BINATIONAL SAME SEX COUPLES !! Show up!

[bob72601 13]

Hey Darren

Hope I can help with my comments. We are a same sex couple too and going through the process right now. You are 100% right about the nuanced part. The whole process appears very easy from what the USCIS website says to do on the I-129f instructions but in reality it is a minefield and very particular.

For a start, you show you are in NC. (You have to go to a State that allows for Same sex marriage and so state it in each of your letters of intent). One of us left out the 90 days part by mistake and we got a Request for Evidence to correct it which delayed by another month, (the approval from USCIS took 7 (seven!!) months. Now we are in 'administrative processing at the National Visa Center to where the application goes next. This has already been over three weeks since USCIS approval. (we are already up to 7.75 months since application). Also the clock is ticking since USCIS approval as the petition is only valid for four months or we have to start all over again.

Anything else you need let me know or inbox me

David

We are also a same-sex couple. The four month validity is for internal use only. The Consulate automatically extends it. We are currently in the AOS Phase, My husband received his EAD/AP Combo Card last week. We are now waiting for the Green Card. Good luck. It is a waiting game.

[NYCruiser 423]

We are also a same-sex couple. The four month validity is for internal use only. The Consulate automatically extends it. We are currently in the AOS Phase, My husband received his EAD/AP Combo Card last week. We are now waiting for the Green Card. Good luck. It is a waiting game.

Yes indeed waiting game it is. The petition is now sitting with the NVC for 6 days. Apparently it took 9 days from Service Center Approval to get from Texas to New Hampshire. This is so frustrating

[zuluweta 250]

How is everyone preparing for the GC interview? What supporting documents will you bring?

I already submitted photos for the I-129F (petition for alien fiancé), a different set of photos for the I-485 (AOS to permanent resident), and I plan to bring another set of photos different from the previous ones to the GC interview. Should we assume that USCIS has their files in order or should I bring photos I have already submitted plus new ones (in other words, everything AGAIN)?

My spouse got a new job in June so we plan to bring recent pay stubs and employment letter stating position, annual salary (bonus not included), job description and a declaration from the company that it's a permanent position. We were not able to submit these documents with the I-485.

We opened a joint bank account (credit union) last June, but I can't find anything online in the credit union's website (after logging in) which prints a bank statement in both our names? Is this normal or unusual?

For supporting documents to the I-485 (AOS) application, we sent the following:

1. Photocopies of health insurance cards with same account number

2. Utility bills in both our names

3. Joint lease on apartment

4. Wedding photos

5. Receipts for wedding expenses (limo, hotel, reception, photographer, stylist, attire, flowers, rings, etc...)

6. 401K and life insurance beneficiary statements

7. Photocopies of boarding passes for travel within USA

8. Joint renter's insurance

9. Bank statements indicating bank transfers of funds (from petitioner to beneficiary, 2 months each from 2010-2014)

Anything else we forgot to include above that we should bring to the interview? Thanks for your helpful reply.

[wornoutcowboy 6]

We had our interview for the greencard last week in Phoenix and the officer asked almost nothing. Just a few questions that had already been answered on the orginal application. no additional information was asked. We got a tenative approval. They are still waiting foir my husbanb's vacination records.

How is everyone preparing for the GC interview? What supporting documents will you bring?

I already submitted photos for the I-129F (petition for alien fiancé), a different set of photos for the I-485 (AOS to permanent resident), and I plan to bring another set of photos different from the previous ones to the GC interview. Should we assume that USCIS has their files in order or should I bring photos I have already submitted plus new ones (in other words, everything AGAIN)?

My spouse got a new job in June so we plan to bring recent pay stubs and employment letter stating position, annual salary (bonus not included), job description and a declaration from the company that it's a permanent position. We were not able to submit these documents with the I-485.

We opened a joint bank account (credit union) last June, but I can't find anything online in the credit union's website (after logging in) which prints a bank statement in both our names? Is this normal or unusual?

