What do you think of our case? Is it easy?

[BerryT 0]

Hello everyone! Me and my husband will be applying for AOS soon but we are still overwhelmed about the whole process and after reading horrible and successful stories, we feel like we need a reality check and maybe some advice of other people that went through the GC process.

I'm from Brazil, I met my husband about 6 years ago playing video games. Anyway, our story really begins In 2015, I was offered a college scholarship to study in Germany, I was very excited but my dreams were soon crushed after finding out Id have to stay there for a whole year and I didn't have the financial support to stay that long. I then decided to try a different kind of exchange, my college was promoting this USA work experience program that would last 3 months under a J1 visa and that's where I headed. 2 months before flying to the US I told my gaming buds about it, my husband was happy for me and as we started talking more and more, we became very close in these 2 months, he was talking about the country, giving me survival tips until i had the amazing idea to ask him to go to the state i was going to spend time in and meet me, at the time he was unemployed, I convinced him he could easily find a job at the area where i was going to be because it was like a resort area, and we could even share an apartment! We would get to meet, hang out together, and have a pretty cool vacation for 3 months and I wouldn't be completely alone in a different country. He said yes.  Well, we met, were sharing rent and fast forward to a month later we slept together and started officially dating. After the most fun 2 months of my life when by it was time to go home, he asked me if I wanted to meet his family before departing, we drove across the country, i met everybody, grandparents, ants, uncles, cousins... and i fell in love with all of them. His mother told me shes never seem him this happy and that he was sad to see me go and then she asked me to stay, SHE ASKED ME TO STAY, said i was welcome at her house as long as i wanted. And I did stay. I took a break off college (my mom wanted to kill me) and stayed for as long as my visa lasted and a bit more, so I overstayed... In September/2016 he proposed, after 8 months together (5 months undocumented) and i said yes, we married in November/2016.
Well, thats when all the concerning started. When we got married my husband was working at walmart making just enough for the 2 of us, and couldnt meet the income requirements, we then decided to wait until he got a new job, a month ago he finally got a way better job that meets all the requirements and we are ready to apply for AOS.
Our main concern is that we are worried that they might think I came here with the intentions of immigrating since I already knew him and we pretty much lived together since I set foot into the US, and because of work, i asked to join his bank account so I could have direct deposit, so ive also joined his bank account within a month of being here. We also don't know if they will accept our 864 since his new job is so recent and he doesnt have tax returns from 2015 and before because he didnt work.
Also because I overstayed, we avoided including me in anything paperwork related because we were too scared, We filled tax returns jointly in 2016 even though i had no income but everything else it has his mothers name on it, like life insurance beneficiary and things like that. Also even though we are married, i always refuse to take his money for personal things, like phone bills (i have my own plan) since he works hard for his money and I dont work, I think its unfair he has to pay for it, we also live with his parents, she doesnt charge me for rent rent or anything but we help even though all bills are on his parents names and even our car and car insurance is in their names... We have tons of pictures, wedding ceremony, family vacations together and all that but only documents we really have together is last tax return and joint bank account, and our pictures and thats it. Im 23 and he is 25.

So what do you guys think of it? Any advice?

We are not financially stable to get a lawyer we are filling all by ourselves, any advice would be much appreciated!

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by BerryT

[sweetadams 138]

1 hour ago, BerryT said:

Hello everyone! Me and my husband will be applying for AOS soon but we are still overwhelmed about the whole process and after reading horrible and successful stories, we feel like we need a reality check and maybe some advice of other people that went through the GC process.

I'm from Brazil, I met my husband about 6 years ago playing video games. Anyway, our story really begins In 2015, I was offered a college scholarship to study in Germany, I was very excited but my dreams were soon crushed after finding out Id have to stay there for a whole year and I didn't have the financial support to stay that long. I then decided to try a different kind of exchange, my college was promoting this USA work experience program that would last 3 months under a J1 visa and that's where I headed. 2 months before flying to the US I told my gaming buds about it, my husband was happy for me and as we started talking more and more, we became very close in these 2 months, he was talking about the country, giving me survival tips until i had the amazing idea to ask him to go to the state i was going to spend time in and meet me, at the time he was unemployed, I convinced him he could easily find a job at the area where i was going to be because it was like a resort area, and we could even share an apartment! We would get to meet, hang out together, and have a pretty cool vacation for 3 months and I wouldn't be completely alone in a different country. He said yes.  Well, we met, were sharing rent and fast forward to a month later we slept together and started officially dating. After the most fun 2 months of my life when by it was time to go home, he asked me if I wanted to meet his family before departing, we drove across the country, i met everybody, grandparents, ants, uncles, cousins... and i fell in love with all of them. His mother told me shes never seem him this happy and that he was sad to see me go and then she asked me to stay, SHE ASKED ME TO STAY, said i was welcome at her house as long as i wanted. And I did stay. I took a break off college (my mom wanted to kill me) and stayed for as long as my visa lasted and a bit more, so I overstayed... In September/2016 he proposed, after 8 months together (5 months undocumented) and i said yes, we married in November/2016.
Well, thats when all the concerning started. When we got married my husband was working at walmart making just enough for the 2 of us, and couldnt meet the income requirements, we then decided to wait until he got a new job, a month ago he finally got a way better job that meets all the requirements and we are ready to apply for AOS.
Our main concern is that we are worried that they might think I came here with the intentions of immigrating since I already knew him and we pretty much lived together since I set foot into the US, and because of work, i asked to join his bank account so I could have direct deposit, so ive also joined his bank account within a month of being here. We also don't know if they will accept our 864 since his new job is so recent and he doesnt have tax returns from 2015 and before because he didnt work.
Also because I overstayed, we avoided including me in anything paperwork related because we were too scared, We filled tax returns jointly in 2016 even though i had no income but everything else it has his mothers name on it, like life insurance beneficiary and things like that. Also even though we are married, i always refuse to take his money for personal things, like phone bills (i have my own plan) since he works hard for his money and I dont work, I think its unfair he has to pay for it, we also live with his parents, she doesnt charge me for rent rent or anything but we help even though all bills are on his parents names and even our car and car insurance is in their names... We have tons of pictures, wedding ceremony, family vacations together and all that but only documents we really have together is last tax return and joint bank account, and our pictures and thats it. Im 23 and he is 25.

