Student, three kids, food stamps - is a co-sponsor enough?

[Melian 0]

I'm the USC. At the time I have to file the affidavit of support, I'll be a grad studant supporting a family of four on a combination of grants, student loans, food stamps and my three children's Social Security dependant benefits (my ex gets SSD). I've also haven't had a "real" job and have been getting food stamps for most of my adult life (boy, do I sound like a winner... ). Anyway, although I don't make the required 125% (considering my family size), I do have a relative who is willing to co-sponser my fiancé and does have enough income to qualify. The thing which has me worried, though, is the following paragraph from the guides:

"Not having adequate income will not usually be a problem if you have a co-sponsor, according to experiences

posted on the newsgroup, as long as the co-sponsor has adequate income/assets.

Be aware that the co-sponsor must have enough income/assets for both your fiance, any fiance children that will

be immigrating, and his/her own household. However, that IF the US fiance has been on welfare or other

government benefits for a lifetime or has no plans to work actively, the consulate can still deny the visa based on

the likelihood that the foreign fiance will become a public charge. Just having a co-sponsor may not be sufficient.

An actual case has been documented wherein a fiance visa was denied because the petitioning fiance was on

government benefits and would not be working, even though the US fiance had two co-sponsors."

Should I be concerned? I've never actually recieved "welfare" in the sense of cash benefits, and I do intend to work in the future, but this still looks quite worrisome.

Edited April 2, 2008 by Melian

[pushbrk 12,883]

I'm the USC. At the time I have to file the affidavit of support, I'll be a grad studant supporting a family of four on a combination of grants, student loans, food stamps and my three children's Social Security dependant benefits (my ex gets SSD). I've also haven't had a "real" job and have been getting food stamps for most of my adult life (boy, do I sound like a winner... ). Anyway, although I don't make the required 125% (considering my family size), I do have a relative who is willing to co-sponser my fiancé and does have enough income to qualify. The thing which has me worried, though, is the following paragraph from the guides:

"Not having adequate income will not usually be a problem if you have a co-sponsor, according to experiences

posted on the newsgroup, as long as the co-sponsor has adequate income/assets.

Be aware that the co-sponsor must have enough income/assets for both your fiance, any fiance children that will

be immigrating, and his/her own household. However, that IF the US fiance has been on welfare or other

government benefits for a lifetime or has no plans to work actively, the consulate can still deny the visa based on

the likelihood that the foreign fiance will become a public charge. Just having a co-sponsor may not be sufficient.

An actual case has been documented wherein a fiance visa was denied because the petitioning fiance was on

government benefits and would not be working, even though the US fiance had two co-sponsors."

Should I be concerned? I've never actually recieved "welfare" in the sense of cash benefits, and I do intend to work in the future, but this still looks quite worrisome.

Unless the graduate degree you're pursuing is in an unmarketable disipline like a MS in receiving government assistance, I think you'll be ok. I would make sure your fiance is well versed in your carreer plans and has evidence of your educational progress in hand, should the question come up.

[reeses16 8]

I think you will be fine. Like pushbrk said, make sure you fiancee knows your academic background and career goals.

You may want to visit: http://online.onetcenter.org/

This is the site that the US uses to qualify Diversity Visa Lottery recipients. You could look up your degree/field and print the project income & projected outlook.