No joint bank account, health insurance, phone plan...

[FGr 12]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I filled out the AOS at the end of August and I have some questions about the interview and proofs.

Do you think it would be a problem if we don't have a joint bank account?

Here is the situation: my husband just started business school in August to pursue his MBA (we got civilly married in July), he has school loans and I am not working yet as I am waiting for my EAD. We are planning on opening a joint bank account one day but we don't really see the point of doing it now.

I have a credit card with my married name linked to his bank account though. His dad is our joint sponsor.

I am not on his health insurance either because the one from his school is very expensive, it would cost $260 a month to add me on it while I found short-term insurance for much cheaper. When I get a job, I will probably put him on my insurance.

No joint car insurance either because we live in a city and don't need it.

No joint phone plan: I am on a non-contract phone plan that is very cheap (around $40 a month) while my husband pays $90 monthly. A family plan would cost us around $100 a month per person. We are thinking of getting a family plan in a few months but this is clearly not a priority for us as we are about to spend $40k on our wedding religious ceremony and reception next summer so we don't want to spend "useless" money. We have our wedding venue contract as a proof.

I am on our apartment lease but as a person who lives here, only my husband is a tenant. We did that because he was making much more money that I did (I was an intern) and they needed the last 2 years tax return + bank statement which I didn't have.

He added me on our Comcast account but all the bills are in his name.

Do you think that could be a problem for the interview?

Thank you.

Edited November 4, 2015 by FGr

[Anh map 2,098]

The adjudicator will look at the totality of the evidence provided to make their determination. Each couple is different so there is no one proper way. Financial comingling is one of the typical things that married couples do. Newlyweds have less evidence than folks married for a few years.

The venue contract means nothing.

If you are adjusting from a tourist visa / student visa then you should have submitted evidence of your relationship from beginning to present day so that the officer can see that you are a bona fide couple.

[FGr 12]

I am adjusting from J1 visa.

We have pictures of our civil ceremony which both of our immediate families attended and pictures from the beginning of our reliationship, plane tickets...

I just don't want to do things we would not be doing right now if we were not in this situation.

[Anh map 2,098]

I am adjusting from J1 visa.

We have pictures of our civil ceremony which both of our immediate families attended and pictures from the beginning of our reliationship, plane tickets...

I just don't want to do things we would not be doing right now if we were not in this situation.

You need to approach this so that you secure the adjustment of status. That is the goal here.

You are not proving that a ceremony took place. That does not prove a bona fide relationship. Giving evidence that spans the length of your relationship up to the present would be a good idea. Mail addressed to the both of you, other documents showing the same address. Expect the CO to question the lack of comingling. All you can do is tell your story. Don't take it personally if the questions seem tough/repetitive/rude. That's their job to determine the genuine from those merely seeking an immigration benefit.