Proof of marriage issue/help

[Kbrown]

Hello Immihelp, let me first start out by saying thank you for all the information provided on this platform. I know my question probably was already asked, but I am not seeing it.

How do I prove my marriage without having the required documents? I have seen here that people use lease agreements, insurance policies, credit cards, bills in same name, etc. However, all of these things require a SSN, so I am having a hard time getting any if them. My wife owns the house so I can't put my name on it. Are there any suggestions for my issue?

[SmithB]

My post will be long but I hope it helps you and others. I just started the process so everything I say its based on my research online!

First: It is not true that all these things require SSN. Plenty of banks open accounts with a passport if you just google it a list will come up. I know for sure that banks of America and Wells Fargo do because I have had them both before I got my SSN. It might not be on their website but if you call or even better go and talk to them they will allow you to open one. Bills- I was able to add myself to our electricity bill (TECO) as care off person so the bill basically shows both names (again I had to specifically write an email and make a few phone calls to be able to do that but they did not ask me for anything just my name. Also Spectrum had an option to add a person if both fill out and notarized an affidavit form they give you and it did not require social security. It was a bit longer process and we did not do it, but all I am just saying the option exists. It was not listed on the website I had to personally talk to a representative to find this out. Car insurance is possible as well with a passport (may be not all but some will do it).

Second: apply for ITIN number with your local IRS office, it will allow you to open credit cards, accounts, even file taxes if case take too long

As far as how to proof relationship here is a list from 1-30 with my advice:

• Documentation showing joint ownership of property-here if one owns a car, can add the other one on the title. it might cost a couple hundreds dollars, also any animals you have under both names or significant purchases you have made;
• A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence, meaning you both live at the same address together - Make sure you do change of address with the official postal service if you have not. They are going to send you official confirmation letter with the new address (your address) so you can include that. Include any mail with your name on it for the period of time you lived there or with both names on it. Better if its official mail form state, bills, car dealerships etc. Make sure its for a duration of time not just two mails from march 2021. Go to your amazon account and print history of things you have purchased and delivered to the address. if you have an ID with these address (even expired) included. Basically anything that has your name and these address and its official mail, memberships, doctors bills and invoices etc. Sign for Inform Delivery via USPS website and include screenshot from your daily digest of mail. If you received any cards foe engagement and wedding from family and friends with both names and address on the envelope include that.
• Documentation showing that you and your spouse have combined your financial resources- as a mentioned before find a bank that will open an account and make it joint or just call the banks you already have and see if you can add each other as an authorized user. i am not sure if you are working and paying any bills but if you do make sure you show statements where you paid for the electricity form your account and the other paid for something else from their account and things like that. But make sure you are added at least to one card.
• Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship. Have a friend or two or family member to sign an affidavit. there is plenty of sample online!
• Any other relevant documentation to establish that there is an ongoing marital union- To me photos have a lot of power if you include the right ones. I and my husband have been together 2 years and I included photos from every holiday and bday with family and friends plus additional photos with things we have done. At the end of the day if they see that we have celebrated l at least 10 national holidays together with family, have celebrated every bday mine and his plus more activities for a period of two years that is a big YES to Are these two people really together? if possible so not include selfies only but rather photos with family and friends. I also included receipt and certificate from my engagement ring which is a few thousand dollars, cards we have received form his and my family and friends for the engagement and the wedding as well as cards we have exchanged for holidays (14 feb.) and bdays. You can include reservations you made for restaurants, concerts, events and trips. Any memberships you have together : AAA only cost like $25 a year and is actually worth having. it will come with two cards for each. AARP is another cheap membership you can get even if you are not senior ( we are not). Its easy to sign up online and you pay $20 a year. it comes with two cards, discounts and activities you can do as a member. Gym membership, COSTCO OR SAMS CLUB, car insurance, health insurance and anything you can think of that you can get on both names.
• Also consider these: ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES (signed and notarized with ), EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION if you have each other as an emergency contact with your employer or your doctor/dentist you can get copies or screenshots of that. COMMUNICATION LOGS-********, SMS, Instagram messages, SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE anything on ********, instagram etc. tags, photos, comments. A lot of banks offer life insurance for cheap. Your wife can make one with you beneficiary tru her bank or other institution. I think ours initially was $10 a month ( it was not a high limit but...).

As you can see you can include a lot. This is actually a small list compared to the possibilities of what you can include to proof your relationship. You just have to be creative

[Kbrown]

Wow.....ok, thank you. This gave me a lot to think about. What I got from this is to be creative.

[SmithB]

go to the stickies on top of the forum page and start from there. You will see a lot of helpful info

[newacct]

Second: apply for ITIN number with your local IRS office, it will allow you to open credit cards, accounts, even file taxes if case take too long

Note that you generally can only apply for an ITIN at the time you file a tax return.