Re. Prior years of income

[Zahra23 0]

I have been a full-time postgraduate student for the past few years and did not work other than a bit earlier this year (which totals a figure way below the required income level to sponsor my husband). However, come January I will start at a professional position and will be able to provide proof of my contract indicating an annual salary of over 40K. I will begin the immigration process once I start my job in a few weeks, but wondering if there will be a problem come time to submit the I-864 because of a lacking/proven past income record?

[pushbrk 13,067]

I have been a full-time postgraduate student for the past few years and did not work other than a bit earlier this year (which totals a figure way below the required income level to sponsor my husband). However, come January I will start at a professional position and will be able to provide proof of my contract indicating an annual salary of over 40K. I will begin the immigration process once I start my job in a few weeks, but wondering if there will be a problem come time to submit the I-864 because of a lacking/proven past income record?

Probably not a problem.

[Zahra23 0]

Thank you pushbrk. Could you please elaborate if possible.

[Dakine 26]

I have been a full-time postgraduate student for the past few years and did not work other than a bit earlier this year (which totals a figure way below the required income level to sponsor my husband). However, come January I will start at a professional position and will be able to provide proof of my contract indicating an annual salary of over 40K. I will begin the immigration process once I start my job in a few weeks, but wondering if there will be a problem come time to submit the I-864 because of a lacking/proven past income record?

If you do a CR-1 you won't have to fill out a I-864 until your petition is at NVC in a few months after applying. If you do a K3 you won't do one until you file to adjust status in tthe US . At least 8+ months . You'll have to do a I-134 tho for the embassy interview.

By these times you should have enuf financials to get by.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Haole

[pushbrk 13,067]

I have been a full-time postgraduate student for the past few years and did not work other than a bit earlier this year (which totals a figure way below the required income level to sponsor my husband). However, come January I will start at a professional position and will be able to provide proof of my contract indicating an annual salary of over 40K. I will begin the immigration process once I start my job in a few weeks, but wondering if there will be a problem come time to submit the I-864 because of a lacking/proven past income record?

Probably not a problem.

Because current income is the most important factor and several months from now when the financials are needed you'll be able to do what I've bolded above. Throw in a few recent pay stubs too.

[Zahra23 0]

Thank you again pushbrk. Mahalo Haole.

[morocco4ever 63]

When we did ours they required a 3 year history of adequate wages. Perhaps they have loosened up their requirements. Just to be on the safe side I think I would include a cover letter explaining your prior student status.

[pushbrk 13,067]

When we did ours they required a 3 year history of adequate wages. Perhaps they have loosened up their requirements. Just to be on the safe side I think I would include a cover letter explaining your prior student status.

There's place on the I-864 to indicate three years of income history but there are no direct requirements related to the history. The I-134 has no such information request. I'm saying the case is likely to be approved based on the recent new job contract following the completion of a post graduate program. The issue is whether the intending immigrant is likely to become a public charge. I'm confident anybody evaluating the case will be convinced there's no public charge issue of concern.

[morocco4ever 63]

When we did ours they required a 3 year history of adequate wages. Perhaps they have loosened up their requirements. Just to be on the safe side I think I would include a cover letter explaining your prior student status.

There's place on the I-864 to indicate three years of income history but there are no direct requirements related to the history. The I-134 has no such information request. I'm saying the case is likely to be approved based on the recent new job contract following the completion of a post graduate program. The issue is whether the intending immigrant is likely to become a public charge. I'm confident anybody evaluating the case will be convinced there's no public charge issue of concern.

There have been cases in the past of members that met the current requirement but not in the past. They were requested to have a co sponsor. I agree that the case looks good, and the reason for the lack of prior income is explainable, but I stand by my suggestion. Why take chances just because some members here (who are not consular officers) think all is hunky dory? Why not just take that extra step that might take an additional 5 minutes? Foresight is better than hindsight.

[pushbrk 13,067]

When we did ours they required a 3 year history of adequate wages. Perhaps they have loosened up their requirements. Just to be on the safe side I think I would include a cover letter explaining your prior student status.

There's place on the I-864 to indicate three years of income history but there are no direct requirements related to the history. The I-134 has no such information request. I'm saying the case is likely to be approved based on the recent new job contract following the completion of a post graduate program. The issue is whether the intending immigrant is likely to become a public charge. I'm confident anybody evaluating the case will be convinced there's no public charge issue of concern.

There have been cases in the past of members that met the current requirement but not in the past. They were requested to have a co sponsor. I agree that the case looks good, and the reason for the lack of prior income is explainable, but I stand by my suggestion. Why take chances just because some members here (who are not consular officers) think all is hunky dory? Why not just take that extra step that might take an additional 5 minutes? Foresight is better than hindsight.

Explaining the prior student status is fine but is probably already clear from the petition and G325a. I took no exception to the cover letter, but needed to correct the assertion about a "requirement" for three years prior income.

Edited December 23, 2008 by pushbrk

[Zahra23 0]

morocco4ever (shukran gazillan) it has crossed my mind to include a letter explaining my prior student status, along with the one from my employer and recent bank statements, which will show deposits from work and additional funds.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Zahra23

[Zee Bee 61]

I was in the same situation you were in when we filed.

