going between you. I would do this for a few temp agencies, at least it shows you are job hunting in the USA, even if it's part time or temp jobs.
Rene
Rene
I have read the official internal guide here: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/86988.pdf and the emphasis seems to be on ensuring that the alien has an good i864 and that there are no medical or other reasons to think they will become a public charge. I also read Ian's helpful distillation of the guidelines and will follow them carefully.
I will take all of your's advice and try and see it from the persepctive of the conoff and gather all the evidence I can to prove that we're legit.
Thanks again.
Last edited by Hairball; Jul 20th 2010 at 3:14 am.
#21
Yes, that's good thinking. I have registered with three agencies in the area, and i will ask Steph to do the same so I hope that covers the base. I realise that a firm job is the best way to prove it, but with the best will in the world it's very hard to get a job when one is so far away, unless a company is moving me. Mine won't
What the ConOff will want to see is proof that your USC wife is job hunting back in the USA, which will help prove her intent to domicile. So this is more about having your wife register for temp agencies and such, rather than you yourself.
I have read the official internal guide here: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/86988.pdf and the emphasis seems to be on ensuring that the alien has an good i864 and that there are no medical or other reasons to think they will become a public charge. I also read Ian's helpful distillation of the guidelines and will follow them carefully.
Rene
#22
Thread Starter
Forum Regular



Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 113
From: London

I still feel like you're mixing up the two requirements. Although they are related, they have different forms of proof. You can have an excellent I-864 from a USC sponsor who has cash assets in the bank, but that still doesn't prove her intent to domicile in the USA. That needs a separate stack of evidence, which is what you're now working on.
Rene
Cheers
#23
General observation - this is a common occurance, and I think a benefit of participating in forums such as this one. Failing to describe one's situation properly here just generates more back and forth comments, failure to describe one's situation properly in a consular interview can result in delay, or even failure, to receive a visa.
People should use the forum experience to improve their delivery of information.
Regards, JEff
People should use the forum experience to improve their delivery of information.
Regards, JEff
#24
Just Joined

Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 29
From: London

Can I just double-confirm something regarding domicile? Heading for my interview soon and making sure all the documents are ready, and filed in A-Z order 
Is the issue of domicile totally defunct if the USC has flown ahead to live in the US? Or would you still need to take proof?
Sorry to hijack your questions Hairball.

Is the issue of domicile totally defunct if the USC has flown ahead to live in the US? Or would you still need to take proof?
Sorry to hijack your questions Hairball.
#25
Can I just double-confirm something regarding domicile? Heading for my interview soon and making sure all the documents are ready, and filed in A-Z order 
Is the issue of domicile totally defunct if the USC has flown ahead to live in the US? Or would you still need to take proof?
Sorry to hijack your questions Hairball.

Is the issue of domicile totally defunct if the USC has flown ahead to live in the US? Or would you still need to take proof?
Sorry to hijack your questions Hairball.
#26
Just Joined

Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 29
From: London

So payslips, car registration docs and mobile phone number? He doesn't have a rental contract as with the parents - would a letter from them help?
Thanks!
ETA - he has a bank account too, and the UK bank accounts are registered to the US address? Will that be enough?
Thanks!
ETA - he has a bank account too, and the UK bank accounts are registered to the US address? Will that be enough?
#27
Will that be enough?
Rene
#28
Just Joined

Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 29
From: London

Super. Will hunt and gather. Thanks!







