I-134 Bank statement

[cqhk]

I just got back from the Credit Union.

 

I went to the information desk and explained to the person that I needed a statement from a bank employee stating 1. date account opened, 2. total deposits for the past year, 3. current balance of all accounts. She told me that they only go back 90 days. I thought she misunderstood what I was asking for, so I showed her the instruction page of the I-134. She then told me that they don't write such statements because of legal reasons. lol, I almost started laughing at her. I said, "This is something the government is asking me for, and I need to send them what they ask for." She then got may account number and produced a form letter that they use for a request similar to mine.

 

When she showed me the print out, I laughed and said, "No this won't do, it doesn't have my total deposits for the past year (it did have my current balance and they date account opened). Is there a manager here to assist me." She asked me to wait while she went and got the manager.

 

I explained the same thing to the manager. She told me that she is familiar with the I-134, because others have requested the same information. She stated that she couldn't grant my request to have a statement prepared, but she could have my monthly statements printed up for the past year. She assured me that they were acceptable. What could I say, I told her to go for it. I got the print outs and left.

 

I have my last pay stub for the year of 2004, which clearly states my gross income. I already received copies from the IRS of my last three tax returns. Should that be enough for the VO?

 

I'm in the process of writing a cover letter to attach to the I-134, so when my fiancee hands it to the VO they will understand why I didn't get the statement from the bank.

[Guest Long_strider]

Hi cqhk,

 

If you are filing for K1 and using the I-134, you need (usually) last year's tax return and a letter from your current employer. You do not need the bank information unless......you are self-employed..or...your income is below the 125% cutoff of the porverty level.

 

If you decide to do the bank thing. I simply looked at last years bank statements, added up the deposits, drafted a letter, then went and talked with the bank. They looked at the statements and the letter and then simply made some minor adjustements in the letter and put in on their stationary and signed it. (I'm self-employed).

 

Sounds like everything that you have done will be more than adequate.

 

 

good luck!

 

 

Mike

[Jeikun]

Yeah, last 12 month's statements is fine. It's a little silly though... if they could print those, they couldn't add the deposits from each together and add that to the letter?

[warpedbored]

Don and Mike are correct you do not need the bank statements if you can show enough income based on filing taxes. I subscribe to the have anything they may possibly ask for theory though. The instructions for the I-134 mention the bank statements but are a little vague about whether or not you need them. If you can get them easily I would if it's impossible I wouldn't worry about it as long as your tax transcripts show you make 125% of the federal povety guidelines for the correct number of people.

[oregonknl]

cqhk .... We just went through this on another post! (JP's)

 

I think you are going to be fine! But I am curious --- since banks across America arre so different in how they treat this request ---- what is the name of your bank??

 

Maybe we need a list of helpful banks in the resourses posts.....

[Stats]

Yeah, last 12 month's statements is fine.  It's a little silly though...  if they could print those, they couldn't add the deposits from each together and add that to the letter?

Systems not set up for that, therefore you need to do the legwork.

 

Example: I went to Wells Fargo with a filled out letter, 12 months copies, and a Excel spreadsheet that totalled the info. Everything was documented.

 

Sign here please and I was out of there. Don't expect your bank to do the work for you. Just an FYI.

[Phil & Ningning]

After getting the word from DOS about our impending interview, I went straight to the bank. It was a Saturday, so management staff was minimal that day. I expressed my needs to a teller and she said, "We don't do printouts here. Try our website, you can get a printout there." I walked out empty handed.

Several days later, I went back and asked someone at a desk, and he said he couldn't help me, but connected me to a manager that obvioulsly had ties to some Latin American country. She told me she had personal experience with this and knew exactly what I wanted. Next, she directed me to the customer service phone. Imagine that... a hotline to India right there in the branch to better serve me, the customer.

I got on the Phone and tried to describe what I wanted, still feeling like I was getting farther and farther away from obtaining it when the woman asked me, "Do you need a consular letter?" Wow! This is a standard service that the bank provides. It took about ten minutes on and off of hold and a few simple questions, and she told me I would get it in the mail in 7 to 10 days.

It hasn't arrived yet, but it should be any day now.

 

BTW, it is Citibank.

[dansm]

i had the same issue with US Bank. they will neither write or sign a letter that i draft, they will only give cryptic computer bank statements for the previous 12 months. thanks for clarifying info about the 125%, i was also confused, thought i needed both income and bank acct..

 

i also attempted to get a letter from our community center that offers esl classes, stating that my fiancee was tentatively enrolled for a date after her interview, but they will not give letters unless the person enrolled attends 12 hours of orientation. so i have their brochure and i'm hopin that's good enough.

 

good luck all

[cqhk]

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice and clarification. I'm not self employed, but indeed meet the 125% requirement. I use a local County Credit Union, not one of the major banks.

 

I was worried about it, but I feel a lot better now.

[mike_m]

I had a very similar response from my credit union. They were very concerned about liability.

 

Anyway, I happened to have all of my statements, so I added up the numbers and wrote the letter myself. I took the letter, along with the statements, back to the credit union and asked them to type it up on their letterhead.

 

They did that witout any hassle, but the would not sign the letter. Talk about nonsense paranoia... These people are afraid of being hauled into court to defend their own bank statements. And we think the Chinese are kinda screwed up in their administrative methods and silly rules!

 

Since I'm above the poverty level I'm not even going to bother with the bank statements. I'll make the I-134 to the letter of the instructions and that should do it.

[tywy_99]

Since I'm above the poverty level I'm not even going to bother with the bank statements.  I'll make the I-134 to the letter of the instructions and that should do it.

....and that is all that is needed. Anybody with a steady job that makes above the poverty line needs nothing more than a completed and notarized I-134, a letter of employment, and one tax return from the latest year. That's it!......

[eeyore]

...and that is all that is needed. Anybody with a steady job that makes above the poverty line needs nothing more than a completed and notarized I-134, a letter of employment, and one tax return from the latest year. That's it!......

Does that include for cr-1/k3 too?

[tywy_99]

...and that is all that is needed. Anybody with a steady job that makes above the poverty line needs nothing more than a completed and notarized I-134, a letter of employment, and one tax return from the latest year. That's it!......

Does that include for cr-1/k3 too?

For K-3 it is, absolutely. However, it is stated somewhere that a K-3 does not need the I-134 at time of interview but it is highly recommended to have it.

 

CR/IR needs the I-864 which is handled different ways at different post. At GZ, they already have the I-864 sent by NVC but here again, it wouldn't hurt for the applicant to have an extra one at time of interview. JMO