Besides the required documents (tax info, etc) I included a letter stating that I was a full time student prior. We weren't asked for it.

[Zahra23 0]

Thank you Zee Bee! Nice to know someone else went through the same thing I will embark on soon, and things turned out well. I know each case is a new frontier , but it is comforting to read your good news.

[morocco4ever 63]

When we did ours they required a 3 year history of adequate wages. Perhaps they have loosened up their requirements. Just to be on the safe side I think I would include a cover letter explaining your prior student status.

There's place on the I-864 to indicate three years of income history but there are no direct requirements related to the history. The I-134 has no such information request. I'm saying the case is likely to be approved based on the recent new job contract following the completion of a post graduate program. The issue is whether the intending immigrant is likely to become a public charge. I'm confident anybody evaluating the case will be convinced there's no public charge issue of concern.

There have been cases in the past of members that met the current requirement but not in the past. They were requested to have a co sponsor. I agree that the case looks good, and the reason for the lack of prior income is explainable, but I stand by my suggestion. Why take chances just because some members here (who are not consular officers) think all is hunky dory? Why not just take that extra step that might take an additional 5 minutes? Foresight is better than hindsight.

Explaining the prior student status is fine but is probably already clear from the petition and G325a. I took no exception to the cover letter, but needed to correct the assertion about a "requirement" for three years prior income.

I would assume that if the I-864 requests 3 years then you sure as heck better be prepared to show 3 years worth, don't you think? And yes, they did ask for all 3 years for mine. Besides if you had read what I stated you would have understood that this is what was required when I went through it, and maybe they have eased up on the requirements. If the form requests 3 years worth of income don't you think the wise person would be prepared to either provide 3 years or an explanation as to why it wasn't there? One other note, the petition and G325a is what you send to the USCIS not the consulate. Do you know for a fact that they send it to them with the approval notice? And if so, are you confident that that would be enough to satisfy them? I have heard in the past, granted only what I have been told, that since the USCIS is the Department of Homeland Security and the Consulate is the Department of State, that they struggle with each other, and to count on them to share anything further to assist is adjudicating would be foolish on our parts.

Final note, better to be prepared than sorry. None of us commenting here are immigration lawyers, and no 2 cases are the same, so use your best judgement. It does sound like your case should be pretty simple, but never fall into the over confident trap.

[pushbrk 13,067]

When we did ours they required a 3 year history of adequate wages. Perhaps they have loosened up their requirements. Just to be on the safe side I think I would include a cover letter explaining your prior student status.

There's place on the I-864 to indicate three years of income history but there are no direct requirements related to the history. The I-134 has no such information request. I'm saying the case is likely to be approved based on the recent new job contract following the completion of a post graduate program. The issue is whether the intending immigrant is likely to become a public charge. I'm confident anybody evaluating the case will be convinced there's no public charge issue of concern.

There have been cases in the past of members that met the current requirement but not in the past. They were requested to have a co sponsor. I agree that the case looks good, and the reason for the lack of prior income is explainable, but I stand by my suggestion. Why take chances just because some members here (who are not consular officers) think all is hunky dory? Why not just take that extra step that might take an additional 5 minutes? Foresight is better than hindsight.

Explaining the prior student status is fine but is probably already clear from the petition and G325a. I took no exception to the cover letter, but needed to correct the assertion about a "requirement" for three years prior income.

I would assume that if the I-864 requests 3 years then you sure as heck better be prepared to show 3 years worth, don't you think? And yes, they did ask for all 3 years for mine. Besides if you had read what I stated you would have understood that this is what was required when I went through it, and maybe they have eased up on the requirements. If the form requests 3 years worth of income don't you think the wise person would be prepared to either provide 3 years or an explanation as to why it wasn't there? One other note, the petition and G325a is what you send to the USCIS not the consulate. Do you know for a fact that they send it to them with the approval notice? And if so, are you confident that that would be enough to satisfy them? I have heard in the past, granted only what I have been told, that since the USCIS is the Department of Homeland Security and the Consulate is the Department of State, that they struggle with each other, and to count on them to share anything further to assist is adjudicating would be foolish on our parts.

Final note, better to be prepared than sorry. None of us commenting here are immigration lawyers, and no 2 cases are the same, so use your best judgement. It does sound like your case should be pretty simple, but never fall into the over confident trap.

I responded directly to the following statement.

When we did ours they required a 3 year history of adequate wages. Perhaps they have loosened up their requirements. Just to be on the safe side I think I would include a cover letter explaining your prior student status.

There has never been a hard requiremnt to have three years of adequate wages. There's only a place to provide information about three prior years of income. This petitioner, if filing an I-864 three months from now would show inadequate income for all three years, while showing an adequate current income supported by a contract and pay stubs. Three years of adequate income are not now and never have been a general requirement for approval of an I-864 or I134.

I agree with the cover letter idea but your assertion of a three year requirement is simply inaccurate, so I corrected it. Ok?