BONA WHAT? BONA FIDES OF A RELATIONSHIP

Making a case for your I-130 Marriage Based Visa and K1 Fiance Visa application

Every marriage based or fiancé(e) based visa application requires the visa applicant to prove the bona fides of the relationship. Every I-130 marriage based application requires that the petitioner and beneficiary prove to USCIS that their marriage is a bona fide one and every K1 Fiancé(e) visa application also requires the U.S. citizen petitioner to prove the bona fides of their relationship. What exactly are the bona fides of a relationship and how do you prove it? In Latin, bona fides literally means good faith and the online Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines it as the fact of being genuine. In immigration proceedings, the burden of proof is on the petitioning United States citizen and his/her spouse or fiancé(e) to prove that their relationship is genuine. A large percentage of immigrant and non immigrant petitions are initially approved based on the paperwork that is submitted to USCIS. Therefore it is extremely important to include documentation of a valid relationship.

For a marriage based petition including a copy of your valid marriage certificate usually suffices. But including documentation that shows proof of marriage is always helpful. This can be anything from copies of your wedding invitation, receipts from the caterer, and photographs of the wedding to evidence of a joint checking or savings account. A letter from both spouses documenting the relationship leading up to the marriage can also be included.

While a marriage certificate can suffice as evidence in an I-130 immigrant visa application, same cannot be said about a K1 fiancé(e) visa application. In order for a K1 fiance(e) visa application to be approved, immigration officers rely heavily on the documentation that is submitted supporting the petition. For example, a letter of intent to marry from both the United States citizen and the foreign national fiancé should always be included. For proof of relationship be sure to include any evidence that proves the length and strength of the relationship. This proof can include copies of telephone bills showing phone calls back and forth, copies of emails between each other, receipt of engagement ring (if available) and documents showing preparations for a wedding in the United States. Use your imagination and be creative with the evidence your submit. Packaging a petition, marriage or fiancé(e), should be done very carefully because a small mistake can cause undue delay or even an outright rejection.