Consumer complaint received 2023-10-19
Company: REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: AL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
I am petitioning for my fianc to be granted a fianc XXXX Visa. This requires me to submit USCIS form I-134 ( Affidavit of Support ) along with several required documents. The instructions to file form I-134 ( attached ) clearly states that I should submit multiple specific supporting documents with the form ( Page 5 ).

One of those documents is a letter from my bank detailing : 1. The date my account was opened.

2. The total amount of deposits for the last year.

3. my current balance.

Regions bank has been difficult the whole process which I will detail below but the end result was that I was charged for a letter that did not include all of the information required by the XXXX XXXX Department. 

When I asked for the letter to be amended to include the total amount of deposits for the year regions bank refused my request because it would be to time consuming. I explained that the letter is needed to prove I make enough money to financially support my fianc and that the total amount deposited was the most important part of the letter because in conjunction with my tax return it shows how much money I make and have access to each year. 

The manager ( XXXX ) over the contact and support department refused to amend the letter. I asked for a letter or statement from her saying that she would not provide the information I need so that I could submit it with the other letter and hope that whoever interviews my fianc would not punish me for not including the information they require. 

I asked for the {$30.00} fee for the immigration letter to be refunded as I never was provided with the letter that I need. I also mentioned all the hoops I had jumped through to get the half completed letter in the 1st place. It was denied although she did suggest I go to a branch and ask them. Also i asked for her manager and was not given that information.

I work in a field that involves investigations and I know from experience that when I request information and I am given all the information I want except for 1 specific thing then it is a red flag and typically means that they are hiding something they don't want me to see. If the consular officer is as suspicious, jaded, and paranoid as I am then he or she would demand to see an amended letter from the bank that includes all required information. 

Reliable statistics are hard to find but its my understanding that its common for the consular office to request more information if they don't get everything they want the first time. This would be devastating for both my fianc and myself. 

Not only are we both miserable after being apart for multiple years, but if her entry into the country was delayed it would disrupt our marriage plans and even cost us well over {$3000.00} in tax benefits. With so much on the line I am doing everything in my power to ensure that I can be with my fianc for XXXX. 

In addition to being outright denied the letter that I must submit along with my I-134 I would like to make a complaint about the process for filing the letter. They don't have time to do anything but a base form letter but they charge {$30.00}. 


1. On XX/XX/XXXX I went to the branch on XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Alabama. I asked about how I should request a letter for immigration purposes. XXXX XXXX, seemed to be helpful and explained that the do not do the letters and I would have to reach out to the third party that handles it verification.com. The problem is that website has a domain that is up for sell. 

2. Ok, things happen and policies change. She just didn't know. I contacted the main office by phone and was connected with a woman. She seemed confused at first, but she explained it would be a {$30.00} fee and that it would be mailed right out to me. I made a point to be clear that I needed all 3 things form the I-134 instructions but she blew me off as they do those all the time and they know it.

3. The lady on the phone whose name I didn't get told me it would be 5-7 days before I got the letter through the mail. I waited 2 weeks ( I think ) before I reached out to regions again. Their online chat option is suppose to be faster so I used it this time. She looked up my account and told me my request had been denied. 

The fact that it was denied didn't bother me. I understand that their are legal requirements and that a written letter requesting that they release my info while annoying could be the responsible thing to do. That was fine if there had been information on the website or anyone had told me I needed to write a letter I would have done it at the start. 

What annoys me is I received no letter or any other communication saying they weren't going to send me the letter. Had I not started the letter when I did I could have run into major issues timewise. 

4. I decided it would probably be easier to go to a branch so I went to the one in XXXX XXXX, Alabama. There the gentleman seemed to genuinely want to help, but he had never heard of anything like I was asking. No one in any of the 2 branches I visited had any idea on how to request a letter. He printed out all my statements for the year and said this is all I know to do.

I considered using what he had given me, but I was afraid that because it wasn't what the Instructions for form I-134 says to submit that I may anger the consular officer by making him sort through a mountain of paperwork and do the calculations himself.

5. I followed the procedures I was given through their chat function on their app to the T and faxed a letter ( dated XX/XX/XXXX ) requesting that the make and send me the letter I need. Please see my attached letter. 

XXXX. A week later ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I received a letter saying it had been rejected again because my signature did not match the one they had on file. I called the number on the letter and finally got in touch with someone who works in that specific department. 

She was a sweet lady and she calmed me down because by this time between the upcoming deadline of my fianc 's interview I was both furious and on the verge of having a XXXX XXXX. She did originally say my signature looks the same to her and she didn't know why it was rejected before switching and saying they are different. 

I don't know if the first time my signature was captured on a digital sign thing or what, but when I went to the branch in XXXX XXXX it looked slightly different. I give them that. Why it wasn't an issue when I took out a mortgage with them I don't know. They gave me no trouble when I was taking out a mortgage. Admittedly my signature can vary sometimes and correcting the issue wouldn't have been a huge deal if not for all the other problems. 

7. Anyway the lady at the branch didn't really know how to help me and at one time we had 3 different people trying to figure out how to fix the problem. I don't have a problem with the people at the branch as they were nice and great, they just had never heard of my situation. I recommend more training as the people in the main office didn't even know that the people in the branch can't see all the things the people in the main office can. 

The manager thought about writing a letter but scared when he read the instructions. he told me i had to go through the main office.

One of the bankers at the branch checked my ID and sent the main office a letter saying it was really me and that she didn't know how to update my signature but here it is. 

XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX I received a XXXX notice rejecting my request that was identical to the XXXX letter. 

XXXX. I called the number on the letter again and the lady who picked up the phone after being on hold for about an hour. She looked at my file and said she would write the letter. 

I don't know at this point if they are just messing with me or they just wanted me to call and verify my identity or something. I have no idea why I got a second rejection letter because she agreed to do it without any new info. 

XXXX. The very helpful lady said that if I giver her an hour I could go have the local branch print it out. They don't do emails but since I was saying I needed it today she said I could do that. 

I went to the XXXX XXXX branch XXXX hours later and they didn't know how to pull it up and print it out. the banker at the branch called the same number i did and i watched and absolutely hilarious situation go down where the guy at the main office was trying to verify her and their verification process means calling her on the same phone she is using. Of course it ended up with them getting disconnected when she put him on hold. 
We waited on hold for maybe 15 minutes and finally got someone on the phone. they spent probably 10 minutes doing the same verification dance. I suggest they use email, or teams or something because the phone call thing is a train wreck. Not the lady at the branch 's fault.

11. He finally walks her through printing my letter out and i get to my car and decide to read it where I find out the didn't include the total deposits for the year which is the main thing needed to show that I have steady money coming in.

12. I originally went back in the branch, but she had a line of people she was helping and she basically said she had done all she can for me and i should call the main branch back.

13. I have already talked some about my conversation today. The lady originally told me I have to ask specifically for the total deposits to be included. When I told her I did and I included it in my letter she back tracked and said they don't do that.

The I have detailed my conversation with the manager. I will try and add that she tried to bluff me and tell me that they had researched it and that was the only info I needed. She took back water when i explained to her where exactly to go to find the info that she had spent so much time looking for.

I don't know no that any of the individual people I have dealt with are bad at their job, but as a whole the level of incompetency is pathetic.

What should have been a 5 to 15 minute process to a web portal as taken a whole month and probably at least 10 hours, and I still never got the letter I need.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation