bonafide marriage for CR-1

[busyybeee 0]

Hello everyone. 

 

I recently got married (arranged) in my home country in India. I went there in February and got married in March in the courthouse (went there for holidays but through family I met him). I am 31 years old and he is 25 years old. I thought he was a little too young but it seems like age is just a number. He is pretty mature. Neither of us are previously married. I am back in the US and am a citizen. My question is when do I file for the I-130? Do I have to submit all the paperwork- affidavit of support (I-864) , chat/phone logs etc for the I-130 or is it at a later stage? I am worried that I don't have much communication with him since the relationship is very new, and that I married a stranger in a month. Also we only chat / call like once a day. I also have few pictures. I am not worried about the affidavit of support because I have a pretty good job here. What other proof do I need to prove it’s a bonafide marriage? I was thinking of putting his name on my beneficiary’s list (retirement). Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Boiler 43,436]

Is this an arranged marriage?

[mniceguy16 184]

30 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Is this an arranged marriage?

Yes OP said it is an arranged marriage.

[Boiler 43,436]

Oops missed that, probably the best advice is to give it time, lots of time together before you file anything.

[Mr. Bama 46]

1 hour ago, busyybeee said:

Hello everyone. 

 

I recently got married (arranged) in my home country in India. I went there in February and got married in March in the courthouse (went there for holidays but through family I met him). I am 31 years old and he is 25 years old. I thought he was a little too young but it seems like age is just a number. He is pretty mature. Neither of us are previously married. I am back in the US and am a citizen. My question is when do I file for the I-130? Do I have to submit all the paperwork- affidavit of support (I-864) , chat/phone logs etc for the I-130 or is it at a later stage? I am worried that I don't have much communication with him since the relationship is very new, and that I married a stranger in a month. Also we only chat / call like once a day. I also have few pictures. I am not worried about the affidavit of support because I have a pretty good job here. What other proof do I need to prove it’s a bonafide marriage? I was thinking of putting his name on my beneficiary’s list (retirement). Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

https://www.uscis.gov/i-130

 

Go to this website.   This is the first step and will answer all of your question from USCIS.

[busyybeee 0]

3 hours ago, Boiler said:

Oops missed that, probably the best advice is to give it time, lots of time together before you file anything.

How much time is enough? Should i wait a few months? Also, what would my legal status be- Am I still single or married? Am I supposed to change status for W-2? Thanks

[busyybeee 0]

3 hours ago, Mr. Bama said:

https://www.uscis.gov/i-130

 

Go to this website.   This is the first step and will answer all of your question from USCIS.

 

i wanted to see if they were other people who went through the same arranged marriage thing. Didn’t want to rush into something, then get a RFE later. Thanks though. 

[The Rock ll 227]

43 minutes ago, busyybeee said:

 

i wanted to see if they were other people who went through the same arranged marriage thing. Didn’t want to rush into something, then get a RFE later. Thanks though. 

I got married in dec 2017 and once I had my marriage certificate and few docs to prove it’s legit ...I applied in late April 2018 and got approved without any REF last month...the reason it took long was it was routed to Hellbraska...my wife is also from INDIA...so with the recent delay in getting approvals and tough time for getting any thing get through the immigration..I would suggest file now with docs u get from court and family affidavit and some chats and logs and flight details and pics and you should be good...AOS aka I-864 is for your later stage...Changing your last name to your husband name is also some beneficial...so file and ride the tide...sooner or later you will get through...best of luck ...for your immigration journey...

[busyybeee 0]

16 minutes ago, The Rock ll said:

I got married in dec 2017 and once I had my marriage certificate and few docs to prove it’s legit ...I applied in late April 2018 and got approved without any REF last month...the reason it took long was it was routed to Hellbraska...my wife is also from INDIA...so with the recent delay in getting approvals and tough time for getting any thing get through the immigration..I would suggest file now with docs u get from court and family affidavit and some chats and logs and flight details and pics and you should be good...AOS aka I-864 is for your later stage...Changing your last name to your husband name is also some beneficial...so file and ride the tide...sooner or later you will get through...best of luck ...for your immigration journey...

Did you have an arranged marriage also? Did you file it yourself or with a lawyer’s help? Flight details?- just mine when I went there? We didn’t go any where together, we stayed in the country.Thanks

Edited April 8, 2019 by busyybeee
Missing info

[mniceguy16 184]

1 hour ago, busyybeee said:

Did you have an arranged marriage also? Did you file it yourself or with a lawyer’s help? Flight details?- just mine when I went there? We didn’t go any where together, we stayed in the country.Thanks

Lawyers are of no help especially if you or your husband do not have a criminal history or an overstay in the USA which may need a waiver. My wife and I did our whole package from scratch, she was suggesting we use a lawyer and the lawyer was asking $4000 just to arrange documents. I refused and we did everything ourselves. Priority date may 29 2018 we were approved on nov 27 2018 and interview march 25 2019, visa already in hand atm. So like someone mentioned to you above, just file now and include pics,chats,copies of civil docs. I have known my spouse for years but prior to filing we had just 2 visits and we were fine with approvals. As long as your husband has no criminal history you can go ahead and file, uscis is aware about arranged marriages especially in India and MENA countries and you won't be asked on the form i130 to describe how you met, unlike for form i129f. Such questions on how you met will pop up at your husband's interview 10-14 months from now, by then you must have accumulated more facetime and enough chats and evidences of a bonafide marriage. Goodluck.

