Adjusting Status (from F-1 to resident, marriage-based)... Tips?

[MiaAndSabry 6]

So my timeline and profile give the basics. I'm married to an Egyptian, here on an F-1 student visa. We're filing for adjustment of status. Our interview is on June 26th, 2014.

I had some questions about a few things that I'm worried may be an issue, because of what I keep reading online.

1. We don't have wedding pictures. We had a small wedding, in the court house. Just me, my husband and a judge. They don't require witnesses here. We are both extremely introverted and quiet people. Very much loners and home bodies. That's why we were drawn to each other. We take FOREVER to make friends, pretty much we just keep the old friends from our childhood. I uprooted from California to come live here with him. So I was new to the area. And my parents are both dead (one died 2013, the other in 2014), while I don't really talk to my siblings much at all.... Then HIS family is all in Egypt. So.... Yeah. It was "just us" at the wedding. And again, it was in a court house. I don't even think you're allowed to take pictures in court houses... And even if you are, the only camera we had was our cell phones! I'm not gonna stand there, trying to say my vowes, holding my phone (or any camera) up in the air with one arm, trying to film us or get pictures.... That would just be plain silly. We simply didn't have anybody around in this town that we would want to invite. And our families were unavailable. And we are not gonna pay for a photographer, and a dress, and a tuxedo, and cake, and flowers, and music.... If nobody's gonna be there! lol. We have our marriage license with a LOCAL judge's signature. Its real. And pictures prove nothing without that anyway... We can't possibly be the first people in immigration to have a small, court-house civil ceremony. Not everybody gets starry-eyed over a big, lavish wedding. I for one think its silly. This is my second marriage, and my first wedding was exactly the same way. So if I just explain all that, do you think they will understand?

2. I saw on some websites that they ask couples things like "what side of the bed do you each sleep on?" and "who wakes up first?".... Um... I don't really think that would apply to us. We have oposite schedules (day shift vs. grave shift). And we alternate sleeping places, based on where we happened to fall asleep.. Like sometimes I'll sleep on the couch, sometimes the bed. Same with my husband. While the other person is usually awake, in another room, watching TV or using the computer, or out running errands. I mean if we're like "in the mood" or something, then we get together when one of us has a day off or something. But most of the time, we're not alseep at the same time. Can't say who wakes up first either, because its night and day, lol. So..... I guess just explain that?

Just trying to know what to expect, and how to explain things. I like to think just telling the truth is the answer, ya know?

[Karam and Jamie 44]

Oh my gosh, you sound so MUCH like me and my fiancé. I was also married in a court house to my first husband and will probably do the same with my honey. Can't afford it anyways. I work the night shift too haha....I will be interested to see what people say

[AtariBaby 17]

We didn't have wedding pictures. But start getting some photos together now, visiting relatives, or having a romantic dinner or going places. Follow the guides here and put together as much evidence as you can, and of course you'll have the legal marriage docs. A lot of stuff on that list is more important. Co-mingling of finances and responsibilities, proof of living at the same address, filing taxes as married, those are really important.

And yes, depending on the interviewer, you might get grilled on questions. Just answer honestly, like you did just now. It will probably be fine. They will mainly just be trying to catch people who really don't live together, or bluffing them into confessing.

Edited June 17, 2014 by AtariBaby

[samy + janet aly 8]

JUst be ready for the worse or the best. I will not sugar coat anything but even they can be cruel here as well as abroad.

Since he was here already on an F1 visa and then you got married, in their minds they will think he married you to stay in the country. Most times i had heard that if you marry on a different vis, there is a possibility they can send him back to have the right papers filed for a spouse or maybe not. ask your lawyer to be sure.

my husband and i were married at the ministry of justice in Cairo and we had some pictures of a small get together in Alexandria, like a wedding party but nothing big, we did not want that either. i had many pics for them to see, when he out the ring on my finger and such.

Good luck my friend and keep us posted!

[Ontarkie 13,920]

~~Moved to Adjustment of Status from Work, Student, & Tourist Visas, from Student & Exchange Visitor Visas~~

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

So my timeline and profile give the basics. I'm married to an Egyptian, here on an F-1 student visa. We're filing for adjustment of status. Our interview is on June 26th, 2014.

I had some questions about a few things that I'm worried may be an issue, because of what I keep reading online.

