I-134: Listing Assets and Bank Deposits

[cellardoor10]

Hi all,

 

Because I have a period of unemployment and lack a solid income history, I'm going to list my bank account and stock assets on the I-134, but I'm confused on two things and would appreciate the help.

 

1) Question 7 says "I have on deposit in savings banks in the United States:___"

 

Is my checking account a "deposit in a savings bank?" Or does it really have to be in a savings account as opposed to checking?

 

2) Assuming that yes, a checking account is the same as a deposit in a savings bank, does that mean I need to make sure that the number I put here should match the signed statement from my bank?

 

Thank you in advance. I did my best to find these answers elsewhere but it seems whenever someone asks questions along these lines, they are informed about exceeding the poverty level and then no one answers. :-)

[dnoblett]

A Checking account should be treated same as a deposit account, the consulate may demand seeing prior statements going back a way to look for any large deposits and may ask about them, in some cases people borrow a large amount from friends or family to boost their assets until the immigrant is in the states and simply return the borrowed money.

 

Do your assets = three times 125% poverty line for a family of two or more? Are you trying to be a solo sponsor or will you be using a joint sponsor?

 

If you are using a joint sponsor, then keep your affidavit of support simple, to avoid having the visa applicant asked a lot of questions regarding the affidavit of support.

 

in any case the consulate can and does demand a joint sponsor in cases where a sponsor has no income.

[cellardoor10]

Thank you dnoblett for the response.

 

Yes, my assets just barely meet that poverty line (assuming that is the number I see here.) The reason I need to do is, although my current job pays above the poverty line, it is a fairly new one so my three years of tax returns will be useless in instilling confidence into the VO.

 

I will be getting a co-sponsor also just in case my lack income history causes the VO to doubt the validity of my assets. My SO has been reading some horror stories on Chinese chat groups of the VO being really tough and questioning the assets listed on the i-134 (hence the need for a co-sponsor).

 

Does this make sense? Am I thinking through this clearly? Gosh, I can't wait for this process to be over. It's like living through Lord of the Rings :-)

Edited December 6, 2012 by cellardoor10 (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

The VO is concerned with if your income will continue, a decent letter from an employer will satisfy this.

 

Basically, your employer letter should state "To whom it may concern: (first name,last name) has been employed full-time with the XYZ Company since 200_ as a (name of your job), and is an employee in good standing with an annual salary of $XXXX. Signed, John Doe, Supervisor (or whatever title)" The letter should be on company letterhead.

 

Assets add to income, so for example if your income falls below the 125% poverty line threshold, so for example if income is $1,000 below the mark, you need to show at least $3,000 in assets, to be considered a good asset it needs to be easily converted to cash, a car can be an asset, however cannot be your primary car, only a secondary car such as a collector car, and would need an appraisal.

 

One other note, I-134 is for the non-immigrant visa and period of time that the person is considered a non-immigrant as in K-1 fiancee, if your income is sufficient after fiancee arrives in the USA, you may be able to be solo sponsor not needing a joint sponsor when K-1 adjusts status after marriage then using the I-864.

 

Also, the consulate treats the non immigrant I-134 the same as the immigrant I-864 and prefers same types of financial evidence as the I-864, so study the I-864 instructions.

[cellardoor10]

The VO is concerned with if your income will continue, a decent letter from an employer will satisfy this.

 

Basically, your employer letter should state "To whom it may concern: (first name,last name) has been employed full-time with the XYZ Company since 200_ as a (name of your job), and is an employee in good standing with an annual salary of $XXXX. Signed, John Doe, Supervisor (or whatever title)" The letter should be on company letterhead.

 

Assets add to income, so for example if your income falls below the 125% poverty line threshold, so for example if income is $1,000 below the mark, you need to show at least $3,000 in assets, to be considered a good asset it needs to be easily converted to cash, a car can be an asset, however cannot be your primary car, only a secondary car such as a collector car, and would need an appraisal.

 

One other note, I-134 is for the non-immigrant visa and period of time that the person is considered a non-immigrant as in K-1 fiancee, if your income is sufficient after fiancee arrives in the USA, you may be able to be solo sponsor not needing a joint sponsor when K-1 adjusts status after marriage then using the I-864.

