Anxious as I prepare for Interview

[Callistora 6]

So me and my Canadian husband sent in a AoS package back in October 2019, we've had no issues so far other than having to send in a long form birth certificate.  Our original interview was back in April but was cancelled because of COVID-19.  He has done his biometrics and gotten his EAD and work SSN.  

 

I can't help be so anxious about the interview.  We've been married for 4 years.  He was out of status (overstay) for 3 years pretty much as we had some emergencies pop up that required money which made it hard to file while providing for both of us.  He's obviously been unemployed and we stay with my parents (I pay them rent).  He came on a tourist visa in February 2016 to help me care for my Mom who had open heart surgery, we were gonna drive back and stay in Canada after a few months when she was recovered but I ended up getting promoted to full time at my current employer and decided I wasn't sure if leaving that job and my Mom was such a good idea and I guess since our plans were changing and we were gonna be separated he ended up proposing end of July 2016 and we were married in September at the courthouse where my Mom and a family friend was present.  

 

The evidence I have is joint bank account for last 2 years, 3 years of joint tax returns, I added him on my main credit card as an authorized user (although there is no paper showing this that I can find but he has the card in his wallet).  We have a joint phone plan for over a year and he is the beneficiary on my work life insurance. I've met his family (I don't have pictures though as this was 5 years ago) and he has met mine (which I have holiday pictures every year of him, me and my extended family).  I also have evidence of one vacation together (all we have taken) with pictures and also pictures of us at a concert.  I have evidence that we visited 4 times before this last visit. And lastly I have a ton of greeting cards (most still have the envelope with postage and our address and names) I kept from his mom and grandma to me and him over the last few years, some with a lot of writing since his grandma loves to write to him.

 

What I don't have is a joint lease or utility bills as everything is in my Mom's name ( but I do have an affidavit from her, and also his Mom too).  We bought a car together (this was the event that most caused us to have to postpone our application as my car was a money pit and then finally died making us use any savings we had trying to keep it alive and then on down payment on a new car😢) and I have pictures of us on that day with our but I wasn't able to add his name to it.

 

Unfortunately outside of holidays with my family we don't have many pictures.  We are homebodies and game in our free time and I don't know how to provide evidence of that.

 

The things I'm most worried about is we met online in the game WoW and I am 13 years older than him.  It's never been an issue for us but I know age gaps are frowned upon. Also his overstay and proposing on a tourist visa even though none of this was our intent, it's just what ended up happening. 

 

Sorry for such a long post I'm just extremely anxious about the interview. My husband tells me to calm down and it'll be fine but I just want it to be over so he can work and we can start a family.  

 

Is there any other evidence we can provide that I haven't thought of or do you think I have enough?  And would any of my concerns cause any serious issues at the interview?

 

I can screenshot texts from the last 2 years on my phone to and from my husband, between my husband and my mom, or between me and his mom if needed. 

[Callistora 6]

So going through everything I've realized that for my husband's address history I put the wrong month (but right year) on the I 130a but it is correct on the I485. I don't know how we missed this.  Should I mention it at our interview?  It was before he visited so it doesn't change anything but I assume I should mention the mistake?

[AA.Bailey 51]

On 8/10/2020 at 7:05 PM, Callistora said:

So going through everything I've realized that for my husband's address history I put the wrong month (but right year) on the I 130a but it is correct on the I485. I don't know how we missed this.  Should I mention it at our interview?  It was before he visited so it doesn't change anything but I assume I should mention the mistake?

There should be something you can have in writing for like rent payments to your mom that you can get, umm lets see none of those stuff you are worried about should affect him. Also if he had done illegal work, make sure to mention on the document, by checking yes or no if he had work illegally (won't be a problem) people have to survive somehow. Age difference may look bad to them but heck you can topple that, positive thinking! I'd say have people also write letters or affidavits stating or talking about your relationship and if they believe you guys are bonafide etc. pictures honestly they really dont care about them that much, they wanna see more paper proof. Which so far you got quite a bit, like taxes, bank accounts, phone bills, etc. if you can somehow prove that you both live together that will be a huge one ( probably like make your mom write something) take lots more pics of you doing things together (even tho i said pics really aren't too important) could be like  hiking, camping etc just showing you doing alot together. A baby would be another good plus. haha if you up for it. So basically what they mostly wanna see is:

 

