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I even included our gym swipe ins that showed we went together! It’s good to do your cover letter and address anything you think they may question. In my case I had my husband on my health insurance but he took his own later as it was much cheaper. I acknowledged that and briefly explained. But it’s easier to lay it out and explain it up front to hopefully avoid the interview. We had one but really just gave the most recent tax returns and bank statements and we were approved with no further questions.

It looks pretty complete. For the bank account it is good you acknowledge it and write an explanation, but if you did open an account, I would provide either a statement or just a document showing that there is a bank account and you are both on it. For the utilities I would include them because even if they are not in both of your names, having mail come to both of you at the same address is good. The number of pictures sounds like a lot, so I would make sure that they show a timeline, or are from trips and also make sure that you have some where are you are socializing with friends or family. It is a big thing that they look for in pictures is socializing. The pictures do need to be on paper, so I just printed two paper and it was easier to caption them. The one thing you may want to take out is the section for social media. That is well and good for the new visa when you haven’t lived together.but the other documentation is more valuable than social media at that point. We didn’t include anything about social media although we used it a lot for the initial visa. It may not hurt but weighing down the packet with a lot of information that they won’t use won’t make it go faster.

We printed to 2-sided paper for bank statements. Approved and no mention of it. I also went through and take pages of only ads out. I wasn’t sure if they would care-didn’t get any static and approved.

True. We have an age difference and knew we would be interviewed. It sat as ready to be scheduled forever-though it was during lockdowns too. I hope you get lucky but if you take a 2-week trip, you won’t get caught with a sudden interview.

It looks like they want you to give them 5 business days. Check daily as usually things happen more quickly than they tell you to wait. Follow up to the email address provided if not scheduled by then.

You’ll get your interview date about a month ahead of time if that helps.

Get an Infopass to go to get your passport stamped. We got the conditions removed the same week as the letter expired.

Any small tear isn’t a big deal. They are only concerned with a rip big enough to take a document out or put one in.

Inside the plastic should be a Manila sealed envelope that is what is taken to POE. The plastic envelopes are just shipping envelopes. My husband had the same doubt about the plastic envelope. But no-they’ll want to get into the plastic envelopes at the airport to see the Manila one.

I think cars, loans, insurance are all strong. Having everything at the same address is key. A little tip from our interviewing officer-they like to see you with family and friends. Socializing together helps. Trips together also help. Credit card statements can show some indication you traveled together. If you split expenses, write a letter explaining who pays what and have documentation to show that. Receipts or documents of anything else you do together (gym, clubs or something) can also be included. Filing married is fine-people’s decision to do it jointly or not isn’t a reflection of their relationship. It’s financial. But, a joint account is very helpful.

If he can get the vaccines done for free at a clinic, it will save you money. Even if he already had them, it won’t hurt. But it depends on if they will do them free of charge (and give documentation). The doctors charge to do the tests and give the vaccines.

Consular filing can be way faster.

Think of anything you may get have had with an address attached. If you were ever employed while together, documents showing your home address as his. Even a gym membership. Anything that carried your name and address.

I know this is typical of the combi interview. It may take a couple of weeks. It’s an administrative thing. It’s the trade off for a year shaved off. Just being told to wait is disappointing in the moment.

I had no idea this was a possibility when we filed. I thought 9 months if we were lucky!

That is so sad. I found one site that addresses this specifically. It looks like you don’t have to file anything additional for the moment. They will still just adjudicate based on the same criteria-legal marriage, marriage was in good faith. Here is where I found a nice outline of this specific circumstance: https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/immigration/the-widow-s-penalty.html

Filed April 19. Case status showed 11 months estimate but then an interview notice for August 12 was sent. Still showing 11months. Someone else told me that their case status was estimated as 10 months after they were already approved.

We also filed in May, interview date is the same as yours! I almost didn’t check again as I had looked just the day before the notice and it gave an estimate of 11 months. Edit: we applied in April. Remembered wrong!

You don’t have to do anything. It’s already a hard-and-fast rule based on when he comes through POE. Let’s say you were 23 months married and he arrived today, the green card would be issued as a CR-1 type. If he put it in a drawer and waited a month to come the same approved visa would then become an IR1.

If this were a problem, it would have been an RFE right off. If you’re at the interview stage, they’ve already been able to work with that letter-their system probably defaults it to a capital anyway. But they already verified its validity.

My husband and I have the same age difference. I went to his interview-I wasn’t sure if I was allowed but I was. It was helpful for support and I was glad I did, but I don’t know if it’s crucial. The age difference wasn’t brought up. Though it’s a red flag, it just means that they may scrutinize other red flags more. We had a straightforward case, so I guess that helped. We never had issues with it.

On a CR-1-they typically ask few if any questions. They aren’t there to second guess USCIS.

Couples have had relationships deteriorate on the K1. The immigrating spouse quickly finds being home alone while the other spouse goes to work quite dull, and they are far from friends and family. Financial strain can also develop if one income is suddenly shared. And if a family member has an emergency, they have the choice of abandoning their AOS to go home.

Yea I saw that. His dilemma was that once you visit, even without staying the full 90 days, you have to wait a year to go back visa free. He wanted to visit separately the same year which meant he would have to choose between the planned trip or going to the interview. I was saying getting the visa would allow for both trips. Going visa free is great, but for multiple entries in one year, it’s more paperwork but could be worth the trouble.

I didn’t have that option. It was online and a number there was a hard stop. It’s also worth amending the tax return for the second tax exemption. Well-maybe if she’s working-I don’t know if her income counts or not. If you’re able-it makes things easier.