Edited April 8, 2019 by mniceguy16

[The Rock ll 227]

1 hour ago, busyybeee said:

Did you have an arranged marriage also? Did you file it yourself or with a lawyer’s help? Flight details?- just mine when I went there? We didn’t go any where together, we stayed in the country.Thanks

Yes Arranged...same ...we just stay in the city and I just sent my immigration in and out stamp out of delhi and I visited my wife twice in few months after our marriage...oh by the way I did everything myself...just do your homework on I130 and I130 A...and make sure your spouse hand sign with black ink on I130 A...even the instructions says if your spouse is not in US ...leave that part...I have seen so my REFs so that part and delayed even further...

[Khallaf 649]

4 hours ago, busyybeee said:

How much time is enough? Should i wait a few months? Also, what would my legal status be- Am I still single or married? Am I supposed to change status for W-2? Thanks

you can file at any time, but since this is arranged marriage, there isn't a lot of before communication of the relationship which is understandable.

 

You are married for all purpose you don't have to fix the w2 which requires a W4, but I would updated with your company that you are now married, I would adjust all your contact information to reflect your spouses name, there is no SSN that would be required in order to add him to your life insurance as beneficiary. I would also update your utility bills if you have any that you pay such as Water, Electric, Gas, add him to the apartment lease if you can. "I was able to as my landlord is somewhat of a private type landlord who didn't ask me for his ssn"

 

I would also add him to your car insurance as a non driver, these things I list will all go to show ongoing marriage in the mingle of assets.

 

I would strongly urge you if you don't meet the guidelines of poverty level to find a second job I have seen a lot out of India being refused even with a co/joint sponsor on the likely they will become a public charge. I know this is all evidence you need at the NVC stage but always be thinking of the next step to avoid any potential surprises.

 

 

[myVisaJourney 11]

6 hours ago, busyybeee said:

 

i wanted to see if they were other people who went through the same arranged marriage thing. Didn’t want to rush into something, then get a RFE later. Thanks though. 

Hey, mine was also arranged and we didn’t even live together before the uscis. It was Nikah as I am muslim and he went back to the us. So we just had a few pictures and wedding pictures. We got accepted by the uscis without any rfe. We had chatlogs but we didn’t send any. Don’t worry. You should file and not wait. Tell them in the cover letter that it is an arranged marriage. Send other evidences, like where the marriage proposal was initiated etc But we had so many nikah and reception pictures of me and my husband and all family members. 

Edited April 8, 2019 by myVisaJourney
Added more info

[Apple Bee 272]

3 hours ago, mniceguy16 said:

Lawyers are of no help especially if you or your husband do not have a criminal history or an overstay in the USA which may need a waiver. My wife and I did our whole package from scratch, she was suggesting we use a lawyer and the lawyer was asking $4000 just to arrange documents. I refused and we did everything ourselves. Priority date may 29 2018 we were approved on nov 27 2018 and interview march 25 2019, visa already in hand atm. So like someone mentioned to you above, just file now and include pics,chats,copies of civil docs. I have known my spouse for years but prior to filing we had just 2 visits and we were fine with approvals. As long as your husband has no criminal history you can go ahead and file, uscis is aware about arranged marriages especially in India and MENA countries and you won't be asked on the form i130 to describe how you met, unlike for form i129f. Such questions on how you met will pop up at your husband's interview 10-14 months from now, by then you must have accumulated more facetime and enough chats and evidences of a bonafide marriage. Goodluck.

Wow lucky you...We have similar dates. My PD is 5/22/18, I-130 approved 11/28/18 and my husband is still waiting for an interview, I know it's different countries but geesh

Edited April 8, 2019 by Apple Bee

[busyybeee 0]

4 hours ago, mniceguy16 said:

Lawyers are of no help especially if you or your husband do not have a criminal history or an overstay in the USA which may need a waiver. My wife and I did our whole package from scratch, she was suggesting we use a lawyer and the lawyer was asking $4000 just to arrange documents. I refused and we did everything ourselves. Priority date may 29 2018 we were approved on nov 27 2018 and interview march 25 2019, visa already in hand atm. So like someone mentioned to you above, just file now and include pics,chats,copies of civil docs. I have known my spouse for years but prior to filing we had just 2 visits and we were fine with approvals. As long as your husband has no criminal history you can go ahead and file, uscis is aware about arranged marriages especially in India and MENA countries and you won't be asked on the form i130 to describe how you met, unlike for form i129f. Such questions on how you met will pop up at your husband's interview 10-14 months from now, by then you must have accumulated more facetime and enough chats and evidences of a bonafide marriage. Goodluck.

What is the I-29F? I tried searching for it, but couldn’t find it. Thanks