Feedback on our folder of evidence - Marriage based AOS

[Pepsimax]

Based on my experience I would say you prepared more than enough🙂!

[spaceprice]

Bouncing this thread back to visibility. Please provide feedback on the table of contents in the post below. Thank you.

This looks great! I think you have covered a lots of different areas. What folder did you end up buying to organize all of this?

[seattlefiler2017]

This looks great! I think you have covered a lots of different areas. What folder did you end up buying to organize all of this?

Still haven't figured out that part yet sorry, I thought i'll focus on getting the stuff together and leave the mega folder organization to a bit later. Right now putting everything in smaller folders and checking items off the list.


I do have some time since the interview date is Jan 31st.

[seattlefiler2017]

Final set....

Ok after much grumbling about the amount of documentation USCIS wants , this is our finalized structure (and how we are organizing it- we bought three 13 sectional accordion folders and a plain folder) and are breaking it down our stuff into four main folders and sub-exhibits within that. We tried the one folder approach but with the amount of content we have, a single accordion folder could not handle this. Having it in seperate folders will also make retrieval easy at the time of the interview.

Here is the final structure (hopefully )

____________________


EVIDENCE OF A BONAFIDE MARRIAGE


Please find below the table of contents showing our evidence of a Bona-fide marriage.



TERMINOLOGIES



[Petitioner's name] also known as the Petitioner henceforth

[Beneficiary's name] also known as the Beneficiary henceforth



FOLDER ONE



Exhibit 1: EVIDENCE OF CO-MINGLED FINANCES



We primarily use our bank accounts for paying off the mortgage\rent, utilities and credit card bills. We prefer to use our credit cards for most of our purchases to maximize cashback and points for future purchases.


Bank accounts



All Bank accounts have line items highlighted in yellow to show payment for common items (utilities, credit card bills and mortgage payments) and items highlighted in green show incoming paystubs.


1 Joint YYYY checking account [Primary account of the beneficiary]-

------- First two pages of the September 2017 statement (August xx, 2017 to September xxx 2017) to highlight when the petitioner was added to the account

------- Transaction history from July 2018 – January 2019 [ For brevity] in reverse chronological order with the statements showing the Beneficiary and the petitioner as joint holders of the account. Highlighted entries show Beneficiary’s payroll deposits, payment for rent and mortgages, payment of utilities and payment for credit card bills

2. Joint YYYY Checking account [secondary account of the beneficiary]-Transaction history from Sept 2018-December 2018 in reverse chronological order with the statements showing the Beneficiary and the petitioner as joint holders of the account**. Highlighted entries show Beneficiary’s payroll deposits and credit card payments. We primarily use this account as a secondary checking account
**The beneficiary held this account since August 2007, but we never really bothered to start to use this account till recently hence the delay in adding the petitioner (who was added in September 2018)

3. YYYY One Joint saving account [Petitioner as the primary and the beneficiary as the secondary]

------- First two pages of the November 2017 statement to highlight when the Beneficiary was added to the Checking account

------- Transaction history from July 2018 – December 2018 [ For brevity] in reverse chronological order. Highlighted entries show payroll deposits [from both the petitioner and the beneficiary and incoming money transfers from both the petitioner and the beneficiary. We primarily use this account as our main savings account due to the high interest rate offered.

4. YYYY X Checking account [ Primary account of the petitioner] - Transaction history from July 2018-December 2018 in reverse chronological order. Highlighted entries show Petitioner’s payroll deposits and payments for credit card payments and utilities.

5. Joint YYYY Checking account [ secondary account of the petitioner] –

------- First two pages of the November 2017 statement to highlight when the Beneficiary was added to the Checking account

------- Transaction history from July 2018-December 2018 in reverse chronological order with the statements showing the Beneficiary and the petitioner as joint holders of the account. Highlighted entries show church donations and transfers to other bank accounts. We primarily use this as a source of funds for quick access (since it has no ATM fees locally and internationally)


Credit Cards



All Credit card statements have line items highlighted in yellow to show payments for common items


1. YYYY Credit card [ Primary credit card of the petitioner] – Transaction history from July 2018-December 2018 in reverse chronological order. We use it to pay for groceries, travel purchases (Airbnb\flight tickets) and car insurance payments [all common items are highlighted]

2. YYYY Credit card [ Joint Credit Card with the Beneficiary being the primary and the petitioner being an authorized user**] – Transaction history from July 2018-January 2019 in reverse chronological order. We primarily use it for Groceries, Gas, Costco purchases and restaurants. All relevant purchases common are highlighted.


