I'm a student, filing AOS for wife, super confused, some help please!

[acrossthepacific 0]

Hi all!

So here's the low down. I am a US Citizen, currently in school pursuing my BA. I have no income. My fiance moved here from Australia, we are planning to get married and do an AOS for her. She is on an expired F1 but still has a valid I20 expiring at the end of August.

I am in an odd place here. We are not quite ready to do a full wedding ceremony with friends and family, etc until January of next year. But we want to apply now for the Green Card because her I20 will expire and she'll need EAD to work, etc.

We are totally willing to do a 'legal wedding ceremony' or get a marriage license. But I am kind of clueless as to the bare minimum that would be required to substantiate the marriage.

So, I guess my question is what is the bare minimum that they want to see from us. I do have my parents filing as cosponsor as I currently have 0 income. My spouse may also sponsor too, but my parents should are willing and more than able to cover the minimum poverty guidelines.

Basically, is this feasible? Do we need to do a full ceremony? Is it enough to get the marriage license, and to be living together at the same address and have our telephone bills / bank statements with both our names on it coming to the same address? Is that OK? Please let me know what documentation I would have to provide so as to avoid any possible RFEs...

This is all so new to me, I am trying to figure out this process, but we are in a bit of a time crunch and so I'm trying to work through the paperwork as best I can. We can't afford a lawyer, but I am a math major, and pretty thorough with these things! I would very much appreciate any and all help you could offer!! We are under no intention to defraud anyone, and are totally committed to being with one another for the rest of our lives... I would be so grateful for any help anyone from this community could offer.

THANK YOU!!

[Hypnos 6,578]

To get married you simply apply for a marriage licence and then get married by an officiant authorised to perform marriages in your particular state - that's it. Any additional things you want to do over and above that (have a big ceremony, a wedding reception, etc.) are optional. USCIS understands that newlyweds do not have a tremendous amount of evidence to prove a bona fide marriage.

If this is the option you wish to pursue, follow the guide: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?autocom=custom&page=i130guide2

Edited March 31, 2014 by Hypnos

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from Family-bases AOS to WST-based AOS Forum~

~adjusting from student visa~

[acrossthepacific 0]

Thanks mate! We are about to submit next week... very excited to be done with this!