5490E--One of my roommates is an undocumented immigrant

[Isometry]

5490E, question #29 asks you to list the people you live with.
I live in the United States, and the way my apartment complex works is that we have a 4 bedroom apartment, and each room is rented out separately, with its own lease.

A new roommate moved in last week. I don't know her last name (the leasing office won't tell me, and yes this apartment complex sucks), and from some things she's said I'm pretty sure she's in the States illegally.

Should I list her on the form? Will she get in trouble if I do? She seems nice, and I don't want to cause problems for her, but she's also officially listed as a roommate with the leasing office, and I don't want to not list her and then get in trouble with the CIC for withholding information.

 

[PMM]

Hi

5490E, question #29 asks you to list the people you live with.
I live in the United States, and the way my apartment complex works is that we have a 4 bedroom apartment, and each room is rented out separately, with its own lease.

A new roommate moved in last week. I don't know her last name (the leasing office won't tell me, and yes this apartment complex sucks), and from some things she's said I'm pretty sure she's in the States illegally.

Should I list her on the form? Will she get in trouble if I do? She seems nice, and I don't want to cause problems for her, but she's also officially listed as a roommate with the leasing office, and I don't want to not list her and then get in trouble with the CIC for withholding information.

You don't live with her, as you have a separate lease, then you live alone.

 

[kuku]

why would you put someone in trouble if he/she is not creating any trouble for you... let her live....
n if leasing office has her name under their rent list then chances are very less hat she is illegal. usually leasing offices do not rent their apt without proper documentation..

 

[canadianwoman]

I think because you have separate leases and you didn't know her before she moved in, you are not really 'living with' her. I wouldn't bother mentioning her name. Or you could explain your living situation on the forms, and state you don't know her last name or any other details about her.

 

[toby]

As PMM said, Isometry is living alone (separate lease), so no need to mention the supposed illegal.

Kuku, it was precisely to avoid causing trouble for the new tenant that Isometry posed the question. You’ve misunderstood his/her intent.

 

[kuku]

I understand the intention..it was not bad but listing someone in the form does not cause any trouble to you if he/she is your roommate.. you do not know what he/she does out side the room.. and CIC is not goin to run his/her background check...does not matter he/she is illegal as long as your status is legal and you are not doing anything wrong..

 

[Isometry]

So if I have a separate lease, I don't have to mention my roommates, even though I share bathroom/kitchen and have the same address?

That would make this easier, since my roommates will probably change before everything's done being processed anyway

 

[dell1505]

i would consider this as separate too.....you do not live with her....so dont worry..

 

[sidkrose]

Yes, I wouldn't mention them. It sounds sort of like a dorm, doesn't it? Where everyone has a separate room, but shares common areas, but you wouldn't really consider yourself "living with" the other people on your floor.

 

[Boracay]

I think CIC asks that question for example.....if someone were to say he is living with (name) and then CIC realizes that's his X-Wife.....that's a huge red flag

or....even if someone is living with a person of the opposite sex, which wouldn't disqualify you but then can lead to further questions such as who is she, do you share a room, etc

I highly doubt they do background checks to see if the person is an illegal or even a criminal etc

 

[toby]

So if I have a separate lease, I don't have to mention my roommates, even though I share bathroom/kitchen and have the same address?

That would make this easier, since my roommates will probably change before everything's done being processed anyway

I think (and it's only my guess) that the key issue is whether you are living with these people by choice, or whether someone else makes the decisions about who occupies these rooms. Since each of you has a separate lease, I assume that a landlord makes the decisions about who gets these rooms, not you. So, you are not living with them, only living beside them. Therefore you don't have to mention them at all.

However, to cover all bases, you might mention the living arrangement (but don't list the occupants) in a cover letter (link the comment to the form and question # so that CIC will know what question you are talking about).

That way, if CIC wants to know about these people (highly unlikely though this may be), you cannot be suspected of covering anything up.