I-130 approved, now what?

[Rebecca W. 0]

Hello! I just saw on the USCIS website that my I-130 petition has been approved. Woo hoo! I haven't received the paperwork yet for the next step, and I think it's going to take a few weeks to get that (as I'm all the way in Japan).

Is there anything we should be doing while I wait for this paperwork?

I need to ask one of my parents to fill out a I-1864 for me, as I don't have income or a job in the United States at this moment. Is it too early to do that now?

If my parents agree to sponsor, do I need to submit *MY* tax returns as well, or are just my parents sufficient?

[jaycali 415]

Congrats!!

USCIS is processing petitions where the US citizen lives in the beneficiary's country at record speeds nowadays.

You should get started on the NVC stage asap! You should get a case number from them within a month, and from there on it's smooth sailing.

Gather documentation for the I-864, and your spouse's ds230 sooner than later. He/she needs a police certificate, military certificate if applicable, and an original birth certificateto go with the ds230.

Call NVC all day, everyday for your case number.

[Gaijinsan 3]

If my parents agree to sponsor, do I need to submit *MY* tax returns as well, or are just my parents sufficient?

You must be a sponsor and you will have to submit your most recent tax return (or tax transcript), or a statement explaining why you were not required to file. If your income is insufficient, then your parents will be required as joint sponsors (and based on what you wrote you have already decided to do this -- so they will also need the tax documentation).

Even if you don't have the income to qualify by yourself, as the petitioner you must be a sponsor. The only question is whether or not you are the only sponsor.

[Rebecca W. 0]

You must be a sponsor and you will have to submit your most recent tax return (or tax transcript), or a statement explaining why you were not required to file. If your income is insufficient, then your parents will be required as joint sponsors (and based on what you wrote you have already decided to do this -- so they will also need the tax documentation).

Even if you don't have the income to qualify by yourself, as the petitioner you must be a sponsor. The only question is whether or not you are the only sponsor.

Ah, thanks for the info. Will I have to submit 3 years of tax returns, or just 1? My parents as the joint sponsors I believe have to submit 3 years.

[Leatherneck 693]

Congratulations!

[Darnell 8,478]

There's lots of good info on NVC processing in the WIKI here at VJ -

a common search term in the WIKI search box -> 'LingChe'

Good Luck !

[Briamatia 0]

Thank you for posting this. I will be at this point in a few months. Like you I will also have a joint sponsor from my mother and was unclear whose tax returns would be needed.

Congratulations!

[Gaijinsan 3]

Ah, thanks for the info. Will I have to submit 3 years of tax returns, or just 1? My parents as the joint sponsors I believe have to submit 3 years.

Only one year is now required, but I strongly suggest that you go ahead and get copies/transcripts for the other 2 years for yourself and your parents, just in case they later request them.

If you're already going to the trouble of requesting tax transcripts, it's not that much harder to get the other 2 years at the same time.

For my wife's interview next week, we'll have a photocopy of our 2011 return (we just completed it about a week ago) and I already had the 3 previous transcripts (2008-2010). We'll take 2009, 2010, 2011 to the embassy just in case they want any of the older ones. The process is a little different for us since we filed DCF and there was no NVC involved in the I-864.

[Rebecca W. 0]

Only one year is now required, but I strongly suggest that you go ahead and get copies/transcripts for the other 2 years for yourself and your parents, just in case they later request them.

If you're already going to the trouble of requesting tax transcripts, it's not that much harder to get the other 2 years at the same time.

For my wife's interview next week, we'll have a photocopy of our 2011 return (we just completed it about a week ago) and I already had the 3 previous transcripts (2008-2010). We'll take 2009, 2010, 2011 to the embassy just in case they want any of the older ones. The process is a little different for us since we filed DCF and there was no NVC involved in the I-864.

Gaijinsan, do you mind if I PM you?