Advice for upcoming AOS interview? Married to US Citizen

[Allie D 39]

My husband and I are in our mid-twenties. Our AOS interview is scheduled for early June. We prepared and submitted our application without legal support. Understandably, we're nervous and would appreciate feedback on our particular case, including advice on any red flags.

 

Relevant details: 

• We met during our final year of undergraduate studies (2014-15). We went to the same university. I had a F-1 visa.
• Long distance relationship between summer 2015-2016. We worked in different states. I applied to hundreds of jobs in his states but having no luck, took an offer in the state where I was living using my OPT. We visited each other monthly and have evidence in the form of photographs, gifts, plane tickets, correspondence. I'd prefer not to bring personal emails to the AOS interview because that seems excessively intrusive. Aren't the photographs, gifts, and plane tickets enough? It's clear that these were accumulated throughout the space of 1.5 years (different seasons, haircuts, locations, etc).
• In February 2016, we got engaged so that I could move to TX to be with him. It's easier to find a job in a state when you're actually living in that state.
• However, my firm in loved me and decided to sponsor me for a H-1B visa around March/April 2016. It was a nice gesture so I went along -- couldn't hurt, right? I wasn't picked in the lottery but that was OK. My boyfriend and I were going to get married anyway!
• In July 2016, we eloped in the state where I was living with our best friend present. It seemed like a cute, inexpensive thing to do. New to the workforce, we couldn't afford a fancy wedding with a reception. We also didn't want to take out a loan or ask our parents for money. Our parents would have "forcibly" financed and organized our wedding if we hadn't eloped. My husband and I are very self-dependent, DIY people.
• My parents haven't met my husband yet because it's too expensive for them to visit from India. We haven't visited them either since my husband and I decided that it might be too risky for me to leave the USA without a green card. We Skype with my parents, but audio only, since my parents' internet connection isn't great.
• I've met his family. He's met my aunts who moved to the USA in late 2016 (after our wedding). I'm going to introduce him to another uncle later this month. We have some pictures with our families but not many. We don't see our families that often.
• We filed for an adjustment of status in September 2016. My OPT expired in October 2016.
• Other evidence to support our case:
  • We live together. Apartment lease, utility bills, internet bills. 
  • Joint bank account for paying rent, groceries, everyday expenses. We also have separate bank accounts that we haven't merged. We each add a certain amount of money each month to the joint account.
  • I'm the beneficiary to my husband's employment benefits (health insurance, life insurance, etc.).
  • 2016 taxes: married, filing separately. This was convenient because my taxes are simple whereas he has stocks, other assets etc. We got lazy. We'll file jointly this year.
  • Car purchase. My bought me a car this year so that we could both have cars. It's registered under my name.
  • Joint charity donations.
  • Photos together, with family, with our friends. We don't take many photos, so we don't have bulging albums. We'll take a photo or two for every significant event.
  • Our best friend will be providing an affidavit to support our application. I could ask my sister to write one too.

 

Advice is appreciated! My husband and I are very DIY so we'd prefer not to hire a lawyer. One of my friends from the EU recently closed a long-distance relationship and her AOS process went swimmingly without a lawyer's support. However, they had more extensive photographic evidence than my husband and I do. If you think we should get a lawyer to take care of any red flags, please let me know.

 

Thanks!

[Becci391 340]

Looks good to me.

[A'n'L 735]

My gosh, you're really all set. Good to go.

[Allie D 39]

On 5/3/2017 at 0:53 PM, A'n'L said:

My gosh, you're really all set. Good to go.

Thank you so much for the reassurance. I just want to be done with the interview and move on so that we can have one less thing to worry about.