125% poverty level guideline and monthly salary?

[chinese_lover]

125% poverty level guideline is how much on a monthly salary,i make like $8hr is all and thats like $1,200 a month,will i meet it,Chris^_^

or will i need to show bank statments,

let me know something

[frank1538]

you can check the guidelines at:

 

http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/f...iles/I-864p.pdf

 

For a family of two, the 125% amount is $15,150 for the continental US. At $1,200/month, you'll fall short.

[tywy_99]

http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-864P.htm

 

Look at the 2003 poverty guideline sheet. If you meet or exceed the 125% level, then you are okay. These guidelines are for filing of the I-864 form but this will give you a good idea if you make enough or if you need to add additional resources to suppliment your income.

[AZwolfman]

You are about $750 short for the year. You mentioned some extra earnings. Document them. Make photocopies of the checks before you deposit them, and for goodness sakes, report them on your tax returns. I sell things on the internet. That is how I document the sales (in addition of course to keeping records).

 

PM me if you have any questions.

[keelec]

Ok,

 

Be careful about 2002 guidelines vs 2003 guidelines. They are different by about $1000 or $2000.

 

If you are using your 2002 1040 form, then use the 2002 guidelines...... I am surprised they didn't specify which line to use from the 1040.

 

If 2003 looks better than 2002, you could probably use the current year, especially if your interview isn't until December/January, or later.

 

I assume that Overtime & Second jobs count. If you are within a few hundred dollars...... Try to find some additional income.

 

Are you a student? Can you make a reasonable argument that your income will be increasing in the next few years?

 

Remember, the goal of the requirement is not to make it more difficult to bring someone in, but rather to prevent the immigrants from becoming public liabilities..... You shouldn't apply for food stamps because you have married a foreigner..... The country doesn't want both people to be unemployed in a year, and have both individuals on welfare.....

 

Of course, in today's job market, nobody can be 100% secure.

 

Does anybody know how thoroughly the INS looks at the application. If you are halfway through the process, put all of the documents together and make them look VERY pretty. Put your employer's letter and etc on top.... They might not even look at any tax statements..... Of course, that is a BIG risk to take after waiting so long.

 

Perhaps the co-sponsor is the better way to go. Although, I wonder about a co-sponsor. It is not like buying a car or a house where the creditors can come after the co-applicant.

 

I guess I am rambling again,

----- Clifford -----

[keelec]

The applicable guidline is the year the visa is issued. The 2004 numbers should be out in a few months and will likely be a bit higher than the 2003 numbers.

 

If your income is very close, it would be wise to line up a co-sponsor as insurance. You can never be sure if the VO will ask for the I-134 or not. If they do, it needs to meet or exceed the guideline. If it does not, a blue slip would be issued to bring in a co-sponsor's I-134 before the visa would be issued. Anyone can be a co-sponsor.

Well, the voice of reason strikes again.

 

Somehow I think Don must search for my postings to correct any of my misconceptions!!!!

 

Fortunately, Don is only 3/4 correct.

 

Here is what the instructions for Form 864 says:

 

. . . . Immigration and Consular Offices will begin to use updated poverty

. . . . guidelines on the first day of the second month after the date the

. . . . guidelines are publisned in the Federal Register.

 

But, yes, this is based on the date of the interview, and not on the year of the 1040 form submitted (I would think that would be comparing apples to oranges, but perhaps there is a fudge factor built in.

 

Ok, the Form I-134 (for the Fiancee Visa application) requires 1 year of 1040 forms..... Don't fudge on E-Bay sales for this year!!!!!

 

The form I-864 requires 3 years of 1040 forms (and I believe that you need to meet the requirement in each of the 3 years, although this isn't clear).

 

But, I guess the I-864 comes later (after she is already in the USA), so I am not quite sure what happens if you pass the interview in Russia, but fail this later step.

 

How can a co-sponsor truely be liable? Will the US deny unemployment/welfare benefits based on the cosponsor agreement?

 

------ Cliff -----