Proof of bona fide marriage - lease/joint bank account too new?

[stingg 0]

Hi all,

Quick background: I'm a F-1 student, graduated and on OPT which will expire on February 2015. My current boyfriend and I are planning to get married sometime around August because we don't want to deal with the hassle of my OPT/work eligibility expiring since we will both be employed.

The problem is - we have been living together, but the lease only has his + a apartment mate's name on it because he moved in first, and I joined them half a year later. I've just been making my checks out to him every month and he would pay the landlord. I do have the check stubs... but I don't know how USCIS will feel about the fact that we lived with a roommate. We are moving out into our own apartment in August, and will probably start a joint bank account when we both start work (also in August).

My question is:
a) How do we prove we have been living together without making it seem like a case of 'good friend helping me commit marriage fraud', or should I omit this information entirely?

b) Given that our lease/joint account will be opened right around the time of our marriage and application, would the timing/newness of our lease/bank account raise a red flag?

[SimonBelgium 49]

Most of us have no option of living together until after our VISA has been approved. Therefore, having a lease or joint bank account is NOT a must.

You mostly need things like pictures, phone logs, e-mails etc.

As far as addresses go, remember they must be addresses where you lived officially. If you were never officially registered at your fiance's apartment, it's hard anyway to prove you lived there... (utilities bills, address on driver's license, ...)

Moving in together after the wedding is quite normal, so shouldn't cause any red flags

[stingg 0]

Thank you! So I should just show them the new lease/bank account and leave out any information about the old lease? I figured it would provide more evidence but given the roommate situation, I could see it doing more harm than good...