Hi! I am a male (25 y.o.) EU citizen, currently residing in America, married to a female (31 y.o.) US citizen in the process of applying for a Green Card. Before I send everything over to USCIS I wanted to double check if I am doing everything correctly and ask if I am missing anything.
Our relationship timeline:
Met and started dating in August 2023 when I was visiting the US on ESTA
She visited me in the EU in December 2023
I came back on an ESTA in May 2024 to see her
Then in August 2024 I entered the US on a J-1 visa (no home rule requirement as I'm an EU citizen and was paying for the program myself) for a semester long exchange program at a university and we moved in together
December 2024 my visa ended
January 2025 my grace period to leave ended
January 2025 we get married
For the form I-130 we have:
My wife's passport and birth certificate
Our marriage certificate
Bonafide marriage evidence:
Itineraries from our trips, including trips within the US, as well as her coming to Europe
Photos together, with friends, her family in the US, as well as with my now deceased father from when she was in Europe
The lease is in her name but I have mail delivered to our apartment with both our names on it, as well as letters from the state gov't in my name
Screenshots of messages from past 12 months
I know that this is not the strongest evidence and that we lack joint finances but we have experienced problems with joining them -- her bank won't let me be put on her account or as an authorized user on her credit cards without an SSN, which as far as I know I will only get while receiving the work permit. We cannot afford taking out a life insurance policy together and I cannot drive so I cannot be put on her auto insurance. I intend on opening a joint bank account as soon as I get my SSN and we have more trips to her family planned, so when we get called for an interview, we can present more evidence.
For the I-485 we have:
My passport
My visa copy
My I-94
An affidavit of support which includes a joint sponsorship from my best friend (We have the W2s, 1040 forms, his passport scan) since my wife does not meet the 26k a year requirement
A sealed letter with my USCIS civil surgeon medical exam
For I-765:
My I-94
My visa copy
My passport
Pictures of myself
Copy of my birth certificate -- it is in a foreign language - should we get it translated? If so, does it have to be a sworn translation?
We are very much in love, and very much in a bonafide marriage, yet I fear our relationship timeline can raise some red flags -- what to look out for? what to expect? One thing I was worried about is the fact that my documents including an original copy DS-2019, which proves I had not been a subject to the 2 year rule, were stolen from me alongside my laptop the very day I landed on US soil on my J-1. However, from what I see, only I-94 is needed, and it can be accessed online -- is that correct?
Thank you so much in advance for any recommendations and tips you guys might have for our case!