GC interview in one month, but I (USC) am now a freelancer without steady income

[lee1917]

Hello!
My spouse received his GC interview appointment notice and what should be exciting is giving me a mental breakdown.
When we applied over a year ago, I had a full-time job, our joint bank account had a steady income, I had him on my dental insurance and things seemed fine. It seemed like there would be enough evidence for the interview. We have been married for 2.5 years.

But October last year I was laid off and while looking for full-time work for 7 months, I have been freelancing. My freelance income is also significantly less than what I was making full-time, but I know that by July I will have made above the poverty level for a 2 person household. This is just the hardest time in my life right now, but it's slowly getting better.

Due to not having any more direct deposit, I was putting all of my freelance income into my individual bank account rather than our shared. The balance on the joint account went negative and the bank closed our account. We just had to reopen a new one and very little money goes into it as all of our bill pay is attached to my individual bank account.
I am 25, turning 26 the day after our interview, so I have had insurance under my parents, which financially always helped me, my spouse has been exempt as he was in-between status. I am planning to get my own insurance starting in June and adding him to that, but then it would show not even a month of joint insurance.

We have separate phone plans (I'm still on my parent's), all of the utility bills that come to the house only have his name on them, yet I pay them. His name is only on the apartment lease because he is stubborn and has always refused to add my name and I don't know why. So on paper, it looks like we only share a bank account, but in reality, I pay for most of the rent and bills.

I thought we wouldn't get our interview until the end of summer at the earliest, and I have gone to interviews for full-time jobs, but it's been dry in my field for a while. I am hoping to hear back this week for one which would give me some peace of mind, but over 600 people applied for this job so I'm not sure.

Additionally, none of my family knows that we're married. I never told them because I've always felt like they would disown me. They think I'm irresponsible and to find out I married someone only after a short engagement ... I'm sure our relationship would become severely strained. They still think I'm a child really, so I can't ask any of them to be co-sponsors. They know that we've been "dating" and have been living together for two and a half years and they've met him a few times but that's it. My spouse's family knows that we're married and I had traveled home with him to meet them before. Sadly I don't have any pictures of us with his mom. We're not the type of couple to photograph every single thing we do, but we do have coupley photos from either traveling in the US or with our friends.

How F**ked are we truly? I've been stress crying for two days as it's the weekend and waiting for our lawyer's response. We could have a great interview, but I know they'll be running checks on our financial situation behind the scenes.

This could really ruin our lives if it's denied. He's been building his base here in the states and doesn't have much of one back in his country. And I'm prone to mental illness so the stress could really mess me up and affect my life.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I'm really scared and curious to know if anyone has had any cases remotely similar to ours.

Thank you for any help you can give.

[lina8529]

Not much to say except you basscily cant prove that your marriage is real based on documents and evidance you dont have. If I was you I would call the bank and see if they can re open the account. A lot of times the negative balance goes to collectors and of you call them and pay the ammount they might be able to reopen it. If not Bring the proof of the old(closed) account and the new account which are both joint. For the old account you should have some kind of letter stating that the account was closed , you can also proof for how long you had it and you paid bills from it by showing statements, screenshots of transactions linked to bills etc. Even tho closed its still better than nothing and showes joint financial ties. IJoint dental insurance as well. You had him at one point so include that. If asked explain what happened. Adress/lease- you can at least do change of adress and receive mail to this adress where you both leave togheter and present that as evidance even tho you are not on the least. In this case will help if you have a neighbor who can provide affidavit that he sees you there both in regular dayly basis. If you pay rent from your personala ccount then get the transaction for that you are paying rent to thissp place. Joint memebrships like amazon prime, netflix, gym or so will help even if you do them now again better than nothing. If one of you already have a amzon prme memebership just add the other one it would not show the date I believe. Same with other memberships you have just add the other person to it. Phone -if you are not on the same plan make sure you provide screenshots or some kind of statement showing that you call each other often, text each other often etc. Keep in mind that here they might ask why your parent did not add him to the same plan as well. You could also have two phones- keep the one you have with your parents and let him add you to his plan which will show joint memberships. In the second otion of I asked you could say that you used to be on your parent plan but now when married you got a joint one. For the utility bills I was able just to add a member online or so try that sometimes is just as easy as online and a phone call. If you pay for the bills with card then link the bill with the transaction and show that as a proof. Like lets say gas bill was $70 and you pay with the credit card you can link the transaction from the statement tahts will show where the payment went. Car insurances as well one can add the other as additional driver or so ( can also be done online). Inssurance is good if asked explain that you had it with your parents, then you had financial troubles but now you have joint one. Again they can at least see that you are taking steps to it. Photos with families and friends if you have! Job try to get any kind of job you are young so you can at least wait tables or do something with somehow steady income while you are applyin for other jobs. So that you can at least bring one or two paycheck by July to the interviwe if asked. That way of you manage to get a job you can bring job offer to the interviwe and pay stubs from other jobs. (not sure for this advice but this is what I would do). If they see no steady income they will question how you even pay bills and so. So its better to show that you have steady one. Serving/hosting/cashier jobs pay weekly or by weekly so by the time of the interviw you will have at least 2 or 3 pay checks to show.I think that if you have been married for 2.5 half years and get approve it will be a 10 year green card and for that they require more evidance. So just put everything you have like trips, gifts, going out to restaurants receipts. Anything basicly for 2.5 you have got to have something to show. If you have any expired memebrships I would inculde that either, it will shoe yo had something joint during this tme. Did you only live in one place for 2.5 years? If you lived somwere else then present evidance of that. Did you buy or make arrangements when you were moving with him? Any receits for furniture and household items, delivery truck if you rented one, corespondance with vendors and landlords or anything related to you moving with him. Also tax returns. I would imagine that you filled as married for the past 2 years? If so inclide that as well. I know my post is kind of long but I have read every signe comments on here and everything I say its based on what I have read. You did not mention what kind of ecidancce you submited with the I485 if you did any? Just be creative and make sure yo make a table of content to explain every piece of evidance you have. Dont cry if you feel that you can't not get the evidance, just request change of the inetrviwe date. Yes it will dely things but it will give you piece of mind. Good luck!

[cw1192]

Hi - any update on how your interview went, finding myself in a similar position. Thanks!