Jump to content
Back2Reality

Filing I-751 After two rocky years of marriage

 Share

3 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Filed: F-1 Visa Country: Egypt
Timeline

About a month before my CGC approved (Two months after Interview), my wife and I had some problems due to our strong personalities, and we did split for about 1.5 months (We didn't get separated or anything), it is just my wife went back to school out of the state and we were talking everyday, it is just we were not sure about our future. During her 5 months enrollment, we were able to amend our relationship, but never discussed our problems.

After her graduation, she received a great job opportunity (her dream job), and we therefore decided to have two apartments and do long distance since our marriage never better while my wife come back home every 5-6 weeks for a week. Distance just helped us sweep all our problem under the rug, and it worked for a year, up until early this year where we had a serious conversations about our future. Our first conversation ended up with talking divorce, but since we love each others, and we are more or less like best friends and soulmates, before lovers, we decided to start marriage counseling first, and I pledged to make some changes to make sure our marriage work.

As a result, we are now on our way to make a move to my wife's work state, so she can keep her job, and at this point, I'll be working remotely from home to support her fulfill her dreams. We plan to make the move in the next two months since we have to make some arrangements first.

 

Now, I am wondering what is the best way to address our situation in the cover letter? I know it doesn't look good, but it is what it is, we lived apart most of time after CGC was approved due to school then employment. Marriage is REALLY hard in early 20s and I think we struggled a lot to adjust to each others, and that is why distance helped us to keep our marriage going until we had to admit that we need a professional help, which I know is is not ideal for USCIS

 

As far as evidence goes: 

We have 3 joints leases (but were living apart most of them)

2 Joint State and Federal Taxes W/ W2s at the same address

Bills with both names

ID with same address

Multiple Credit Cards since engagement

Joint checking and savings since engagement (They are active, but we are so financially independent so we use checking account for my wife to transfer money to me to pay the credit card and insurance bills)

Multiple trips w/ photos 

Healthcare, dental, life, vision, and 401k with my wife as beneficiary 

Joint Brokerage 

Phone records for daily interaction past 18 months 

Receipts for gifts we sent each others for anniversary

Recent flight boarding passes to see my wife 

 

I am honestly so stressed out, and I have a bad feelings about the whole process since I am so skeptical and cynical by nature. 2019 wasn't really nice between the martial problems to the immigration process now, and I am starting to lose my mind, and I am not sure if the evidence are enough, and I am pretty that living apart for year and half will raise FLAGS

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you can file a joint petition (i.e., your wife signs the petition as well) and, as it appears, can provide documentation of the four main areas of bona fide marriage (cohabitation, financial co-mingling, shared experiences and planning for the future), why does USCIS need to know about your marital challenges?

 

You should only tell the government enough to get the benefit you're applying for, but not a single word more. Your goal is to show you have a bona fide marriage, not a blissful one.

Edited by afrocraft
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to add to afrocraft's comment, going for counseling adds to the fact that you have a bonafide relationship. Life is HARD and all couples hit bumps. Why would you go to counseling if 1) it wasn't bonafide or 2) you didn't want to work it out? The living apart is explained by the work situation. Consider wills and/or medical power of attorney for great ROC evidence and documents for your lives. Good luck.

Mahalo/Salamat!

Steve and Joan
Met on Facebook 2/24/12
Met in person 6/5/12
Second visit 10/2/12
Engaged 10/3/12
NOA10/15/12
Third visit 12/10/12
Joan got her passport! 2/20/13
NOA2 4/24/13
Fourth visit 5/28/13
CFO 5/30/13
Embassy Interview APPROVED 6/6/13

Joan passed through immigration in Hawaii! She's home! 6/13/13

MARRIED 8/24/13

AOS, EAD and AP petitions sent to Chicago via Express Mail

EAD/AP Received 11/13/13

AOS Interview APPROVED 11/26/13

2-year Green Card in hand 12/5/13

ROC (I-751) sent to CSC via USPS Express Mail 8/31/15

ROC check cashed 9/4/15

ROC Biometrics 10/1/15

ROC Approval 4/6/16 (waiting for actual card)

Permanent Green Card Arrived 4/14/16
Naturalization Interview 2/22/17 APPROVED!

Oath Ceremony 3/21/17--Joan is a US Citizen!

Dual Citizenship 7/7/22 Joan is now a Dual US/Filipino Citizen!

Kayak small lagoon crop 10 72 for VJ.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...