Joint sponsorship question

[daveblax]

My mom agreed to be help sponsor my wife for her spousal visa. The problem is, she doesn't make very much money. She has a small condo in America, and makes a secretary salary. Also, last year she was out of work for 8 months because she moved from New York to Florida.

 

If she makes around 20,000 USD per year, with some assets including her condo, do you think I need to consider getting a different sponsor? Is it possible to have two different people co-sponsoring my wife at the same time? It is possible for my mom to ask one of my friends.

 

I am only 26 and don't make very much money myself. I love my wife and really want to move with her to America this year. I would appreciate any help answering my questions.

 

-Dave

[newacct]

She could potentially be either a joint sponsor, or a household member of you, the primary sponsor. To be considered a household member, she either has to live with you or one of you claim the other as a dependent. If this is not the case, then she cannot be your household member.

 

To be a joint sponsor, she must have sufficient income herself (plus any of her household members, if any; e.g. her husband or any dependents) to meet the 125% poverty line level for the household size of (her household + 1 (the immigrant)). A joint sponsor cannot combine income with the primary sponsor, nor with another joint sponsor (that's why there can only be one joint sponsor per immigrant). She can only combine income with her household members.

 

If it's just a household size of 2 (e.g. if your mom is not married, then it's just her and the immigrant, for a size of 2), then $20K is barely enough. For a household size of 3 it would not be enough. She could count assets like her condo, but only if they can be sold within 1 year without hardship to her. She would need $3 of asset to make up for $1 of income.

[dnoblett]

Newacct nailed the technical aspect. However, if and when the consulate gets your mother's I-864, they can always reject it due to income level even if barely over the 125% mark, they tend to take into account the totality of the sponsor's situation and if they don't like it they can and do often demand a better joint sponsor.

[daveblax]

Thanks for your help guys! We handed in our I-130 petition on December 31st. When can we expect to have our interview? I know there is no sure way of knowing, but I want to give my joint sponsor an accurate time table so they know how much time they have to finish the I-864.

[dnoblett]

In all cases the benificiary schedules interview after being instructed to do the DS-260, at that point simply schedule it after you have the I-864 affidavits in order.

 

DCF tends to be a month or two from filing to contact by consulate about next steps.

[daveblax]

Thanks! Do you know if my wife receives an alien registration number when we receive the I-130 acceptance?

[dnoblett]

Thanks! Do you know if my wife receives an alien registration number when we receive the I-130 acceptance?

If you get a notice of action in the mail, look below benificiary name, usually shows A# there.

[daveblax]

Thanks! Today I emailed USCIS to ask them about the progress of my I-130 petition. I got this reply a few hours later.

 

Dear Mr. Solow:

 

Your petition was granted on January 2, 2014, and delivered to the immigrant visa unit in Guangzhou. They will be contacting your wife about the next steps.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

USCIS Guangzhou

Department of Homeland Security

 

 

 

WOW! That was fast. I handed in my paperwork on December 31st.

 

I then asked around when my wife would be contacted and how she would be contacted. He wasn't able to answer me, and then directed me to Consular section of the US Consulate General website.

 

Should we be expecting a directions in the mail any day now? How else would she be contacted?

[daveblax]

My wife is worried that we haven't received a notice of action in the mail already. Does anyone know about a number I can call to talk to someone in the Immigrant Visa Unit?

 

 

I was directed to this link, but I do not yet have a case number.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/immigrant-visa-unit-question.html

[Randy W]

My wife is worried that we haven't received a notice of action in the mail already. Does anyone know about a number I can call to talk to someone in the Immigrant Visa Unit?

 

 

I was directed to this link, but I do not yet have a case number.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/immigrant-visa-unit-question.html

 

Unfortunately, that is the best and only way to contact them. Best to sit back and wait. You will be hearing from them.

[ynmx]

Hi Dave,

 

I submitted the paperwork for my wife on the 17th of December at the Beijing Embassy and I just received an email from Guangzhou literally this morning. Another person just finished the whole process and it seems this step took around a month for them as well. I don't know how the Spring Festival will affect things but you might end up having to wait until after the holidays are over to hear from them.

[daveblax]

Thanks guys! Sometimes it is hard for us to stay patient.

[daveblax]

We received a notice of action email on January 27th which included our case number and we sent our DS-260 receipt and required documents to Guangzhou the next day.

 

Today we got an email from Guangzhou with instructions to schedule our interview. This process is moving much quicker than I originally anticipated.

 

My co-sponsor, a close family friend, wants to mail the I-864 form directly to the embassy. Is this possible? She would feel much more comfortable doing it this way because a lot of her personal information is included and I have had trouble receiving packages at my apartment in Suzhou in the past.

 

Also, we never received the A#. Are we looking in the wrong place? We need to include the A# when we fill out the I-864 form. This is different than the case number, right?

[dnoblett]

From what I have read on the consulate site, they discard anything sent to them that they did not request sent to them.

 

You won't have an A# unless USCIS noted one on a notice of action.

[daveblax]

Where on the website does it say this? I can't find that. I called the consulate, and they told me they would hold it for me if it is addressed to the Immigration Services Unit and it includes the case number.