Suggestions for a better chance of approval

[Siddsgal 80]

Hi everyone, really appreciate this site, so much wonderful and helpful info! 

 

My question is if there’s anything my fiancé and I should or could be doing now, before we file for CR-1 visa. A bit of background and why I know the odds are stacked against us. I am quite a bit older than my fiancé, 11 years older, I’m an American and he’s in India, and we haven’t been together for years like a lot of you have. We will be getting married in August, have been saving everything since realized our relationship was the real deal for us and I have saved all my flights & trip itineraries and receipts from when I visited him. 

Neither one of us have tons of money so we can’t really afford to go through this process multiple times and it’s just downright tough to be apart. 

I know India has a high fraud reputation, also know we’re gonna be flagged as fraud from the get go cuz of our age difference and lack of money to go over by him more than 2x a year. We have a lot of people from all over the world that can validate our relationship but I’m not sure how much weight that will carry with getting an approval? We are trying to find ways to get a joint bank account, main reason being it would be practical for traveling, marriage and visa expenses but have not had much luck finding a way to do a joint account yet. I’ll move to Mumbai once my daughter graduates if his visa doesn’t get approved but that isn’t something either of us really want, he’s an educated man that could really contribute to American workforce and Id hate to be in a different country than my daughter.   So does anyone have any suggestions of things we can be doing or should do to give us a better chance of his visa being approved? Thanks in advance from both of us for any help! 

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

Based on stories told here, 11 years doesn't seem that big of an age difference. As for tips, if his India passport is due to expire within the next year or two, have him get a renewed passport. From CR1 (i130) through removal of conditions of the green card (i551) to US citizenship (n400) is a 4+ year process. It's a little easier if he doesn't have to get a new passport during the middle of this process. And if he's changing his name, at all, definitely renew the passport right now with his new name - before you file the CR1.

[dwheels76 5,459]

11 years is hardly a huge age gap. I married my husband 6 months after meeting him online introduced by friends. I am 26 years older. No issues at interview.
You have visited and stayed I don't see what the issue is.

Just prepare your petition package with quality evidence, pictures, your communications.Selecting a few conversations a month. get a few 2 to 4 affidavits from family and friends attesting to your relationship.
Good spontaneous pictures of you with his family enjoying all the India cultural things.

 

When you go to get married try and stay at least more than a month. Time together is your biggest evidence. Will this be your first face to face meeting?

 

A joint account doesn't really mean much when you aren't living together I sure wouldn't stress myself trying to get one setup if it's that hard.

[John & Rose 7,237]

11 years isn't bad but an older woman will raise a few eyebrows.  I agree with @Russ&Caro, get the new passport.  CR-1 are less likely to get denied and it seems like you already understand the very minor challenge you will have.  I don't believe it will be a problem but always be confident and honest and you will be approved.

[Siddsgal 80]

Oh my goodness, you don’t know how much you have made me feel better about our age difference, thank you!! After we got engaged I had consulted a lawyer and he made it sound like our age was gonna be a huge obstacle, I’ve felt sorta hopeless since then. Our relationship wasn’t something either of us were looking for or even really wanted because of the distance & cuz we both have been happily single for years but for some reason we are perfect for each other. 

At this point, he doesn’t even have a passport, he’s heen having issues with getting his birth certificate cuz of family issues but by August he hopes to have his passport. 

Thanks again for making me feel better about our age difference!! 😁

 

[TBoneTX 43,019]

Age difference won't be an issue unless it's out of the ordinary in the local culture.

As stated, "face time" in person is your best selling point.

Front-load your I-130 with meaningful evidence of your bona fide relationship.

This means evidence that would convince a dubious stranger (the consular officer) of validity.

[Siddsgal 80]

7 minutes ago, dwheels76 said:

11 years is hardly a huge age gap. I married my husband 6 months after meeting him online introduced by friends. I am 26 years older. No issues at interview.
You have visited and stayed I don't see what the issue is.

Just prepare your petition package with quality evidence, pictures, your communications.Selecting a few conversations a month. get a few 2 to 4 affidavits from family and friends attesting to your relationship.
Good spontaneous pictures of you with his family enjoying all the India cultural things.

 

When you go to get married try and stay at least more than a month. Time together is your biggest evidence. Will this be your first face to face meeting?

 

A joint account doesn't really mean much when you aren't living together I sure wouldn't stress myself trying to get one setup if it's that hard.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me!!!! I seem to hear all the reasons why it won’t work and how unlikely his visa is so you guys have renewed my hope♥️ 

Dwheels76, you in particular have really given me hope again, my fiancé and I met online to, he’s an admin of a fb group I joined so wasn’t a dating website. We pretty much fell in love after hours every day spent on the phone with each other and met 4 months after we met, which was this past February. I spent a week with him in India and the proposal wasn’t planned, we just both have known from the start that we’re met for each other. He had to ask my daughter first before it became official tho lol. 

So in August when I go back, my daughter will be going with me but we will only be able to stay for 3 weeks because of her schooling and cuz I’m a farmer. Then next year in February I’ll go back again for a week or so, the weather and my responsibilities at my home just don’t allow for longer trips than that. 

 

 

[arken 4,197]

Not trying to scare you but so you be prepared with the required evidences, my input/suggestion:

 

Unlike other countries, COs know it’s not common for men from South asian countries to marry a woman  a bit older than themselves culturally (unless it’s Priyanka/Nick), so your soon to be husband shall expect a bit of scrutiny during the visa interview. USCIS stage should generally be of no concern. To overcome any doubts CO could have during the visa interview, provide as many evidences of relationship as possible during I130 and then during NVC and then finally bring for the interviews. 

 

Go thru VJ guidelines. 

 

Start gathering evidences like

-any iteneraries/boarding passes of your travel to meet him

- any evidences of time spent together

- affidavits do not carry much weight but still good to have a few, focus more on tangible evidences

-printouts of chats at various timelines

- adding him as your beneficiary to your bank accounts,  retirement accounts 

-receipts of gifts sent back n forth

- timeline photos of you with him and his/your family including indian style wedding photos.

- make sure your husband knows everthying about your past including your current daughter.

 

Good luck...

 

Edited March 11, 2019 by arken