Need Advice....Foreign Income for I 134?

[Roxyroo 1]

Hi All,

I am just beginning this whole K 1 process, but I am already worrying about how my income will be looked at when we get to that stage. I live and work in Bogotá, Colombia (where I met my fiance), and will continue to live and work here next year.

2 things concern me. When all of this gets underway, I will be:

1. For the most part, self-employed, teaching private English as a Second Language classes (have my Master's, that's what I do)

2. I will be earning Colombian pesos and depositing them into my Colombian bank account.

I am hoping to earn around $20,000US all told, but I am still wondering, am I screwed when it comes to the Affidavit of Support? If this money is from my self-employment, my private classes, and going into a foreign account, will it just be considered nothing in the eyes of the embassy?? I have read (on this site) that only a US bank account "counts" for anything. Is this true? I am hoping to avoid a sponsor by all means. I'll have about $8,000 in accounts in the States, but is that worth anything?

Any advice?

Thanks so much!

[pushbrk 12,824]

Hi All,

I am just beginning this whole K 1 process, but I am already worrying about how my income will be looked at when we get to that stage. I live and work in Bogotá, Colombia (where I met my fiance), and will continue to live and work here next year.

2 things concern me. When all of this gets underway, I will be:

1. For the most part, self-employed, teaching private English as a Second Language classes (have my Master's, that's what I do)

2. I will be earning Colombian pesos and depositing them into my Colombian bank account.

I am hoping to earn around $20,000US all told, but I am still wondering, am I screwed when it comes to the Affidavit of Support? If this money is from my self-employment, my private classes, and going into a foreign account, will it just be considered nothing in the eyes of the embassy?? I have read (on this site) that only a US bank account "counts" for anything. Is this true? I am hoping to avoid a sponsor by all means. I'll have about $8,000 in accounts in the States, but is that worth anything?

Any advice?

Thanks so much!

You won't qualify to sponsor because your income in Columbia won't continue from the same source once you return to the US. The solution is a qualified co-sponsor.

[Roxyroo 1]

Hi All,

I am just beginning this whole K 1 process, but I am already worrying about how my income will be looked at when we get to that stage. I live and work in Bogotá, Colombia (where I met my fiance), and will continue to live and work here next year.

2 things concern me. When all of this gets underway, I will be:

1. For the most part, self-employed, teaching private English as a Second Language classes (have my Master's, that's what I do)

2. I will be earning Colombian pesos and depositing them into my Colombian bank account.

I am hoping to earn around $20,000US all told, but I am still wondering, am I screwed when it comes to the Affidavit of Support? If this money is from my self-employment, my private classes, and going into a foreign account, will it just be considered nothing in the eyes of the embassy?? I have read (on this site) that only a US bank account "counts" for anything. Is this true? I am hoping to avoid a sponsor by all means. I'll have about $8,000 in accounts in the States, but is that worth anything?

Any advice?

Thanks so much!

You won't qualify to sponsor because your income in Columbia won't continue from the same source once you return to the US. The solution is a qualified co-sponsor.

[Roxyroo 1]

You won't qualify to sponsor because your income in Columbia won't continue from the same source once you return to the US. The solution is a qualified co-sponsor.

[Roxyroo 1]

Thanks so much for the quick reply!

Wow, obviously this is news to me and a new kink in the works. The most likely candidate for the sponsor would of course be good old Mom and Dad...but I am really hoping to avoid going that route. They have not been overly enthused, to say the least, about me living in Colombia at all and it will take a long time for me to work up the courage to even tell them about the engagement...then to have to ask about sponsoring? Ugh.

Would borrowing money to have in my US accounts do anything to help me avoid the sponsor?? I'm pretty sure no, but I just thought I would ask.

What about when I have a job with a high school in the States (which I should have by Spring)? Would a letter from that employer do anything to help me avoid the sponsor??

Just grasping at straws here...

Thanks for any advice.

[pushbrk 12,824]

Thanks so much for the quick reply!

