A woman from Morocco, who overstayed her visa, married a naturalized United States citizen, originally from the Philippines. He husband petitioned for her and they attended their first interview with USCIS in Orlando, unrepresented. We were hired, after the first interview, when the couple did not feel it went well and were concerned that the decision might not be a favorable one. Some of the concerns at the outset were a rather large age difference between the couple, as well as significant cultural and religious differences. We immediately made and attended an infopass appointment and asked the supervisor for information regarding USCIS’s thoughts on the couple’s case. After several weeks, we were able to obtain a second interview for the couple that we attended with them, armed with new and significant documentation regarding their marriage.

Prior to the interview, we gathered additional bona fides of their relationship, and prepared an extensive notice of filing that included details such as proof of payment for furniture that the couple had purchased when they were first married and photos documenting their relationship from its inception, up until the second interview.