Marriage and living arrangements

[defulio]

What is the name of your state? GA

Hi. My US citizen boyfriend and I plan to get married in the New Year, just in time to apply for AOS before my F1 OPT authorization ends so that I don't have to disappear back to England without him. We absolutely want to be together. I am currently completing my post-graduate traineeship in an adjacent state to where he is completing his Ph D. My traineeship finishes at the same time as my F1 visa and OPT authorization expire. For this reason we are planning to marry in the last couple of months of my traineeship. This means that at the time we send off all the relevant forms we will be married but not living together. We can provide a great deal of evidence of the validity of our relationship, but (other than during vacations) we have always had to endure a long distance relationship due to studying at different Universities. We have never been on the same rental aggreement. The only reason we are going to get married is to finally have the chance to embark on our lives together, living together. If I don't complete my traineeship, I cannot qualify for certification in my field. Waiting to get married will result in my having to leave the country. What are the chances of our marriage being accepted as legitimate?

I appreciate your time and your advice.
Thank you

 

[ImmigAttyLana]

The chances are good, provided you can document the legitimacy of your marriage and have the type of documentation that the USCIS will want to see as proof of the bona fide nature of your marriage.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions or need further assistance with this matter.

 

[defulio]

documents proving legitimacy of marriage

Thank you so much. This is good to hear. The documents I have heard they ask for include morgage papers, rental agreements, joint bank accounts etc. We will not have any of those at the time we file. We will be able to show photo graphs, phone records, email records, home movies, visa statements with plane flight purchases, visa receipts showing that we are in each others city's every two weeks. I can also show that he is the allocated benofactor of my life insurance policy. Obviously we will also have our wedding certificate. Are there any other documents that might be of use?

Thanks again

 

[ImmigAttyLana]

You do not have to provide any of that at the time of filing, but you will need to have that in time f or your interview and be fully prepare to share all this information with the USCIS in order to satisfy your burden of proving the bona fide nature of your marriage despite your living in different places.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions o r need further assistance with this matter.