Advice before filing

[Nywoek 167]

Hi 😃
 

Arrived on a K1 at the end of July, got my ssn and last week we went and got a marriage license. Now we are trying to figure out when to actually get married, but we have decided to just do it pretty much without celebration, and plan a bigger wedding for friends and family in a year or two. I do have two daughters who will be there, and I suppose we need witnesses, but other than that I am not sure we will have any guests at our wedding.

 

Feeling a little nervous about filing, after submitting the i129f application with proof of relationship I have kept up making a page of photos and documentations from all our visits, which I brought to the embassy when I had my interview. They did not even look at it, but better safe than sorry. Since I have been here we have been super busy, and while I have snapped some photos during datenights there is not a whole lot to write home about. In addition, I think the only mail I have gotten has been my snn, and things I have purchased that came in the mail.

 

Should we document the entire relationship, or is it more important to show newer photos from right before and right after we got married?

 

We do not really get any post in the actual mailbox, so collecting that also feels hard, any advice with that? Since I do not want to wait too long before we file I feel stressed I do not have enough to send in. I read you can send it afterwards, but that they do not always look at it.

 

So yeah, entered the country, got my ssn and marriage license, anything else super important I should be getting up to? 😅 Me and the kids will be put on his work insurance after we marry, and he will add me to bank accounts. I have a credit card with my name on it right now, still using my norwegian funds though. Any advice is appreciated, thank you! ^.^

[TBoneTX 48,296]

Avoid overthinking the AOS process.  Read instructions carefully, interpret them literally, and answer/respond completely and honestly.  Just file the I-485 as soon as you marry.

 

Get multiple copies of your marriage certificate.  The brand-new Mrs. T-B. & I got permission from our officiant to hand-carry the signed marriage license to the courthouse.  We made a beeline there.  The clerk said that no one had ever requested as many as 7 certificates, but she prepared them as we waited.  We then immediately included one in the I-485 package.

 

You should begin now to collect information for ROC (Removing Conditions).  Take everything that comes to you in the mail or from other sources, and throw it into a box.  Create a special document folder on your computer for online material.  Come ROC time, you'll have plenty of evidence to pick from.

 

In addition (actually, before anything), shop for a lawyer who can draft wills, medical & financial powers of attorney, and similar estate documents.  These make superlative evidence for ROC, and they're even more crucial to have in "life."  Remember that if you move from one U.S. state to another, your will may need to be redone.

[TBoneTX 48,296]

Thread is shifted from the "AOS from K Visas" Case Progress subforum to the main Process forum.

[smilingstone 764]

We married at UPS store, no witnesses needed, only notorized by a store employee. But your state may vary.

 

We filed with initial secondary evidence of a few pics of us. After you file, you will be able to upload further evidence via your USCIS account. We have been sporadically uploading what we can, such as pics from marriage party with family, comingling stuff, whatever we can, since filing. But honestly, it can be limited what you have. USCIS understand that you're filing after being here for barely any time, it isn't expected that you will have much. As @TBoneTX said, just file ASAP, worry about evidence later. 

 

Work on getting state ID/driving license next, although you may not be able to do this before getting your EAD. Some of us, including myself, have had trouble getting things before EAD. 

[SL2024 317]

I would advise you to get married as soon as you can (as you then have to wait a week or 2 for the marriage certificate to be ready - well at least in California that's how long it took) and like @TBoneTX said to get multiple copies of the marriage certificate (we got 5). 

 

I would also say file to the AOS initially with the strongest case you possibly can within the 90 days. You can then print off and upload additional evidence in between the AOS filing and the interview (if scheduled one).

 

This is what we submitted initially for evidence along with the AOS paperwork as follows:-

 

Petitioner (US Citizen) - Proof of US Citizenship (US Passport), Birth Certificate, Most recent federal tax returns, W2's, 1099's, 3 recent pay stubs and 2 passport style colour photographs

 

Beneficiary - Passport, Birth Certificate, K1 Visa in passport, DS 3025 Vaccination Worksheet (I didn't need to do a new medical exam as I had all required vaccinations at my medical in London last year and my medical was marked as complete so I just provided this and a cover letter explaining this as well), passport style colour photographs, Marriage Certificate, Marriage Proofs - (these can be for example pictures of you both and with family and friends, joint bank accounts, lease agreement, joint health insurance, etc) and SSN and I-94.

 

**PLEASE NOTE** - All of what we provided in terms of evidence in this filing apart from the passport style colour photographs were copies that were either printed off or scanned and then printed off.

 

There are also guides on VJ and online if you want to look into those and what you need as well.  

[Sam Burns 218]

There are lots of guides out there for what to do after getting married from K1. Don’t dawdle, get everything filed asap re AOS and work permit etc. You don’t need to send your life story, just some examples of what they ask for. I’ve never sent chats or phone records or anything like that. Definitely don’t overthink it.

[alliejourney 148]

Re: your concern about not having many pictures, we didn't either. I included a couple random pictures from date nights and family events, like you said, but those kinds of things aren't as strong as evidence like others above have mentioned. I think officers are generally understanding that when you're applying for AOS from a K1, the initial packet may be a little sparse. It is really hard to get established financially before the EAD comes; we basically weren't able to do anything without that.

 

What I did was send in anything I had to start with, and then once I had the NOA and online access, I started throwing everything onto the Unsolicited Evidence portal. As we started a joint bank account, collected mail in both our names, added him to things like health insurance, car insurance, bought him a car with both our names on it, etc, I would upload the evidence there. It created an ongoing narrative of things we were doing to establish our life together as soon as we were able to, and then the officer had access to all of it when we were at the interview. During the waiting period we took a vacation so I uploaded some pictures from that as well to show us continuing to have a social life together.