 

Also, the consulate treats the non immigrant I-134 the same as the immigrant I-864 and prefers same types of financial evidence as the I-864, so study the I-864 instructions.

 

Thank you for all the help, Dnoblett! I have just one more question that my fiancee has been asking me about. My joint sponsor will be my father, who files taxes jointly with my mother. Do you happen to know if my mother should be signing the I-134 as well? Or should it only be my father signature at the bottom? My fiancee is telling me not having the 2nd parent's signature has gotten people a blue slip, so I'm wondering if I should make the effort to remedy this as fast as possible. Hope you all have been having a happy holiday season. :-)

[dnoblett]

If they file jointly showing combined income, spouse could co-sign the I-134.

[Randy W]

If his spouse doesn't want to sign, the income needs to be broken down separately - i.e., attach a statement showing which of the income is his.

[cellardoor10]

If they file jointly showing combined income, spouse could co-sign the I-134.

If his spouse doesn't want to sign, the income needs to be broken down separately - i.e., attach a statement showing which of the income is his.

 

Understood. Fortunately, my mother is okay with co-signing. I just have one more question, and I hope it doesn't sound too obvious or dumb, but I've been hit out of left field too many times already . If my mother cosigns the I-134 form, I do not have to try squeezing in my mother's info onto the I-134 with my dad's info, correct? Besides a co-signature on the bottom of the 2nd page, everything else, such as the name and birth date section, can reflect just my dad, right?

[dnoblett]

If they file jointly showing combined income, spouse could co-sign the I-134.

If his spouse doesn't want to sign, the income needs to be broken down separately - i.e., attach a statement showing which of the income is his.

 

Understood. Fortunately, my mother is okay with co-signing. I just have one more question, and I hope it doesn't sound too obvious or dumb, but I've been hit out of left field too many times already . If my mother cosigns the I-134 form, I do not have to try squeezing in my mother's info onto the I-134 with my dad's info, correct? Besides a co-signature on the bottom of the 2nd page, everything else, such as the name and birth date section, can reflect just my dad, right?

I would suspect that will be acceptable, her info should be on the attached tax returns or transcripts.

 

Later if you use them again to actually sponsor the green-card after marriage, it would be, you I-864, and them I-864+I-864A or as randy suggested break the income down and use one parent's income data.

[rasaco]

A Checking account should be treated same as a deposit account, the consulate may demand seeing prior statements going back a way to look for any large deposits and may ask about them, in some cases people borrow a large amount from friends or family to boost their assets until the immigrant is in the states and simply return the borrowed money.

 

Do your assets = three times 125% poverty line for a family of two or more? Are you trying to be a solo sponsor or will you be using a joint sponsor?

 

If you are using a joint sponsor, then keep your affidavit of support simple, to avoid having the visa applicant asked a lot of questions regarding the affidavit of support.

 

in any case the consulate can and does demand a joint sponsor in cases where a sponsor has no income.

Hey, dnoblett, you referred to cases of people borrowing a large amount of money to boost assets. I was planning to go this route, because while my parents are in support of my case, they are very fearful of identity theft and are not comfortable sending over to China all of the information that would be required for them to be cosponsors. If I explain that large jump in my savings account as such, and provide just a letter of support (no official paperwork) from my parents, do you think that would be acceptable?

[dnoblett]

Hey, dnoblett, you referred to cases of people borrowing a large amount of money to boost assets. I was planning to go this route, because while my parents are in support of my case, they are very fearful of identity theft and are not comfortable sending over to China all of the information that would be required for them to be cosponsors. If I explain that large jump in my savings account as such, and provide just a letter of support (no official paperwork) from my parents, do you think that would be acceptable?

The problem is they can always ask where the deposit came from and suspect that once arrive in the USA that it will be returned.

 

You can use anyone to act as a joint sponsor.

 

Is this a K-1 or CR-1 case? They use different affidavit of support forms at the visa interview.

