Love Wins for Couple Filing I-751

Applicant: Tommy Smith
Year of Application: 2016
Applying for: I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence
Nationality: Argentinian
Challenges:

• Mary and her husband Tommy needed to prove that they are in love in order for Mary’s visa to be approved
• If the visa is denied, she could be deported
• Mary’s deportation would ruin the life they have worked hard to build together

BACKGROUND

When Mary and Tommy first walked into our office there was no question to anyone who saw them that they were madly in love. Tommy held the door for her and pulled out her chair like a gentleman. When they sat before us, they held hands, finishing each other’s sentences, and laughing at each other’s jokes. As they told us about their life, it was clear to all of us that they were exactly where they wanted to be.

They both had children from previous marriages, but their children were all over the world, either in college or living lives of their own. They lived in California together with their three dogs who they thought of as their children. Every day, they would walk their dogs down to the beach, where Mary set up an easel and painted the beautiful blue ocean and the surrounding mountains. Just over a year ago, Tommy got her the best birthday present; an art studio where she could paint to her heart’s content. Since then, she’s started teaching classes from her studio. Her friends and students come to the studio right near the beach; they drink wine and play with the dogs. Mr. and Mrs. Smith love going to museums together and playing in nature. Their life together was a heaven of their own making. Yet not all was right in paradise.

Mary had a conditional green-card and it was time to apply for her conditions to be removed so she could live peacefully with the love of her life. They needed help from an experienced law firm, which is when they found Tsang & Associates.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

In order to prove that Mary and Tommy’s love was real, we needed to prove that their lives had been joined together completely. One of the key pieces of evidence was the art studio. Tommy had leased the studio and gifted it to Mary, meaning that the two of them were jointly sharing property. The three dogs had also become evidence of their life together and the family that they had built. Next, their social media became a colorful timeline showing their adventures together.

We asked if they had friends who could testify on their behalf and they happily complied. Little did we realize just how popular these two were and just how obvious their love was to everyone. We heard an earful from their friends; one saying “I’ve been married for 30 years; I wish my husband would look at me like that”. Story after story about their cuddling, their puppies, their art, their food, their love of life; it was both beautiful and all too much for one to endure. Thankfully, this would all work in our favor.

We assembled every detail into an exhaustive file. Aside from their photos and testimony, we included tax returns, bank statements, their studio lease, automotive insurance, and their seller’s permit which allowed the sale of their art. With all this compiled, the only thing left was their interview where a final decision would be made. We prepared them for every possible question and made sure that they felt confident as they went into Mary’s last challenge.

OUTCOME

It was just as obvious to the USCIS officer as it was to us that Tommy and Mary were head over heels for one another as her case was approved. Their lives are so perfectly joined together, no one could argue that they weren’t really in love. Tommy and Mary are living happily in the art studio and beach house to this day.