For supporting documents to the I-485 (AOS) application, we sent the following:
1. Photocopies of health insurance cards with same account number
2. Utility bills in both our names
3. Joint lease on apartment
4. Wedding photos
5. Receipts for wedding expenses (limo, hotel, reception, photographer, stylist, attire, flowers, rings, etc...)
6. 401K and life insurance beneficiary statements
7. Photocopies of boarding passes for travel within USA
8. Joint renter's insurance
9. Bank statements indicating bank transfers of funds (from petitioner to beneficiary, 2 months each from 2010-2014)

Anything else we forgot to include above that we should bring to the interview? Thanks for your helpful reply.

[dsldesch 27]

Hey Darren

Hope I can help with my comments. We are a same sex couple too and going through the process right now. You are 100% right about the nuanced part. The whole process appears very easy from what the USCIS website says to do on the I-129f instructions but in reality it is a minefield and very particular.

For a start, you show you are in NC. (You have to go to a State that allows for Same sex marriage and so state it in each of your letters of intent). One of us left out the 90 days part by mistake and we got a Request for Evidence to correct it which delayed by another month, (the approval from USCIS took 7 (seven!!) months. Now we are in 'administrative processing at the National Visa Center to where the application goes next. This has already been over three weeks since USCIS approval. (we are already up to 7.75 months since application). Also the clock is ticking since USCIS approval as the petition is only valid for four months or we have to start all over again.

Anything else you need let me know or inbox me

David

Thank you, David! The amount of support from this community has been about as overwhelming as the process itself--but the good kind of overwhelming, the kind that lacks adequate description but reassures me my fiance and I will be alright.

I'm very excited to see your approval, and I'll keep my fingers crossed the next few steps have just as much to celebrate for you!

Darren

[dsldesch 27]

Hello everyone!

My fiance's expressed concern that his family does not support our relationship or the fact that he's gay. I've told him my family's supprtive and I don't think the lack of his family's support will hurt our petition, but it'd be nice if I could give him some extra reassurance.

Darren

[zuluweta 250]

We had our interview for the greencard last week in Phoenix and the officer asked almost nothing. Just a few questions that had already been answered on the orginal application. no additional information was asked. We got a tenative approval. They are still waiting foir my husbanb's vacination records.

I hope we get a similar experience at the interview! We'll have our lawyer there, just in case. She will be taking notes of the interview, which is essential since we will be too focused answering the interviewer's queries.

By the way, your timeline doesn't have the details of your AOS process, cause I tried to view the relevant dates in your AOS and EAD/AP but didn't see any.

[Sukie 1,460]

How is everyone preparing for the GC interview? What supporting documents will you bring?

We opened a joint bank account (credit union) last June, but I can't find anything online in the credit union's website (after logging in) which prints a bank statement in both our names? Is this normal or unusual?

I would have thought that both names would appear on your bank statement. If not, do you have a copy of the bank's paperwork when you signed up for the account?

When my spouse tried to get her ITIN, we asked the bank if they would generate a letter stating that she and I were the joint owners of a checking account in "good standing" and when it was opened. I'm not sure if you are able to go to a branch of your local credit union or not....but the manager (and it wasn't even our branch), was MORE than helpful in getting a letter printed out right away.

Good luck!

Sukie in NY

[NYjones 13]

Hello everyone!

I'm a newish member here. I have asked a couple questions but I have never introduced myself. After reading through this thread I feel here is right place to share.

My name is Donald and I started dating my partner Collin in 2011. He was born in Maine but moved to St.Kitts at about 5 years old. He recently moved back to the US last year, and it was very difficult to be without him. It wasn't until last month when I went to visit him (after 7 months apart) he asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes! Now, we are preparing to submit our first set of forms. We had no idea what would be needed to make this happen.

To complicate things a bit, I currently have an ongoing case at the NVC. My brother filed a petition for me years ago, and that case is waiting to be reviewed (currently in that 60 day waiting to be reviewed period). My priority date for the case is current but there is no telling when that case will be approved and when an interview will be scheduled. My fiancé says he wants me there ASAP so we are going to start the K1 visa process in any event.

My brother does not know about me or my lifestyle so if the K1 visa is approved before his petition I àm sure he will be shocked and and upset. Where I live is very homophobic. I have only come out to my mother and she constantly prays that "I will see the light". Collin's family is accepting of me (and us) but I know most would never accept us getting married. We are trying to find the right time to tell them all, because along with the fear of them finding out I also fear physical harm if the general public were to find out.

