Hello.
I'm also sponsoring conjugal partner. My step 1 has been approved, and it has been 3 months that my file is in Ankara. For privacy reasons, I'm unable to share the details of my situation. It's a bit hard to prove your relationship since there is no legal marriage. But I'm sure if it's a true, real, and deep relationship then there shouldn't be any problem except proving marriage & immigration barrier. I have submitted a lot of different things. Emails, online chat, photos, travel tickets, letters from family & friends, phone calls over the past year, joint bank account, money transfer. We are opposite sex, around same age, with same profession and education background. We both studied Film production and also work in the industry, so I guess that adds to our relationship as genuine and marriage-like.
I have not known any successful story under this category. But I'm sure if you stay true about everything, you'll be alright.