Hi all -
First post. Came across the forum while researching immigration issues & it seems like there's heaps of useful info on here.
Got a pretty complicated situation, but here's a tiny bit of background -
I am an American citizen, married to a Kiwi for 2.5 years (we've been together on and off for 5.5 years - the 'off' parts due to my having to finish up college on the opposite side of the country, and then me going to NZ on a working holiday visa bc he got me so interested in the country but could not join me due to his immigration status in the US. We have always been together while living in the same state). We are looking into getting our NZ paperwork done, and I have a couple questions.
1 - Relationship evidence. We have a marriage certificate, photos of us together on various trips over the course of a few years, photos of us with our parents all together, probably a photo of us with his parents on our honeymoon, mail addressed to us at the same addresses at the same time (though not necessarily co-addressed -I have to go through our stuff to check). We do NOT have wedding photos (it was a small affair, done on short time), joint bank accounts (he would bring down my credit), nor joint tenancy agreements (we were subletting for a couple years, with no paperwork involved, and then were house-sitting for a couple years for friends. We can get them to write a letter saying we were living at the house together and are a legitimate couple. They know us well!). We also do not have joint bills/ proof of shared financial obligations because everything is in my name, since my husband's immigration status prevented him from being able to have things in his name. Also, he did not have a driver's license, so the truck, insurance, etc is all in my name. We are about the happiest couple we know - but also have a 17.5 year age difference, so naturally, we will probably have to prove more than most couples that we are legit. Our families and friends will vouch for us 100%, and the interview will be a piece of cake. I know just about everything about him, we have a great relationship history, and we're totally legit so there would be no inconsistencies, etc.
Any input on what issues might arise & what we can do to convince Immigration we are legit?
2) As for the character requirement - I have read all the threads on here about it, and just about all of them are along the line of "I was young and dumb, I can prove I'm a changed person." For us, our potential problems would be very recent, though no less repentant. We can quite honestly say, in detail, how we have realized that NOTHING is worth jeopardizing our ability to live together, how we have job offers back in NZ, and both are planning to have our own small businesses. I have a squeaky- clean record until recently, a college degree, straight-A's for my entire school career, and just want to run my own food business. He has some minor things in his past, like any good kiwi, but they are all 15+ years ago, and he never had any jail time... but then he has the recent problem as well. (Unfortunately, I'd rather not give specifics about the situation here, but I can say that there will be time served over 6 months, if even that, and I might not serve any, and there's no violence or anything involved.) My husband could very well be deported from the US, so NZ could be our only realistic chance to live together. I would like to think that this would be taken into account, and that it would take a pretty heartless person to keep a married couple apart, especially if we are going to be 100% on the straight and narrow back there, have job opportunities, heaps of things we want to do in NZ, etc.
Any input would be greatly appreciated! Cheers!