So what do you guys think of it? Any advice?

We are not financially stable to get a lawyer we are filling all by ourselves, any advice would be much appreciated!

 

First and foremost, I say a big congratulations on your wedding. The documents you need are listed on the VJ content tabs. I personally don't see why you should be scared. Ask to see if you can get on his phone bill plan, try and see some joint documents you can come up with. You don't need to be in all the documents, just prepare your paperwork with the list on VJ, mostly what USCIS need to proof is your marriage authenticity and your husband financial stability.  

His parents can co-sponsor your I-864 if your husband can't meet the financial requirement. The Tax return of last year is sufficient, you might add income and other assets if you guys have. If you need questions, just post specific questions and the Expert here will guide you better.  good luck.

Go under guide tab, in this forum and look at this: Step-by-Step Guide on How to File an I-130 for a Spouse Inside the US 

[p-ana 933]

Your intent when entering is irrelevant now.

 

be prepared to get a sponsor in case they don't see your husbands work as stable since it's too new.

 

Also, go ahead and get as much paperwork you can showing shared living and expenses. Having a plan by yourself, paying for cars that's in other people's name etc don't help you at all. 

 

Work on those before applying, imho. Maybe by then your husbands been working at this new job longer and can show at least 6 months of pay checks to make a stronger case for your i864

[BerryT 0]

9 hours ago, sweetadams said:

First and foremost, I say a big congratulations on your wedding. The documents you need are listed on the VJ content tabs. I personally don't see why you should be scared. Ask to see if you can get on his phone bill plan, try and see some joint documents you can come up with. You don't need to be in all the documents, just prepare your paperwork with the list on VJ, mostly what USCIS need to proof is your marriage authenticity and your husband financial stability.  

His parents can co-sponsor your I-864 if your husband can't meet the financial requirement. The Tax return of last year is sufficient, you might add income and other assets if you guys have. If you need questions, just post specific questions and the Expert here will guide you better.  good luck.

Go under guide tab, in this forum and look at this: Step-by-Step Guide on How to File an I-130 for a Spouse Inside the US 

Thank you and thanks for the imput! We are thinking about putting his family on household income but his father is retired and his mother has always been a housewife but even so we would still reach higher than poverty guidelines. 

I'll definitely be updating this thread with progression and question. I've been reading a lot about the process but there's still a few things I will probably need help with. 

 

4 hours ago, p-ana said:

Also, go ahead and get as much paperwork you can showing shared living and expenses. Having a plan by yourself, paying for cars that's in other people's name etc don't help you at all. 

 

Work on those before applying, imho. Maybe by then your husbands been working at this new job longer and can show at least 6 months of pay checks to make a stronger case for your i864

 

We are trying to come up with new bills and today my husband said he can put me on his health insurance and have it change for me to be the beneficiary too. 

We were too scared about my status so we always avoided too much exposure and putting my name out there, we were clueless about the gc process and all the paperwork needed.

We expect to get it done as fast as we can because my professional life and career has been delayed for a year now since I can't work but we will definitely put more thought into getting all the necessary documents and delay it if needed.

Thanks for the imput!! 

[sweetadams 138]

12 hours ago, BerryT said:

Thank you and thanks for the imput! We are thinking about putting his family on household income but his father is retired and his mother has always been a housewife but even so we would still reach higher than poverty guidelines. 

I'll definitely be updating this thread with progression and question. I've been reading a lot about the process but there's still a few things I will probably need help with. 

 

 

We are trying to come up with new bills and today my husband said he can put me on his health insurance and have it change for me to be the beneficiary too. 

We were too scared about my status so we always avoided too much exposure and putting my name out there, we were clueless about the gc process and all the paperwork needed.

We expect to get it done as fast as we can because my professional life and career has been delayed for a year now since I can't work but we will definitely put more thought into getting all the necessary documents and delay it if needed.

Thanks for the imput!! 

Don't let fear of the unknown stop you from putting your name there. You can also ask him to include you in his living will (there is also another one I forgot its name you can do online too), you can do this online, let him put your name on the insurance. As long as you are not filing a claim but as a beneficiary. Get a fishing license from Walmart with both your names on it (don't know the exact price but it is cheap). Also try and read up on some peoples thread too, you will see alot of hidden information that you can apply to your case.