Bona fide but long distance marriage--how nervous should we be?

[Shodanivin 0]

Hi, I'm new here. American citizen trying to petition for my Korean spouse (currently here on an F-1 student visa) for permanent residency. We've finally finished most of our I-130 and the nightmare that is the AOS packet, but we're not sure how much evidence of a bona fide marriage to include with the I-130 petition.

We feel nervous about it because, although we are both in the US, we have not yet been able to live together. He has to stay at his graduate program (in another state entirely) for one more year, and I'm about to move with our daughter (not biologically his) to an even further state for my own graduate program. We only see each other every three months or so via expensive plane tickets, so we are worried our situation will raise red flags with USCIS.

We DO have documentation of shared finances (shared bank accounts, credit cards...he's the beneficiary of my retirement fund too), but we obviously don't have a shared residence or typically shared bills (such as insurance, which is cheaper for us to be insured separately). We have receipts of our plane tickets, including our wedding (which was held in Korea so I could meet his family), and our marriage certificate (translated, notarized, and apostilled).

We also have family vacation photos and thousands of emails (we are both writers and this is how we got to know each other initially). Is it appropriate to include this kind of evidence with the initial paperwork or does it seem desperate? Should we save it for the interview instead?

Other things we're considering: neither of us has an official will yet, so we could write them up naming each other; he's not on the title of my car, but it might be worth the money to add him if it can provide evidence; he wants to officially adopt our daughter someday but that's a whole other realm of paperwork and may take too long (we want to get this process started asap).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! How worried should we be?

Thanks,

Jong Whan (Calvin) & Danielle

[VikingMamma 2]

My husband and I were long-distance on and off until after he received his green card. I think they are relatively understanding that marriage doesn't look like 1 specific lifestyle. That said, include everything you can that shows you two are invested in each other.

[moraaj 3]

I agree with the above advice..just include as much evidence as you can..just knowing each other well and the story of your marriage is all that matters. Save all plane tickets..know the number of times you have visited or she does..Just know your lives very important..good luck

[shippingforecast 126]

You'll be more than okay with what you have. Try not to worry.

[Ryan H 3,834]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Adjustment of Status from Work Student & Tourist Visas forum.

[Ms Hogan 295]

I would say many if not most of us were long distance before getting our green cards. Most of us are in different countries from our spouse before during and partway after the progress. This is not out of the ordinary.

[CowBoE 429]

Korea DPR is North Korea, and I'm sure you are not marrying North Korean

since they won't allow anyone to leave the country.

You want to select "South Korea" instead.

Not cohabiting together probably does raise little more risk,

but certainly not automatic denial. I think it all depends on

couple's circumstances.

In your case, it's the respective schools that's causing the separation,

and I think you should be able to overcome with clear explanation,

but I do suspect they will question you guys on this.

Even putting the spouse visa to the side, and just thinking of your marriage,

is there a way to join together at a same school? Or at least

live in the same place but go to different schools?

How many more years of school is left? And what happens after one graduates...

I'm sure they will ask about when and how you guys are going to live together

and you should have a really clear plan.