** Unfortunately, Chase does not list the name of the authorized user on the statement and only lists the primary user



3. YYYY X Credit card [ Primary credit card of the beneficiary] - Transaction history from July 2018-December 2018 in reverse chronological order. We primarily use it to pay for all Amazon purchases (common and personal), Internet bills and restaurants. All relevant mutual purchases are highlighted in yellow. [ One item is highlighted in green since we had planned to go watch Ant Man and later could not make it and hence had to cancel the ticket and get a refund


Insurance\401K\Registrations



------- Printout of the Beneficiary’s benefits summary page for 2017, 2018 and 2019 which shows the petitioner as the primary beneficiary to the account [Highlighted in yellow at the bottom of the page on page 2]

------- Beneficiary’s YYYY 401K page which shows the petitioner as the primary beneficiary to the 401K account (dated August 16, 2017).

------- Petitioners YYYY Joint Tenant Account details showing both the petitioner and the Beneficiary as joint tenant holders

------- Petitioners Roth Contributory IRA account details showing the beneficiary as the primary beneficiary

------- Property insurance – showing both the petitioner and the beneficiary as being on the property insurance (Highlighted in Yellow on Page 3 of the statement)

------- Car Insurance – showing both the petitioner and the beneficiary as being on the car insurance (Highlighted in Yellow on Page 3 of the statements)– The printout shows three statements which shows continuity of insurance starting from September xx 2017 going till March xxx 2019

------- Car registration document – showing both the petitioner and the beneficiary on the car registration document (copy)


Other co-mingling documents


YYYY Car Loan – Welcome letter addressed to both the beneficiary and the petitioner for our car loan. Also enclosed is a copy of the coupon book for the car loan payment for February 2019 (the coupon book contains both our names)


2017 Tax filing


2017 Tax filing – Attached is a copy of our jointly filed 2017 tax return


Exhibit 2: POWER OF ATTORNEY



All documents have been notarized



1. General power of attorney for the beneficiary

2. Healthcare power of attorney for the beneficiary

3. General power of attorney for the petitioner

4. Health care power of attorney for the petitioner


Exhibit 3: EVIDENCE OF JOINT ACCOUNTS



------- Costco: Screenshot of the Costco account page online which shows the beneficiary as the primary member and the petitioner as the secondary on the account which has been active since xx/xx/2016

------- Amazon Prime account: Screenshot of the Amazon Household page showing the shared account between the beneficiary and the petitioner’s mother (xxxxx)

------- Consumer cellular mobile bill [ 3 statements]– Mobile bill for consumer cellular showing the shared account with data, minutes and texting split across the petitioner, beneficiary and the petitioners’ parents (xxxx and xxxxxx)

------- AAA Joint Membership – AAA Membership renewal information which shows the petitioner as the primary and the beneficiary as the secondary


Exhibit 4: EMPLOYMENT AND PROOF OF FINANCIAL ABILITY



Petitioner

------- Employment letter from YYYY X (Dated November 2018 – She received a new position and pay rise that cycle)

------- Last three W2’s (2018,2017 and 2016)

------- Last six paystubs (her pay cycle is bi-weekly)


Beneficiary

------- Employment letter from YYYY (Dated January 2019

------- Last three W2’s (2018,2017 and 2016)

------- Last six paystubs (his pay cycle is twice every month on the 15th and the last working day of the month)


FOLDER TWO


Exhibit One: EVIDENCE OF WEDDING


We got married on July xxx, 2017 at the [church address] with about 110 people in attendance. Post the wedding, we flew down to xxxxx where we had a small reception for about 150 people on July xx, 2017 in xxxx so that the beneficiary’s relatives and friends could meet the petitioner. Given below is the table of contents of the evidence presented of a bona-fide wedding


Section 1: Wedding certificate



1. Wedding certificate signed by the pastor and two witness (copy and original)

2. Marriage license signed by the beneficiary, the petitioner, the pastor and two witnesses (copy and original)


Section 2: Wedding in the United states

[church address]– July xx, 2017



Section 2a: Pre-wedding activities


1. Receipt of payment of the engagement ring purchased by the beneficiary

2. Receipt of payment of the wedding bands purchased by the beneficiary and the petitioner in person

3. Photography [ paid by the beneficiary]

------- Email conversations with YYYY of studio YYYY asking him to photograph our wedding [ email conversations date from November 21 2016 to Dec 9th 2016]

------- Scanned contract of the signed agreement with the photographer agreeing to his services and the amount to the paid