 

I know it's nerve-wracking but, seriously, don't overthink it. Follow the instructions to start and then upload the evidence as you get it. Your relationship is in good faith so there's no need to struggle to fabricate things. All the things you'll collect are things you'd be doing anyway as a married couple starting a life together.  

[Fr8dog 515]

On 9/8/2025 at 6:02 AM, TBoneTX said:

Avoid overthinking the AOS process.  Read instructions carefully, interpret them literally, and answer/respond completely and honestly.  Just file the I-485 as soon as you marry.

 

Get multiple copies of your marriage certificate.  The brand-new Mrs. T-B. & I got permission from our officiant to hand-carry the signed marriage license to the courthouse.  We made a beeline there.  The clerk said that no one had ever requested as many as 7 certificates, but she prepared them as we waited.  We then immediately included one in the I-485 package.

 

You should begin now to collect information for ROC (Removing Conditions).  Take everything that comes to you in the mail or from other sources, and throw it into a box.  Create a special document folder on your computer for online material.  Come ROC time, you'll have plenty of evidence to pick from.

 

In addition (actually, before anything), shop for a lawyer who can draft wills, medical & financial powers of attorney, and similar estate documents.  These make superlative evidence for ROC, and they're even more crucial to have in "life."  Remember that if you move from one U.S. state to another, your will may need to be redone.

 

Quoted this one just because it is so true and specially the wills/ POA's are so important in life and appear to be the most overlooked part.

 

Also want to add the following "evidence". 

You mentioned kids. Any school related document that has the stepparents signature or name on it is worth a quick picture with the cellphone. Report cards signed by alternating adults, permission slips, emergency contact lists are all things that happen in real relations but get overlooked.

Don't forget copies of ID's that show the same address. 

 

[Nywoek 167]

Thank you guys! Lots of good advice! We got married on our 3 year anniversary yesterday.. or I mean we did get married but it was us driving 45 minutes to meet some lady who was waiting for her kids to get off the bus (friend of a friend, registered minister, she recently married some friends of ours 😅), it took about 5 minutes for her to sign our papers and ask if we knew what she was doing («i do» «i do») and then we drove 45 minutes back to the house, got some forever d&d themed stamps and took the paperwork to the post office. So now we are officially married! Not a lot of photos, but i we got one with the kids taken by the server at the restaurant we went to.
 

Very good idea about the kids’ paperwork, my oldest is in highschool and her new stepdad is listed as one of her emergency contacts. I also have a letter from the DOE confirming that they know my youngest is being homeschooled. That has my name and address. Now it’s just to make sure we have dotted all our i’s and signed everything we need on the applications. We still have to wait for the papers to come in the mail, so then we can add us to the insurance and more bank accounts (for now I just have a credit card with my name on it). Might also be useful to add papers from the movers with the address here.

 

All this paperwork is scary, but I will get it done like was mentioned earlier; with the strongest possible case within the 90 days. And while we wait for the NOA1 I guess I will carry our marriage certificate just in case.  

 

 

 

 

[alliejourney 148]

Congratulations!! The idea for the school stuff for the kids is a great one, I tend to overlook that since we just have our fur kids 😅

 

Sounds like you have a great plan. Good luck!

[TBoneTX 48,296]

It's been wonderful to follow your story.  Keep it up!

[Nywoek 167]

It is finally in, and we have a receipt number!

 

On October 20, 2025, we received your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Receipt Number (REDACTED), and sent you a receipt notice or acceptance notice.

 

Which is a big weight off my shoulders, because my i94 expires on the 26th of October. It took me a full month to get a ssn appointment after I moved, then we dragged our feet a bit trying to pick a wedding date (ended up using our anniversary 😍) and then we had trouble getting the papers for it due to some annoying circumstances. Plus THOSE FORMS ARE INSANE. Lol. 

 

As for proof of relationship we submitted the following:

Photos from my husbands trip to celebrate christmas with us.

Photos from my trip to see him in april.

Photos from his trip to help me move.

Photos from after we moved, several pages, with some friends or family.

Emergency contact form from my oldest daughter's school, with the both of us, plus a family friend (showing address).

Homeschool confirmation from DoE with our address since that is where I homeschool our youngest.

Facebook announcement for our marriage (since we did not have a party)

Scans of different mail addressed to me, and one addressed to my daughter's guardian or parent.

Insurance papers for me and my kids through my husband's work insurance, giving us health insurance and putting me as the benefactor for his work life insurance.

Declaration for free entry of unaccompanied articles that I had to submit to my moving company (has our address on it)

Screen prints from two credit cards that I am an authorized user on.

 

Considering we have only been married for about a month this felt pretty decent. We still have to order our wedding bands, and we plan to send that documentation as well, plus if we do more official stuff like put me on the mortgage or more bills. But I am not working so I do not have income, and I do not drive, so I will not be on the insurance. I will also collect more mail to bring to an interview, since that will most likely happen.

I guess we are waiting for further instructions in the mail from USCIS, eventually biometrics and then just a lot more waiting. I only filed for the AOS, not the parole or work authorization, since I have my hands full with homeschooling and we are doing just fine financially with one income for now.

 

[TBoneTX 48,296]

1 hour ago, Nywoek said:

It is finally in, and we have a receipt number!

Yee-HAAAAA!   

1 hour ago, Nywoek said:

Which is a big weight off my shoulders

Don't fly away in a strong breeze, now.