Kim R.

On the form INS sent me, they ask me to bring credit card bills and
household bills that prove we have a shared life. Although my name is on
the credit cards, the bills only come in my husband's name. As do all the
utilities. You can only put one name on a utility, so my name isn't there.
The same goes for major purchases (since they were purchased on credit). My
name doesn't appear on these things.

We do have a mortgage and I can get a letter from the bank stating that I am
on the account and how much money we have in it. We have photos and letters
from friends. Is this going to be enough?

As for shared medical, is it enough to bring our medical cards or do we need
a letter from the insurance company?

Thanks
Kim

Matta Harri

In article ,
"Kim R." wrote:
    > On the form INS sent me, they ask me to bring credit card bills and
    > household bills that prove we have a shared life. Although my name is on
    > the credit cards, the bills only come in my husband's name. As do all the
    > utilities. You can only put one name on a utility, so my name isn't there.
    > The same goes for major purchases (since they were purchased on credit). My
    > name doesn't appear on these things.
    > We do have a mortgage and I can get a letter from the bank stating that I am
    > on the account and how much money we have in it. We have photos and letters
    > from friends. Is this going to be enough?
    > As for shared medical, is it enough to bring our medical cards or do we need
    > a letter from the insurance company?
    >
Here are some ideas, always bring an original and make a copy of each
original to bring with you to leave with the INS examiner:
-your medical insurance cards.
-your car insurance cards.
-any life insurance policy in which the other spouse is the beneficiary.
-any credit cards that have same account number and name of each spouse.
-yes, use the mortgage letter, by all means.
-if you have taken a vacation together, the plane ticket stubs/boarding
passes and pictures of the two of you together.
-family pictures together with other family members.
-checking account with both names on it.
-mail that you get at the same address (even junk mail proves you live
there to some extent)
-mail and envelopes that are to both of you. (have some friends post
some now if you want)
-notarized letters from friends and family members who will attest to
your marriage.

don't overdo the letters, try to find other stuff. vacation pix of the
two of you together with plane or boarding stubs are really good also,as
they show you spent money together and did things together.
--
Matta

Rete

Also include the letters from both your employers stating marital status claimed, who is the beneificary to various company issued benefits, i.e. 401(k), health, dental, life insurances, emergency contact information. As for the credit card bill with only one name, photcopy each card which will show the same number. Our utilities were also only in my name and that was not a problem.

Rita

Aaron Sergeant

I spent the whole night putting documents and letters together, the car insurabce was in my name, we had a joint mortgage and she was on my dental plan, plus every statement from our joint acc in timed order + letters from employers and two noterised letters from my neighbours, and when we got there with this huge stack of proof's Photo's and letters etc, all he wanted to see was a the joint tax return for this year + the property tax statement with both mine and theh wifes name on it, I was so annoyed about I hinted that he should lok at all the other stuff, but he declined saying that the proof of mortgage and tax returns is irrifutible and if we wanted to find you then we know thats where you'll be, so in our case we over prepared but I'd rather that then have to go back to find more proof

Ranjini

Exactly my point of view. It's not about what you feel that's important but what you think the examiner may want to look at. And that may vary from one examiner to the other. So have EVERYTHING available. You have nothing to lose.

Matta Harri

In article ,
Ranjini wrote:
    > Exactly my point of view. It's not about what you feel that's important
    > but what you think the examiner may want to look at. And that may vary
    > from one examiner to the other. So have EVERYTHING available. You have
    > nothing to lose.
    >
In fact, when you have a whole lot of stuff available, they tend to ask
for less, IME, as they can see that you ARE prepared. Walk in with a
briefcase bulging, and you can usually expect them to ask for very
little.

Be organized!! Have things orderly and logically placed in labeled
folders inside the briefcase so that you can find what you need in a
flash. Ask business-like and professional. Show them the original, hand
them the copy. Act like you have some sense and that you know what you
are doing. It helps when you present this way, I think.

If you have wedding pictures, bring a nice selection of them too. It
always pays to be prepared for the outside chances. (plus, it adds bulk
to your briefcase) They don't usually want to see these, but have some
anyway. That is my recommendation.

In our case, the examiner wanted ONE piece of evidence to show our life
together. I turned and whipped out the folder with our vacation
pictures, airplane boarding passes and stuff, and she latched right onto
it and said that was all that she wanted. Nothing more.
--
Matta