I know a few members here advised me to wait on my brother's petition and not "waste" cash on applying, but we are desperate to be together and start our lives.

Enough of my story! Congrats to everyone who were brave enough to start this journey and see it through.

[ArroTG 22]

Hey everyone,

I'm a Canadian married to a USC partner. We met in September of 2012, started talking about marriage early in January 2014, and got married on the 27th of June in Montreal (where I live). We'll be moving out to small-town Missouri, and ultimately relocating to Chicago sometime in the future. We'll be filing for our I-130 this coming week.

How fortunate I stumbled upon this thread! It's great to see other same-sex couples united. Best of luck to everyone with their own petitions and applications, and many happy years together to follow.

[bob72601 13]

Hey everyone,

I'm a Canadian married to a USC partner. We met in September of 2012, started talking about marriage early in January 2014, and got married on the 27th of June in Montreal (where I live). We'll be moving out to small-town Missouri, and ultimately relocating to Chicago sometime in the future. We'll be filing for our I-130 this coming week.

How fortunate I stumbled upon this thread! It's great to see other same-sex couples united. Best of luck to everyone with their own petitions and applications, and many happy years together to follow.

Welcome to the group. We are also a same-sex couple. We live in a small town in NW Arkansas just south of Branson, MO. Today we received out letter of Potential Interview Waiver for the green card. Best of luck.

[zuluweta 250]

I would have thought that both names would appear on your bank statement. If not, do you have a copy of the bank's paperwork when you signed up for the account?

When my spouse tried to get her ITIN, we asked the bank if they would generate a letter stating that she and I were the joint owners of a checking account in "good standing" and when it was opened. I'm not sure if you are able to go to a branch of your local credit union or not....but the manager (and it wasn't even our branch), was MORE than helpful in getting a letter printed out right away.

Good luck!

Sukie in NY

Hi Sukie!

No, only our individual names appear on the bank statements. My statements only have my name and my husband's only his. But we have the same checking account number on our statements so that's the proof of our joint checking account, I guess. I just hope the immigration folks can figure that out!

Why is your spouse getting an ITIN instead of a SSN? I think ITIN is for non immigrants who have businesses in the

US or undocumented aliens? Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[ArroTG 22]

Welcome to the group. We are also a same-sex couple. We live in a small town in NW Arkansas just south of Branson, MO. Today we received out letter of Potential Interview Waiver for the green card. Best of luck.

It's nice to meet you, and congratulations on your waiver! It's comforting to know that we aren't the only ones destined for a small town.

[Sukie 1,460]

Hi Sukie!

No, only our individual names appear on the bank statements. My statements only have my name and my husband's only his. But we have the same checking account number on our statements so that's the proof of our joint checking account, I guess. I just hope the immigration folks can figure that out!

Why is your spouse getting an ITIN instead of a SSN? I think ITIN is for non immigrants who have businesses in the

US or undocumented aliens? Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

We tried to get an ITIN so that we could file Married filing jointly for 2013. We were not going to get through NVC until way after April 15th, so thought we could just get the ITIN before she immigrated, then change over to the SSN for 2014.

As it turned out, we were better off filing singly for 2013 anyway, due to different tax treatments of real estate sales in the US and Australia - so it was a moot point.

And, the IRS denied our petition for an ITIN!!!

Best of luck to you and yours!

Sukie in NY

[RW365 33]

Hello - we are a binational same sex couple. Started the K-1 process back in May, and still waiting for the NOA2 from TSC. I am now dreading the possibility that we might get an RFE despite doing everything by the book and checking things 10 times over. My question is: we submitted two separate signed letters of intent to marry, one from me and one from my partner, along with the original application. We did not mention what state we plan to marry in. I didn't know we had to - and anyway, I would think this would be obvious, because my partner (USC) lives in Boston, MA and that's where we will marry and live, even if we didn't mention that explicitly. Is this really grounds for an RFE?? Waiting so long for the RFE is itself painful. If we get an RFE for this insane requirement, that will be heart-breaking. But at least we will be prepared for it, if we know that's what will happen.

Can anyone here please confirm? Did you guys all include the bit about the state in your letters of intent?