andrew_qin

The thought of her and her son driving in the U.S. just scares the Bejezus out of me at this point. I only have one to worry about, but I know what you mean. Qin makes right turns onto major thoroughfares without slowing down or even turning her head left to view the oncoming traffic. She says she can see well enough through the corner of her eye. I live in a small town with a very active traffic enforcement force. I may have to add "traffic citations" into the yearly budget. If your wife's DL is in the same format as mine, it is clearly recognizable as a Chinese drivers permit. Though it doesn't have the licencee's name in English, it does have a photo and birth date. If you want to be safe, bring a copy of it to your local DMV and ask them if it is acceptable. If they say it is, ask them to enter into their database that you appeared before them, or at least get the officer's name and ID number. Is your wife's English good enough that she can take the written drivers test in English? Unfortunately, they don't have a Chinese version of the test in Florida, but she can have an interpreter present to translate the questions for her.

My wife called me yesterday at 9:30pm (9:30am, China time). I was expecting her to call after the interview and was alarmed that she was calling so early. The phone connection was bad, but I could clearly hear the words "I got the visa, meet me on QQ!" We then logged on to QQ and she told me the story. Qin's VO was female, caucasian, approximately 35 years. She asked to see our photos, commented that they were lovely and asked my wife what field of business I was in. After my wife answered, the vo offered her congratulations. The whole thing took less than a couple of minutes. As we all know, the greater part of the decision making process occurs before the interview. Our case had both relational and financial issues that required clarification. My wife and I carefully analyzed these issues and offered a thorough and cogent explanation. I am convinced that a favorable decision was arrived at on the basis of two well-composed letters and the profusion of supporting evidence my wife and I supplied. As a word of advice to couples going through the process who have possible red flags lurking, get your issues on the table and address them as soon and as effectively as possible. A good EOR letter will reveal the sincerity and depth of your relationship. Photos, affidavits, passport stamps, etc. will serve to support those. If your financial situation is not as bad as Line 22 of your 1040 Tax Return indicates, compose a detailed letter explaining the facts and support the content with profuse documentation. The composer of the written word has the advantage of being able to edit and re-edit until it conveys the precise mood and meaning he intends. If you are not a literary sort of person, get someone that can help you articulate your feelings. Don't underestimate the power of a well-crafted letter. I want to sincerely thank all the members of this forum for the time and consideration given to me through your advice and answers to my questions. The information I gleaned from this website was my guiding light all the way. If there is anything I can do to help other members, especially those whose cases bear resemblance to mine, I would be happy to do what I can. Although there are always challenges to confront and overcome in the journey of life, at least this chapter I now gratefully close. For those of you still engaged in the struggle, make your best effort and you'll be successful.

It is up to you to PROVE your income. The 1040 is just one piece of evidence that can be used. We had one guy submit an I-864 showing ZERO income, from his tax return. The consulate had had previous dealings with him, due to his export business, so they knew his true income was. He had no problem getting the visa. You might have an accountant draw up a cover sheet for the I-864 to show what your income really is. Put the "obvious" right out there where they will see it. The NVC does not evaluate your income - the consulate does. I'm sure this is just a form letter someone tacked on when they saw the income on your tax return. Even so, I would take it as a warning as to how someone at the consulate may react. You never know. Non-liquid assets may not help your case. Personally, the I-864 is MUCH more of a financial commitment to your relationship than I would ask anyone else to make, but if you can easily get a co-sponsor, you may wish to do so. Your advice is well taken. I have already submitted my I-864 with a thorough and cogent explanation of my income. I guess it is too late now to have my accountant write up a similar document under his credential as an accountant. But I will still have him write up the document and have my wife bring it with her to the interview. I imagine that if eligibility came up as an issue at her interview, the consular officer would be open to receive further documentation. It is encouraging to know that the consular officer will take into consideration the entire picture when evaluating my ability to provide for my wife and not focus on the Line 22 of the 1040 Tax Return to the exclusion of everything else. If I were a kid just starting out in life, I could see myself seeking the help of a parent or elder sibling as a joint sponsor. I'm well beyond that, so I'll be going it alone. I have confidence in my ability to put my case across, and I have confidence that most people engaged in public service have the intelligence and integrity to make the right decisions. I'll have my accountant prepare the document you advised and hope for the best. Thanks for your input.

A couple of days ago I received a notice from NVC. They requested me to send in evidence of my self-employment and they informed me: "Please be advised that you, as the Petitioner, do not appear to meet the minimum income requirement according to the current poverty guidelines to sponsor the intending immigrant(s) for this petition. The consular officer will make a decision regarding this requirement at the time of your interview. In order to avoid delays, you may wish to submit an addtional Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) fora Joint Sponsor to the National Visa Center to assist in sponsoring the intending immigrants." Apparently, the NVC is not considering my current business income because of business losses from previous years that have been carried forward to my 2010 1040 Tax Return. If my current income is not considered, I must rely on assets as my only means for sponsoring my wife. I've declared checking account balances amounting to $60,000 and real estate equity (residential and commercial property) at $450,000, with solid evidence of their value. According to the I-864 instruction sheet I should have more than enough to sponsor my wife on my declared assets alone, yet NVC is advising me to get a joint sponsor. Does anyone know if it is standard procedure for the NVC to issue advice about joint sponsorship whenever income does not meet the 125% poverty guidelines (regardless of the value of assets used to supplement income)? Does anyone have knowledge of other CFL members who declared assets as a supplement to their income? Since, according to the notice, the decision on the matter will be made at the time of the interview, how has Guangzhou consulate historically dealt with such cases? I do not have the option to find a joint sponsor, so my own financial situation will have to suffice. My financial ability to support my wife is obvious, but that is not evident if only Line 22 of the 1040 is given consideration. I was advised to seek an attorney to address the matter, but I don't want to do that prematurely. I'd appreciate your input.

When I submitted our I-130 petition, I had very little EOR material. Apparently it was enough, however, because the petition was approved without a request for more information. Since then, we've accumulated a ton of evidence (photos, email and chat logs, etc.). Is it acceptable to include this material on a CD and submit it with the other documentation at interview time? If we were to print out this stuff it would result in a 4" thick folder.

Do all the documents my wife must submit at her interview (police statement of no criminal history, birth certificate, divorce certificate, passport etc.) require notarized translations similar to the white marriage book? If so, what agencies are acceptable to provide this service for us? Thanks in advance for your input. Andrew