I thought I would just start a chat, as I am feeling so deflated. My husband and I, (love saying it) were so naive. We have been together since 2019 and only got married in September 2023. Neither of us has masses of friends, we focus on work and then just enjoy being together and travelling, so we didn't really have anyone to advise us or know anyone that has been through all of this. We just assumed that there would be a few forms, a visa interview for me and then Bob's your uncle, all sorted in a matter of weeks. I am lucky enough that I have a B2 visa so I have been able to spend a great deal of time out in the states, and a recent divorce meant I had the funds to take some time off of work. After the wedding, we decided that we should travel back to the UK so I could see my family and tell them, we are private people and did not want the wedding being about anything other than me and N making our vows to each other. Once back in the UK, we made the decision that I would stay and then apply for the visa from the UK rather than adjustment of status, I hadn't worked in a year and obviously I couldn't work out in the US. Again, we were so naive, with getting my old job back, and in the lead up to christmas and New Year, we didn't even look at what needed to be done until January. Again, we weren't in any huge rush, we survived most of covid apart, a few weeks would be easy! After submitting the I-130 and the I-130A and seeing a comment on Reddit, did it dawn on us how stupidly in love we had become, someone once said love will make you stupid! We are both professionals, I would say we are both smart, we certainly were not smart about this. We submitted evidence of our relationship, mainly photos, boarding passes. Who knew that we should of opened a joint account, or that we even could if I didn't live there, that I could of been added to the bills, the mortgage, to help strengthen our case. I really wish I had come across all of this information before, not that it would of stopped us doing the process at all, we will wait as long as it takes. It just would of been nice to know that it's going to take more than a few weeks, that we could of strengthened our case to prove that we are in a legitimate relationship, that we may have to spend a long time apart, wasting money as we are paying for 2 houses, we own, well he owns a house, and I rent in the UK. We are paying double everything! It is so heartbreaking. How do people cope, I feel like I am checking our case every day, I know it's not going to have changed but I can't help it. Praying to God we get to be together soon and can start living our best lives. Anyone else feeling this way, made the same silly assumption that it would be an easy process? Would love to chat with anyone in the same position, maybe this is God way of pulling people together, I have to believe that this is part of his grand plan, I shall not lose hope!