• Joint bank accounts
• Joint credit card
• Joint tax returns
• deeds, rent mortgage titles
• health insurance (thats a good one)
• life insurance
• proof that you live together (drivers license with same address on it could help that, or bank statements) 
• They wanna see serious evidence of intimacy (like saying you goto a romantic getaway or something, gifts from either of you etc) 

Thats pretty much all i could think of.    oh dont worry about the address, they dont really care of the exact day (they'll know)

Edited August 12, 2020 by AA.Bailey

[Callistora 6]

Thank you for the response. We had the interview and all seemed to go well I think.   He didnt really want more evidence and kinda laughed at everything I was pulling out.  He said the evidence he had looked good. We didnt get an approval yet though.  We did not submit the medical exam until today and because of covid 19 anything we submitted today wont be seen for 3 days.  We didnt even interview in person lol it was on a tablet in an office.  It was nothing we expected. He did say before covid 19 you'd hear back same day or fairly quickly but it takes up to the 30 days because of all the restrictions. He went through the applications and then asked only 4 questions about us to me and that was it. Lasted like 30 minutes , at least 10 of that was him looking at the case for the first time. The officer was really nice.  Hopefully he gets approved. 

[Cornflake 108]

3 hours ago, Callistora said:

Thank you for the response. We had the interview and all seemed to go well I think.   He didnt really want more evidence and kinda laughed at everything I was pulling out.  He said the evidence he had looked good. We didnt get an approval yet though.  We did not submit the medical exam until today and because of covid 19 anything we submitted today wont be seen for 3 days.  We didnt even interview in person lol it was on a tablet in an office.  It was nothing we expected. He did say before covid 19 you'd hear back same day or fairly quickly but it takes up to the 30 days because of all the restrictions. He went through the applications and then asked only 4 questions about us to me and that was it. Lasted like 30 minutes , at least 10 of that was him looking at the case for the first time. The officer was really nice.  Hopefully he gets approved. 

Congrats 🎉!!!! 

Thank you for sharing your experience! 

[mydas28 19]

keep your fingers crossed to get an interview waiver. They have been sending out a lot of those to clear the humungous backlog created due to covid19.

[TJF 0]

5 hours ago, mydas28 said:

keep your fingers crossed to get an interview waiver. They have been sending out a lot of those to clear the humungous backlog created due to covid19.

Interview waivers are a thing now? How have you heard about this?

 

Thanks!

[itscarly 114]

On 8/14/2020 at 1:46 PM, Callistora said:

Thank you for the response. We had the interview and all seemed to go well I think.   He didnt really want more evidence and kinda laughed at everything I was pulling out.  He said the evidence he had looked good. We didnt get an approval yet though.  We did not submit the medical exam until today and because of covid 19 anything we submitted today wont be seen for 3 days.  We didnt even interview in person lol it was on a tablet in an office.  It was nothing we expected. He did say before covid 19 you'd hear back same day or fairly quickly but it takes up to the 30 days because of all the restrictions. He went through the applications and then asked only 4 questions about us to me and that was it. Lasted like 30 minutes , at least 10 of that was him looking at the case for the first time. The officer was really nice.  Hopefully he gets approved. 

Can I ask you what those questions were? I’m kind of nervous about that 

[Callistora 6]

10 minutes ago, itscarly said:

Can I ask you what those questions were? I’m kind of nervous about that 

He asked my husband my name and birthday and date of our wedding.  He asked me how we met (which was online in a game),  when we first met in person and really that was it.  I think he was going to ask why we didn't have a joint lease/mortgage in both our names but I had previously answered that when I offered an affidavit of residence (which he didn't even want) for my husband from my mom since we rent a room from her which meant everything was in her name.

[Callistora 6]

1 hour ago, TJF said:

Interview waivers are a thing now? How have you heard about this?

 

Thanks!

I've heard that they were waiving some interviews but honestly I think it's very clear-cut cases where it's 100% obvious bona fide marriage. I'm just speculating here but possibly cases where there are kids together or where they came on a k1 visa so they already went through an interview.  I'm also thinking it's in more populated areas where they are heavily backlogged but like I said this is all just speculation.  I'd honestly expect an interview I haven't read about them waiving that many it happens but it seems rare. 

 

 

[mydas28 19]

8 hours ago, TJF said:

Interview waivers are a thing now? How have you heard about this?

 

Thanks!

By getting one myself. Have a look at my timeline.