4. Catering [ paid by the petitioner’s parents]

------- Email from xxxxxx catering showing the updated contract and planned schedule for catering [ Dated July xx 2017]

------- Catering contract showing the planned menu

5. Wedding website [screenshots]

6. Save the date card (original)

7. Wedding invitation sent to all our guests (original )

8. Wedding registry [zola.com] screenshot

9. Flight tickets for beneficiary's father to fly down from xxxx to Seattle to attend the wedding [paid by the beneficiary]

10. Flight tickets for the beneficiary's brother and sister in law to fly down from xxxx to Seattle to attend the wedding [ Paid for by the beneficiary’s brother]

11. Airbnb reservation receipt for the night before the wedding for the beneficiary and his father to stay in


Section 2b: Wedding day activities



1. Photographs (please refer to the album)

2. Reservation for the petitioner and the beneficiary (newly wedded!) to spend the night at YYYY XX

Section 2c: Post wedding activities


------- Photographs of brunch at the petitioner’s parents’ home for close family and friends – this is a custom of the petitioner’s family where the bride’s parents would host brunch the next day for close family and friends enabling the newly wedded couple to relax, eat some food and open gifts


Section 3: Reception in YYYY

[address of the reception] -July xxx 2017


1. Wedding reception invitation [e-invite] – Printout

2. Selected photographs from the wedding reception



Exhibit two: EVIDENCE OF CO-HABITATION from October 22nd 2016 to date



Section one: First address: [apartment address] [ From October xx 2016 to July xxx 2017]



1. Copy of the rental agreement from October xx 2016 to April xx 2017 (and Month to month post that) showing the beneficiary and petitioners name on the lease – The rental agreement required us to have a lease till April xx 2017 (6 months) post which the agreement would continue month to month unless terminated by either party. We were in the apartment till July xxx 2017 post which we moved into our new house

2. Email conversations with the landlord to add the petitioner to the lease [Emails dated from October 6th, 2017 – October 7th 2017] – Email conversations with the landlord to add the petitioner to the lease (the beneficiary was already living at above mentioned address since April 2016)

3. Email conversations with the landlord confirming sending the signed lease with both the beneficiary and the petitioner’s name added [Emails dated from October 22nd, 2017-October 23rd 2017]

4. Email conversations with the landlord confirming our departure from the apartment and a request for final closing formalities - [Emails dated from June xx, 2018 to July xx, 2018]

5. Copy of the deposited Check sent by the landlord returning security deposit - The check was made out in both the petitioners and the beneficiary’s name

6. Comcast internet bills [from May xx 2017 to July xx 2018] which were in the name of the petitioner showing cohabitation -. For brevity, only the first page of each alternate month have been provided

7. XXX checking account statements from xx August 2017 to July xx 2018 which show both the beneficiary and the Petitioner at the same address – For brevity, only the first page of each alternate month have been provided

8. Scanned copies of the drivers license of the petitioner and beneficiary showing the same address


Section two: Second and current Address: [House address here] [ From July xx 2017 to date]



1. Copy of the title deed for the purchased house with both the Beneficiary and the petitioner’s name on it.

2. Beneficiary’s xxxxx account statements [ Checking] from July xx 2018 to December xx 2018 which show both the beneficiary and the Petitioner at the same address

3. Petitioners xxxxx savings account statements from November xxx 2018 to July xx 2018 which show both the Petitioner and the beneficiary at the same address – For brevity, only the first have been provided of each monthly statement

4. Homeowners insurance with a date of inception of xx/xx/18 which shows both the beneficiary and the petitioners name

5. Receipts of various purchases made by the beneficiary and the petitioner on Amazon which show the house address

6. Proof of address change from USCIS from beneficiary [ AR-11 form confirmation]

7. Proof of address change from USCIS from petitioner

8. Waste management bills in petitioner's name for the above-mentioned house address [From August xx 2018 to January xx 2019]– There are two bills since the billing is every 3 months

9. YYYY Water bill in petitioners and beneficiary’s name showing house address -– Presenting two bills from October and December for brevity

10. Puget sound energy in the beneficiary’s name showing the house address - Presenting three bills from October, November and December for brevity


Also present are some of the cards received by both of us from friends and family at our above-mentioned addresses. We neglected to store the envelopes which contained the addresses but have enclosed the cards which were addressed to both of us.