1. We don't have wedding pictures. We had a small wedding, in the court house. Just me, my husband and a judge. They don't require witnesses here. We are both extremely introverted and quiet people. Very much loners and home bodies. That's why we were drawn to each other. We take FOREVER to make friends, pretty much we just keep the old friends from our childhood. I uprooted from California to come live here with him. So I was new to the area. And my parents are both dead (one died 2013, the other in 2014), while I don't really talk to my siblings much at all.... Then HIS family is all in Egypt. So.... Yeah. It was "just us" at the wedding. And again, it was in a court house. I don't even think you're allowed to take pictures in court houses... And even if you are, the only camera we had was our cell phones! I'm not gonna stand there, trying to say my vowes, holding my phone (or any camera) up in the air with one arm, trying to film us or get pictures.... That would just be plain silly. We simply didn't have anybody around in this town that we would want to invite. And our families were unavailable. And we are not gonna pay for a photographer, and a dress, and a tuxedo, and cake, and flowers, and music.... If nobody's gonna be there! lol. We have our marriage license with a LOCAL judge's signature. Its real. And pictures prove nothing without that anyway... We can't possibly be the first people in immigration to have a small, court-house civil ceremony. Not everybody gets starry-eyed over a big, lavish wedding. I for one think its silly. This is my second marriage, and my first wedding was exactly the same way. So if I just explain all that, do you think they will understand?

2. I saw on some websites that they ask couples things like "what side of the bed do you each sleep on?" and "who wakes up first?".... Um... I don't really think that would apply to us. We have oposite schedules (day shift vs. grave shift). And we alternate sleeping places, based on where we happened to fall asleep.. Like sometimes I'll sleep on the couch, sometimes the bed. Same with my husband. While the other person is usually awake, in another room, watching TV or using the computer, or out running errands. I mean if we're like "in the mood" or something, then we get together when one of us has a day off or something. But most of the time, we're not alseep at the same time. Can't say who wakes up first either, because its night and day, lol. So..... I guess just explain that?

Just trying to know what to expect, and how to explain things. I like to think just telling the truth is the answer, ya know?

Your previous marriage was with an immigrant? If yes, please expect a long separated interview, google STOKE interview or search this term here in forum. Some mix-up answers will result in lengthy waiting for approval or even worse, home visits. Otherwise, you just answer to your knowledge, DO NOT make up answers. True relationship will answer itself.

Be ready for questions about traditions (age difference, religion pov, family support...) because they really pay attention to interracial marriages.

I had Stoke interview before, you can read it under my signature for some insights. If you don't know a fact about your spouse, just shoot straight "I don't know." Making up answers will give you a bloody hell outcome. Good luck.

[greenalien 3]

my spouse and i were never married prior to getting married to each other, and our wedding was also a simple civil ceremony with just the judge and the courthouse witness. the IO who interviewed us just tried to understand why we didn't have any family members during the ceremony, and our family is kinda all over the place and we said it was hard to get us together at the same place on the same day, and the IO was OK enough with that to approve us at the end of the interview...

that said, how receptive the IO is to your situation depends on the circumstances surrounding your first marriage and why it ended. and i completely agree that if it was with another immigrant it will probably be a red flag in the eyes of USCIS.

[Frenchican 6]

In a courthouse they do allow pictures. We did ours in one, my family was abroad and my husband didn't wanted his divorced parents there. Witness were not necessary, but planning about what I would file, I did ask two work colleagues to join us and they took pictures.

You can also ask they couple after you to take a picture, or the court clerk.

My husband doesn't like pictures, I still "forced" taking pictures when we did things together. The file I sent had pictures of us, hiking, visiting a local park, dinner (ask the waiter to take it), baking bread, doing stuff in the backyard, painting the house, a couple gathering we went, etc...

If you file that you share utilities and rent, maybe some large expence, (we should the receipt of a scooter paid with 2 credit cards) and there is some picture proof of the courting/marriage time. AND if you don't have any red flags (previous marriage to immigrants, immigrant having children abroad, living in different cities, previous visa issues, etc) then in the interview they will just re-ask you your basic information that is already on file and do the simple questions to each one: Where did you meet, what do you work on, have you been married, do you have children,? ....

I was expecting we would be separed and get all this weird questions you hear about, about on what side you sleep, what is the color of the spouse toothbrush, on what side of the toilet is the toilet paper, etc... nothing like that, i guess that is for red flags.

Good luck in you interview today

[BM2014 1]

I'm here on a F-1 visa as well, just sending out the package today for adjustment of status. We've known each other for years, but he doesn't like to have pictures taken. So, what do you do? Force a whole bunch of pictures just to have something to prove for?

We have probably 3-4 pictures from the past four years, and then we have a few pictures from the city hall wedding where we only had our witness attending. We rather have a large party for friends and family, that can travel from abroad.
I put him on my lease, and we now have joint bank accounts. I'm on his car insurance.

That's the natural first steps for any couple to make, so I don't stress it. And I don't think you should either!

Best wishes!

[SBB 74]

People on F-1 visas marry US citizens all the time; unless there's something very odd about your relationship there shouldn't be any problems.