[Randy W]

 

A Checking account should be treated same as a deposit account, the consulate may demand seeing prior statements going back a way to look for any large deposits and may ask about them, in some cases people borrow a large amount from friends or family to boost their assets until the immigrant is in the states and simply return the borrowed money.

 

Do your assets = three times 125% poverty line for a family of two or more? Are you trying to be a solo sponsor or will you be using a joint sponsor?

 

If you are using a joint sponsor, then keep your affidavit of support simple, to avoid having the visa applicant asked a lot of questions regarding the affidavit of support.

 

in any case the consulate can and does demand a joint sponsor in cases where a sponsor has no income.

Hey, dnoblett, you referred to cases of people borrowing a large amount of money to boost assets. I was planning to go this route, because while my parents are in support of my case, they are very fearful of identity theft and are not comfortable sending over to China all of the information that would be required for them to be cosponsors. If I explain that large jump in my savings account as such, and provide just a letter of support (no official paperwork) from my parents, do you think that would be acceptable?

 

 

 

Borrowed money does NOT reflect a stronger financial situation, although that may or may not be noticed. We can not look over your shoulder to tell you how the Visa Officer will react to your Affidavit of Support. It's up to you to do the best you can there - perhaps your parents will be more willing to help out when (IF) your affidavit is rejected. Perhaps they would be more willing to help out if they knew that you were submitting it DIRECTLY to the Consulate or through the CITIC Bank drop-off.

[rasaco]

 

Hey, dnoblett, you referred to cases of people borrowing a large amount of money to boost assets. I was planning to go this route, because while my parents are in support of my case, they are very fearful of identity theft and are not comfortable sending over to China all of the information that would be required for them to be cosponsors. If I explain that large jump in my savings account as such, and provide just a letter of support (no official paperwork) from my parents, do you think that would be acceptable?

The problem is they can always ask where the deposit came from and suspect that once arrive in the USA that it will be returned.

 

You can use anyone to act as a joint sponsor.

 

Is this a K-1 or CR-1 case? They use different affidavit of support forms at the visa interview.

 

It is a K-1, so I am using the I-134. If the information were able to be submitted directly to the consulate, or better yet, weren't leaving the US, they would be fine acting as joint sponsors. My fiance is in a rural area where letters I send him sometimes arrive and sometimes end up getting delivered to the completely wrong location, plus he resides at his place of employment where many people could possibly intercept the package. I can understand their concern.

[rasaco]

 

 

A Checking account should be treated same as a deposit account, the consulate may demand seeing prior statements going back a way to look for any large deposits and may ask about them, in some cases people borrow a large amount from friends or family to boost their assets until the immigrant is in the states and simply return the borrowed money.

 

Do your assets = three times 125% poverty line for a family of two or more? Are you trying to be a solo sponsor or will you be using a joint sponsor?

 

If you are using a joint sponsor, then keep your affidavit of support simple, to avoid having the visa applicant asked a lot of questions regarding the affidavit of support.

 

in any case the consulate can and does demand a joint sponsor in cases where a sponsor has no income.

Hey, dnoblett, you referred to cases of people borrowing a large amount of money to boost assets. I was planning to go this route, because while my parents are in support of my case, they are very fearful of identity theft and are not comfortable sending over to China all of the information that would be required for them to be cosponsors. If I explain that large jump in my savings account as such, and provide just a letter of support (no official paperwork) from my parents, do you think that would be acceptable?

 

 

 

Borrowed money does NOT reflect a stronger financial situation, although that may or may not be noticed. We can not look over your shoulder to tell you how the Visa Officer will react to your Affidavit of Support. It's up to you to do the best you can there - perhaps your parents will be more willing to help out when (IF) your affidavit is rejected. Perhaps they would be more willing to help out if they knew that you were submitting it DIRECTLY to the Consulate or through the CITIC Bank drop-off.

 

Is there a way to submit directly to the consulate for K-1? If so, can you please direct me to some instructions on how to do this?

[Greg.D.]

I've only done one I-134, though I've done it recently. The app is carried in by the visa applicant/beneficiary. So, if you COULD send it to the consulate, it might actually get lost there. Probably find a way to be more creative in sending the package to China - to somebody else who has a secure delivery.