Tip of the Week #20
Proving A Bonafide Relationship
Hi everyone, my name is Andres Mejer. I’m a New Jersey immigration attorney who shares a weekly Tip of the Week on Youtube (every Friday night) to help you in your immigration journey. This week I’m answering a great question we got on Facebook.
How do we get bills and a lease to prove to USCIS we have a bonafide relationship without a social security number?
For those who don’t know, you must show USCIS that you have a bonafide relationship with your spouse in order to get a green card. But if you don’t have a social security number many people worry it is impossible to provide proof of that relationship. I’m going to give you some tips today to help with that.
How Our Immigration Attorney Can Help
Let me introduce myself first if you don’t know me. As I said my name is Andres Mejer. I’m an immigrant and immigration attorney. I came to the US as a child and learned to speak English from watching TV (Sesame Street).
I got my green card through amnesty after living without a legal status in the US for many years. I know what you’re going through and the stress that you feel from not having a legal status.
My goal is to make your life easier and less stressful. I want everyone who is eligible to get a legal status. I also want to make the process easier to understand and less confusing because I know that helps to reduce your stress.
If you need help with your immigration case, call us. We’ll determine if you are eligible for a legal status and if you aren’t, we won’t take your money.
Getting Legal Status in the US
Do you remember how frustrating it was to get a job you really wanted when you didn’t have the experience they required? You kept thinking “how do I get experience without a job? And how do I get a job without experience?”
The same thing is true when you are trying to get a legal status.
You have to prove to USCIS that you have a bonafide relationship. In fact, they look at every relationship as only being entered into to get a green card and you basically have to prove them wrong.
One way you do that is to provide bills you have together with your spouse. That includes electric and phone bills, a lease or mortgage where you live together, right?
But if you don’t have a Social Security card (which you don’t get until further in your green card application process), how can you get your name on a shared bill?
Often a Social Security number is required to get a lease. Mostly because they probably want to run your background or a credit check. You will need to explain to the landlord that you are applying for a legal status and don’t have a social security card at this time.
Is it required by law to have a legal status to avail of services?
Renting
To be clear, there is no law that requires a landlord in the US to rent to someone without a legal status. So, a landlord can always say no. But if you never ask, the answer is always no so it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Opening a Bank Account
Banks will let you open an account without a Social Security card. You will usually need to fill out a form W-8BEN “Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting” but both Wells Fargo and Bank of America will work with people without a social security number.
License & Insurance
In many states, you do not need a Social Security number to get a state id and/or driver’s license. You can get one with the address where you live, which could also be considered proof to show you live with your spouse.
You can even insure a car, in some states, without a Social Security number though there are fewer companies that will do that.
Family Plan & Credit Card
You may be able to join a family plan for a cell phone without providing a Social Security number. This will give you a bill together that you can use to show you have a relationship with your spouse.
Your spouse could also add you as an authorized user on their credit card to use as proof of your relationship.
Other Ways to Prove Your Relationship
Keep in mind that in addition to bills, you can use other things to prove your relationship:
- You can show texts, emails, and phone calls between you and your spouse.
- You can share affidavits from family and friends who know you both and can attest that your relationship is a true and valid relationship.
- If you go out to eat or travel together, proof of that – including photos – will also support your application.
Call Our New Jersey Immigration Attorney Today!
As you can see there are a number of ways to prove you have a valid, bona fide relationship to USCIS. If you’re still worried about this, call us.
Our job is to develop the strongest, most convincing story and submit the support necessary so there is no question about the validity of your relationship. We have done this successfully for thousands of people and will do the same for you.
Call us to see if you qualify for a free consultation today.
