Friday 21 March 2014

LIFE: Greencards and Conditions

Detroit, Michigan, USA
My corner of America - Detroit from NASA (source)
If life wasn't crazy and stressful enough with planning on buying our first house, it's all occurring at the same time my green card expires. While greencards tend to last 10 years, entering on a K1 visa, my first only lasted only two years until we jump another set of hurdles, pay lots of dollars ($590 which breaks down into $505 for the paperwork fees and the other $85 going on biometric costs) and get the "conditions" removed. What conditions I hear you cry? Well in my case, proving that my marriage is legit and that we didn't just married just so I could enter and live in the US.

This has got me stressed, very stressed, don't get me wrong I know my marriage is real, it's the trying to prove it part to officials who know nothing about us. Sadly while you could send in a million photographs of you and your spouse together, they hold little weight compared to the formal paperwork evidence. 

So this is all based sending in the I-751 form off and after a couple of weeks of compiling, printing and photocopying about 10oz of evidence what do you send in such a situation? Well, officially within the guidance for the I-751 they suggest any of the following;
  • Birth certificate(s) of children(s) born
  • Lease or mortgages showing join occupancy/ownership
  • Financial records showing joint ownership of asserts and joint responsibility for liabilities eg savings, checking accounts, state and federal tax returns, insurance policies, joint utility bills or loans
  • Other documents which establish a legit marriage 
  • Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by at least two people who have own you since your conditional residence was granted and have personal knowledge of your marriage and relationship
That basically comes down to showing and providing evidence for a lot of joint things - accounts, photographs and the like - anything that has both spouses names upon them. So for us - joint state and federal tax forms for the last two years, joint bank account, joint health insurance, joint rent lease and renter insurance to yes, even our joint Detroit Zoo membership (just because) alongside some photocopies of holiday cards, photographs with family members over the last couple of years and envelopes addressed to us both. Seriously not even all bona fied marriages have all that. 

After mailing it all in the wait begins, I've already received my receipt and a year extension on my green card, now just the waiting game for having my biometrics (photograph, finger prints) to be taken all over again and then we go from there towards getting the full ten year card, then after that I think I'm applying for citizenship which brings up a whole load of other topics in itself although I won't feel ready for that for another couple of years.

Crazy much?!

I should probably give some background to all the readers that have come along since I moved to the US and don't know the full story. Basically I fell in love with an American and migrated from Yorkshire to Michigan in 2011 on a K-1 visa after being in a long distance relationship since 2009. I blogged about it a lot over those nine months waiting for my visa - from the paperwork to the medical exam and America embassy interview alongside applying for permanent resident status so feel free to have a look back - it's all under the visa tag, and as always if you ever have any visa/expat questions you can always get in touch.

17 comments:

  1. Crikey, they don't make it easy, do they? I guess in a way that's a good thing but it must be stressful having to feel as though you need to justify your relationship.

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  2. As I've said, you're well prepared and all you need to do is jump through the hoops now, so you'll be fine. My husband renewed his 10 year green card a while back and it was faster and cheaper than previously. He's thinking of heading down the citizenship route in the near future too. Fingers crossed they don't keep you waiting!

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    1. I'm with you on the faster part, it's certainly moving quicker than the original green card paperwork!

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  3. It is ridiculous how hard they make it for people who are truly married and in love. I get that there was a lot of fraud years ago but those people aren't paying for it others (like you) are. I hope that everything goes well for you and your husband.

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  4. "Other documents which establish a legit marriage" - a sex tape maybe ;)

    I completely agree they want a lot. Kris and I have a joint account only because he had no money when we got to Belgium. But that's about it. We always forget to take pictures of ourselves together!

    Sometimes it annoys me how things still try and force you into have the legit marriage, as it used to be in all its marriage and religious mumbo jumbo glory. Why can't people just be together and that be enough... urgh.

    I'm a little happy that I went to another european country now :)

    So glad that you got the one year extension. Get working on that sex tape for the citizenship!

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    1. Lol I read on a website how they don't accept wedding videos because they don't have time to watch them so I guess the sex tape is out too ....

      The thing that grinds my gears is the baby = legit marriage. But I won't go there on a Friday ...

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    2. Always with the babies... I'm so tired of having the baby talk over and over with people.

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  5. Ugh, that's so stressful. Hang in there...

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  6. Geez, reading that list makes me think I'd be denied a green card extension. No kids, no joint accounts, I moved into the apartment that he already lived in so I'm not on the lease...
    Good luck to you! I'm sure it will be just fine.

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    1. We somewhat messed up with me not being on the lease for over a year, not with the greencard thing, but with the apartment managers - you might want to double check about adding your name onto it!

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  7. I had an idea that this process was cumbersome, but I imagine it must be awful for two people who really aren't trying to cheat the system. Sorry you have to go through this. My cousin just wanted to be in the country for a month for her sister's wedding, and they were making it really hard for her to come visit. I can only imagine how hard it must be to actually stay here, which is kind of perplexing considering that there is a supposed problem with illegal immigration in this country. Not sure if there a problem or not, but I hope that it gets better for you soon!- Jess L

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    1. Thank you! It's certainly cumberstone and time consuming, but it's pretty straight forward and everything seems to run smoothly it's always just the case of always remembering to save things - like I totally forgot to collect the misc items with both our names on, because you know, typically you don't save things like that! And with everything being computerised everything isn't on paper any more, so you're having to hunt around, hoping you can print something off and going out of the way to make sure it has both your names on a policy!

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  8. That's really crazy - I don't know how any of those things mean that you're in a 'proper' relationship. Especially the baby one! And who saves envelopes addressed to both of you?

    Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly for you.

    This is one of those things that keeps me up at night. My partner and I have been together 6 years, mortgage & joint accounts but don't plan on kindlywinks or marriage. I always worried that we'll come across some situation where I'm not going to be able to do something because I'm not his 'wife'. Like see him in an emergency room or be informed on his situation.
    Buts that's a whole other discussion.

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  9. When my green card is six months from expiry, I will have to do the I-90 & accompanying biometrics (plus with a nice fee too) - I had done my fill of paperwork, and remember how it made me feel having to do it, so I am not looking forward to it, but have quite a while (thank goodness) before I have to do it!

    Good luck with everything!

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  10. I've been there, with the huge binder of documents! I'm so relieved we don't have to hoard everything anymore. I'll keep my fingers crossed everything goes smoothly!

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