Sukie

I owned our home before we married. We merely added a note about this to our cover letter, showed that my spouse was listed on our Homeowners Insurance, and submitted our NY Driver's Licenses - both with our home address. We had no issues. Sukie in NY

Oh, Jeez. What a &*$%storm. So very sorry to hear this. You are one of the most organized people on this list. Surely there is a way through. Do you live in a state with a sympathetic senator? Sukie in NY

Keep the envelope, too! Sukie in NY

Shin, it is your documentation that will speak for you. Make it EASY to see that you "do life" together, even when you are apart. We were also a same-sex couple (one of the first to file when DOMA fell. You'll get through it! When you submit your documentation, write a cover letter explaning your live/work situation. Don't make USCIS "guess" at how the two of you do life. USCIS does understand job markets and new grads! Sukie in NY

There are often couples who have to be separated due to work - medical residents, academics, etc. Your job,, as OldUser says, is to document your trips to visit each other. Keep ALL airline tickets, bus tickets, receipts for gas, hotels, if applicable, plus records of how often you speak to each other online or on the phone. It is not insurmountable. It's just a little different. Also document your time with the relatives who are supportive of you. Best of luck on your journey!!! Sukie in NY

If you have sent evidence - like a bank statement or credit card statement or a copy of a lease - make sure you send ALL the pages! Don't just send the summary! Good luck! Sukie in NY

As two others have said, get in front of any questions with a letter of explanation of your lifestyle. Pictures of the van, documentation of where the van has been, and where you park it. Vive le difference! In Australia they have a name for retired people who sell up and travel in their camper vans - "Grey Nomads"!!! Sukie in NY

The most important thing about your evidence is that it should be self-explanatory - meaning an officer can infer what he or she needs to know from what is in front of them. Should there be gaps, or if things aren't clear, that can lead to suspicion and/or RFEs. The best thing to do is to simply explain how you do it in a cover letter - meaning you say something like xxx account was originally <owner> and in <month, year> we added <second owner> to the account. We each contribute $$$ to a joint account from which we cover <list expenses here> . We also each maintain separate accounts. Our relationship suffered a rough patch from <date> to <date>, where we did not agree on how our money was spent. We have since moved through that patch, and are back on track. Whatever YOU say needs to be the truth. Just state the facts - don't try to either hide anything or use pretty language. Just state the facts so that the officer can look at your evidence and see what is happening instead of trying to guess what goes on. Best of luck to you! Sukie in NY

I had to remember my high school Latin for that one, VinnyH. That was over 50 years ago..... Sukie in NY

Sounds like someone got caught NOT knowing this, and just wants to post a cautionary tale. Thanks, OP, for reminding this community. Sukie in NY