Background
Our client, Patrick, served actively in the U.S. military and was deployed to Thailand in 2020. During this time, he met Lou, who would later become his wife. They first met by chance one evening at dinner, and a simple introduction soon developed into a relationship. They began exploring different regions within Thailand, trying various foods, and attending different festivals.
As their connection deepened, COVID-19 struck, and Patrick was ordered to return to the U.S. Unfortunately, Patrick and Lou couldn’t travel to see each other for the next two years. They then relied on WhatsApp to stay connected. Despite the 12-hour time difference and the challenges of long-distance communication, their relationship continued to grow stronger through late-night calls, messages, and many virtual date nights.
Finally, in November 2022, Patrick was able to travel back to Thailand. Reuniting after years apart was emotional and reaffirmed that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. During this visit, Patrick met Lou’s family for the first time and asked for their blessing to propose.
Case
Soon after his proposal, Patrick contacted our office through our virtual chatbot on our family immigration software. He spoke with our team, and it was clear that he wanted to bring Lou to the U.S. However, he also wanted time to properly celebrate their engagement with both sides of the family. Together, they were going to plan two wedding ceremonies, one in Thailand and one in the U.S.
Our team immediately started working on a K-1, fiancé visa. As the couple had recently met in person, we were able to initiate the filing without delay. We started by collecting all documentation, which included plane tickets, photos, hotels booked, letters that they had written to each other, affidavits from friends and family members, as well as sworn affidavits written by both Patrick and Lou. All of Lou’s documents had to be translated from Thai to English.
Once it was time for Lou’s interview, we prepared her for the type of questions she would expect to answer. Lou’s K-1 visa was approved in a little over a year, and she immediately traveled to the U.S. She and Patrick lived together for the first time, and they were able to do things like cook meals together, explore new cities, and spend time together without any barriers of distance.
Adjustment of Status After the K-1 Visa Approval
Before proceeding with the next stage, the marriage green card process, Patrick and Lou decided to take a couple of months to settle in and save money to cover the filing fees and medical exam costs for the green card. Once they were financially ready, our team filed the adjustment of status. This filing would allow Lou to transition from a fiancé visa to permanent residency in the U.S. Within 2 months of filing, they were scheduled for a marriage green card interview, and we did a mock interview to prepare them. Their case was approved on the spot after their interview.
Verdict
USCIS approved Lou’s green card case within 2 months of filing the adjustment of status!
