Age difference, he's 18 years older, problem?

[Jenvds 15]

Hi,

My husband and I met online in early 2013. We began a relationship in June of 2013. We met in person January of 2014. He came to visit me in the US for 2 weeks. In June of 2014 my daughter and I went to the Netherlands and lived with him for 8 month,but I needed to return here for family reasons, including finalizing the divorce from my first husband. My daughter and I came back in March of 2015. In June we went to Barbados to be married. We stayed there for 11 days together as a family. My husband is back in the netherlands now and we are about to file our CR1 application.

My question is will our age difference hurt our chances? I am 35 and he is 53. Is it an issue if the man is older? Does it matter as much if the beneficiary is from a prosperous country?

I miss him so much every day. I just want to do this right the first time and try to avoid RFE.

Thanks!

[NikLR 13,227]

His country isn't a high fraud country so it likely isn't a big deal. It can still a bit of a red flag though. Submit proof of time spent together and of a genuine relationship (including regular communication.)

Edited July 17, 2015 by NLR

[Jenvds 15]

We were thinking of submitting 50 pages or so of chat logs. A few emails from various times in our relationship, photos of us with his family, and him with my daughter. And our flight tickets together to and from Barbados.

I tried getting his name on my lease and bank account, but they said he must be here in person to sign for those.

[Amhara 460]

If you were 18 and he was 53, that may be something, but you are of an age that you can freely decide. I think the age difference is mostly a factor in any coercion in the relationship. In my unprofessional opinion, you should not have a problem. USCIS doesn't need proof of relationship, just proof of meeting within the last two years. Including pictures from the vacation will be great. When you get to DoS, then you will need to establish relationship and your fiance will be the one interviewed. So essentially, the officer may ask if he is taking advantage of you, but I doubt that they will. Like NLR said, proof of relationship may overcome this flag. It's probably more of a yellow flag, not really red flag; c'mon - it's the Netherlands!

[Ning 619]

Hi,

My husband and I met online in early 2013. We began a relationship in June of 2013. We met in person January of 2014. He came to visit me in the US for 2 weeks. In June of 2014 my daughter and I went to the Netherlands and lived with him for 8 month,but I needed to return here for family reasons, including finalizing the divorce from my first husband. My daughter and I came back in March of 2015. In June we went to Barbados to be married. We stayed there for 11 days together as a family. My husband is back in the netherlands now and we are about to file our CR1 application.

My question is will our age difference hurt our chances? I am 35 and he is 53. Is it an issue if the man is older? Does it matter as much if the beneficiary is from a prosperous country?

I miss him so much every day. I just want to do this right the first time and try to avoid RFE.

Thanks!

Relax because if age made the real difference in these decisions many of us wouldn't have accomplished what you are now doing. You will because whats most important here is your relationship with him which is indicated by marriage & then your ability to support him in the USA.

Coming from his country helps in many ways except in timing I think. I mean his wont be given any special status.

[Ning 619]

We were thinking of submitting 50 pages or so of chat logs. A few emails from various times in our relationship, photos of us with his family, and him with my daughter. And our flight tickets together to and from Barbados.

I tried getting his name on my lease and bank account, but they said he must be here in person to sign for those.

Married should be enough as it was in my case . Emails from others are not worth much nor required but if you want to submit its ok. The chat stuff is way too much. They really don't have time to read all of that but again if you want to do it its fine.

[Boiler 45,501]

I really do not see an issue.

No flags for me.

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

For what it's worth, you and your husband are approximately the same ages of my wife and me, respectively. We didn't incur any problems. Based on your visits, which are the primary evidence of a bonafide relationship, you'll probably do fine.

[Jenvds 15]

Thanks everyone, it definitely helps calm my nerves about this.

[NikLR 13,227]

If you were 18 and he was 53, that may be something, but you are of an age that you can freely decide. I think the age difference is mostly a factor in any coercion in the relationship. In my unprofessional opinion, you should not have a problem. USCIS doesn't need proof of relationship, just proof of meeting within the last two years. Including pictures from the vacation will be great. When you get to DoS, then you will need to establish relationship and your fiance will be the one interviewed. So essentially, the officer may ask if he is taking advantage of you, but I doubt that they will. Like NLR said, proof of relationship may overcome this flag. It's probably more of a yellow flag, not really red flag; c'mon - it's the Netherlands!

Please note the forum and visa type.

Proof of meeting once in the last 2 years applies to K1 visas not IR1/CR1 visas which need evidence of a bona fide (aka genuine) marriage.

[NikLR 13,227]

We were thinking of submitting 50 pages or so of chat logs. A few emails from various times in our relationship, photos of us with his family, and him with my daughter. And our flight tickets together to and from Barbados.

I tried getting his name on my lease and bank account, but they said he must be here in person to sign for those.

It depends on the bank. I was able to be put onto my husband's account but they're a military bank and used to dealing with foreign spouses. My bank in Canada required his presence so we didn't bother. You may be able to add him to your car insurance (may get a better deal as well) or as the beneficiary of life insurance etc...

But time spent together and communication will serve you best as the USCIS understands newly weds won't have a lot of co-mingling.

50 pages of chat logs seems excessive. You could probably prune it down.

[Amhara 460]

Please note the forum and visa type.

Proof of meeting once in the last 2 years applies to K1 visas not IR1/CR1 visas which need evidence of a bona fide (aka genuine) marriage.

Yeah, my bad. Sorry for the misinformation; my brain registered K-1 when I looked at your bio on the side. Doink!

[NikLR 13,227]

LOL!

[Cathi 5,748]

I am 20 years older than my husband and it wasn't an issue

[tuckin14 58]

My wife was 32 and I was 53 when we got married. We got married while she still lived in Canada so we went the I-130 rather than the K1 route. We had no problems. Our main evidence was a list of the biweekly trips she took to the USA, a lot of them supported by boarding passes.