Wow, obviously this is news to me and a new kink in the works. The most likely candidate for the sponsor would of course be good old Mom and Dad...but I am really hoping to avoid going that route. They have not been overly enthused, to say the least, about me living in Colombia at all and it will take a long time for me to work up the courage to even tell them about the engagement...then to have to ask about sponsoring? Ugh.

Would borrowing money to have in my US accounts do anything to help me avoid the sponsor?? I'm pretty sure no, but I just thought I would ask.

What about when I have a job with a high school in the States (which I should have by Spring)? Would a letter from that employer do anything to help me avoid the sponsor??

Just grasping at straws here...

Thanks for any advice.

Yes, you're grasping at straws. Either option COULD work but far from a sure thing. As a practical matter, unless you're retired or flush with cash, living abroad during the visa process means you'll need a co-sponsor. Of course, you have few months before the I-134's need to be submitted.

[Roxyroo 1]

Yes, you're grasping at straws. Either option COULD work but far from a sure thing. As a practical matter, unless you're retired or flush with cash, living abroad during the visa process means you'll need a co-sponsor. Of course, you have few months before the I-134's need to be submitted.

Thanks again for the advice. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and do the co-sponsor. I'll look into having money in my US account or having my US job more when that time comes, but I will be living and working here in Colombia for the entire visa process, no two ways about it. So I guess I may have no other real option.

[motu 5]

I understand you don't want your mom and dad to be co-sponsors but what about your friends in USA? Why not ask them to be a co-sponsor - explain to them that the sponsorship entails supporting the intending immigrant but it 'may' never be needed or officially enforced because you would be taking care of her with your assets and the new job. Most friends might be willing to be a co-sponsor - and the only requirement is that they must be US citizens or Legal Permanent residents - and make enough money to support themselves plus one (I am assuming your fiance is by herself). Good Luck

Edited May 22, 2008 by motu

[Roxyroo 1]

I understand you don't want your mom and dad to be co-sponsors but what about your friends in USA? Why not ask them to be a co-sponsor - explain to them that the sponsorship entails supporting the intending immigrant but it 'may' never be needed or officially enforced because you would be taking care of her with your assets and the new job. Most friends might be willing to be a co-sponsor - and the only requirement is that they must be US citizens or Legal Permanent residents - and make enough money to support themselves plus one (I am assuming your fiance is by herself). Good Luck

Thanks...I have thought about asking a friend, though there is really only one I think I can ask, as now most of my friends are married with babies or young children and I don't know that they would be eager to take on other "dependents".

I am confused about what you mean about my fiance being "by himself" (I'm the woman in the scenario, btw... ). The way I have understood it, the sponsor would be responsible for 3 "dependents": themselves, me, and my fiance. That would figure out to an income of $22,000 to meet the 3 person 125% guideline. This is correct, right?

Thanks!!

[pushbrk 12,824]

I understand you don't want your mom and dad to be co-sponsors but what about your friends in USA? Why not ask them to be a co-sponsor - explain to them that the sponsorship entails supporting the intending immigrant but it 'may' never be needed or officially enforced because you would be taking care of her with your assets and the new job. Most friends might be willing to be a co-sponsor - and the only requirement is that they must be US citizens or Legal Permanent residents - and make enough money to support themselves plus one (I am assuming your fiance is by herself). Good Luck

Thanks...I have thought about asking a friend, though there is really only one I think I can ask, as now most of my friends are married with babies or young children and I don't know that they would be eager to take on other "dependents".

I am confused about what you mean about my fiance being "by himself" (I'm the woman in the scenario, btw... ). The way I have understood it, the sponsor would be responsible for 3 "dependents": themselves, me, and my fiance. That would figure out to an income of $22,000 to meet the 3 person 125% guideline. This is correct, right?

Thanks!!

You are not part of any co-sponsor's household calculation unless you actually are their dependant. The household consists of the sponsor, their dependants for tax purposes, any other immigrants they have sponsored and the intending immigrant now being sponsored. So for a single friend, it's a household of two, the sponsor and your fiance.

[Roxyroo 1]

Great, thanks!!