Exhibit three: EVIDENCE OF RELATIONSHIP



We first met in 2010 in the University of xxxxxx. We remained friends for several years keeping in touch in person, via email, chat (********, Yahoo messenger, Google chat) , finally started dating in November of 2015 and got engaged in August of 2016 and got married on July xx, 2017. Given below is the table of contents of the evidence presented of our relationship over the years



1. Visual representation of our relationship together

2. Selected Photos together (and with friends and family) over the years 2011- to date

3. Tickets and receipts of major trips taken together

------- Airbnb receipt to of our hiking trip to xxxx, August xx - xxx 2016- Got engaged there

------- Clipper vacation to xxxx, Canada [Attached are the hotel and Clipper tours receipt] December xx- xx, 2016 - Our first trip abroad

------- Airbnb receipt of our visit to xxxx, Portland, May xxx to xx 2017 - Went to meet some of petitioner’s family

------- Visit to xxx [ Flight tickets attached] July xx to Aug xx, 2017 - Post wedding trip to meet the beneficiary’s extended family and see a bit of xxxx

------- Flight tickets to xxxxx and Airbnb in xxxxx[ December xxx – December xxx,2017] - Our delayed honeymoon

------- Flight tickets\Airbnb receipts for xxxx and xxx and xxx in xxx and xxx, March xx to April xxx– This was a family trip to see the beneficiary’s sister who studies in xxxx and also visit xxxx as a part of the extended vacation

------- Hotel tickets for our first anniversary celebrated at xxxx, July xx to xx 2018

------- [Upcoming trip] Airbnb receipt for a family trip in YYYY – July xx to July xx, 2019

4. Social interactions from 2010-2018 : This collection contains a printout of the ******** friendship story from 2010 to 2018 (it’s a feature offered by ******** where you can view your entire friendship with an individual spanning multiple years seeing all the post tagged together)\selected emails(2013)\ Selected Google hangouts conversations (from 2011-2012)] **

** We decided not to take a printout of our ******** messenger conversations since that was spanning about 400+ pages and we felt it would be redundant as our ******** friendship story tells a lot of what we did together.


FOLDER THREE




1. Exhibit one : Interview letter



------- Interview letter


2. Exhibit two: PROOF OF IDENTITY


Beneficiary


------- All YYYY X passports – [ Original and copies (of all pages)]

------- US driver’s license – [ Original and a copy]

------- Copy of the latest I-94

------- Birth Certificate (Original and a copy)


Petitioner


------- US Passport -Renewed on **** **** – [Original and a copy]

------- Birth certificate [ Original and a copy]

------- Enhanced driver’s license - [Original and a copy]



3. Exhibit three: USCIS DOCUMENTS RECEIVED TO DATE BY THE BENEFICIARY – ORIGINALS*



*All documents have been organized in chronological order with the latest first



------- All i797’s

------- All I-20’s

------- EAD received by the beneficiary during his OPT in 2011

------- Adjustment of status EAD\AP card – received in 2017

------- Stamped Biometrics (originals) for the I-485 and the I-765 (for the EAD card during adjustment of status)


4. Exhibit four: I-693 (Medical report) *



*The original was already submitted when filing for Adjustment of status.


5. Exhibit five: USCIS DOCUMENTS RECEIVED TO DATE BY THE BENEFICIARY – COPIES*



1. All i797’s (copies)

2. All I-20’s (copies)

3. Color copies of all US Visas received to date – Originals can be found in the passports.

4. EAD received by the beneficiary during his OPT in 2011 – (copy)

5. Adjustment of status EAD\AP card – received in 2017 – (copy)

Stamped Biometrics (originals) for the I-485 and the I-765 (for the EAD card during adjustment of status) – [copies]




FOLDER Four



1. Copy of the I-485 submitted

2. Copy of the Response to the RFE dated December 2017

[yvc]

Based on the volume of evidence, this marriage must be real. I know being over-prepared is better than under-prepared, but it seems to be a little too excessive. Personal thought.

[seattlefiler2017]

Based on the volume of evidence, this marriage must be real. I know being over-prepared is better than under-prepared, but it seems to be a little too excessive. Personal thought.

Maybe its overkill, but I would rather go for breadth and diversity rather than a limited set of items where chat conversations constitute 400 pages out of the entire package

[yvc]

Maybe its overkill, but I would rather go for breadth and diversity rather than a limited set of items where chat conversations constitute 400 pages out of the entire package

You are right. Diversity is better than homogeneity. Maybe summarize the table of content so that it doesn't look too overwhelming? Sometimes it can be hard to find things when there are a lot of words. I doubt USCIS interviewer will take your whole binder or even look into your cover sheet. What they are likely to do is pick out what they want to review/keep for record. Just a thought.