Is I-134 mandatory?

[imaisha 1]

you can send in your petition now and use the few months it takes to process to find the co-sponsor. it's not needed until your interview which will be at the very least, 3 months, more likely 6-12 months from now

[Anh map 2,098]

Explore the aunt/uncle options. Often that is a solution. Here is the link to the household income requirements -> http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-864P.pdf

[Hell0W0rld 10]

you can send in your petition now and use the few months it takes to process to find the co-sponsor. it's not needed until your interview which will be at the very least, 3 months, more likely 6-12 months from now

or IF possible, have your girl, find a job....

[Lakontis 0]

you can send in your petition now and use the few months it takes to process to find the co-sponsor. it's not needed until your interview which will be at the very least, 3 months, more likely 6-12 months from now

or IF possible, have your girl, find a job....

If she finds a job now, she won't even be making 18k a year. That's why she is going to college. Plus we would need to wait another year for tax return.

I think the co-sponsor option is the best (the only option pretty much).

But if that doesn't work, I heard that you can marry FIRST, then use K-3 visa to immigrate to US, would that be any better?

And if that doesn't work, then we will have to settle in Canada.

[krystiandjon 0]

you can send in your petition now and use the few months it takes to process to find the co-sponsor. it's not needed until your interview which will be at the very least, 3 months, more likely 6-12 months from now

or IF possible, have your girl, find a job....

Not necessarily acceptable...they would ask for 3 years of tax returns and might not accept it if none of her tax returns show an income above the limit. Additionally, its important to finish school and I'm not aware of too many legal jobs a woman would get that would allow here to go to school full time and make over 18 grand a year, if you know what I mean....

Don't let finances be an obstacle. Find a co sponsor. The same financial requirements exist for the K3 visa.

Edited May 18, 2009 by krystiandjon

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I think you should give her a little time to try to find a cosponsor. This isn't the kind of thing you have to get resolved in one evening on an internet forum. You've got plenty of waiting to do, so take your time and let her ask around. It's worth the effort to be with the one you love.

Be thankful you aren't having to deal with a consulate in a high fraud country like some of us. The finances would probably be the least of your worries.

[Lakontis 0]

I looked at the I-134 again and I couldn't find any section about a co-sponsor? Anyone know how we would file the form if she finds a co-sponsor?

[Hell0W0rld 10]

I looked at the I-134 again and I couldn't find any section about a co-sponsor? Anyone know how we would file the form if she finds a co-sponsor?

sponsor and co-sponsor uses the same form, just fill out separately..

[Lakontis 0]

I looked at the I-134 again and I couldn't find any section about a co-sponsor? Anyone know how we would file the form if she finds a co-sponsor?

sponsor and co-sponsor uses the same form, just fill out separately..

I am concerned about another thing: if she finds a co-sponsor, and say he makes 25000$ a year, but of course he spends all of it on living, would that work?

[Anh map 2,098]

It's all about gross income (adjusted gross income on the tax return).

[reeses16 8]

Sorry, I didn't have time to go through all the prior posts. I successfully filed a K1 with as a graduate student without a co-sponsor. Over the 3 years prior to applying for the K1 I had been in school and had money from a variety of sources: scholarships, fellowships, and loans. For the I-134 I included documentation for ALL of it as well as My financial aid award letters & statements. I did not have W2 forms, but my fellowship did require me to pay taxes, I copied that portion of my fellowship handbook and included my last 6 direct deposits (no pay stubs either for my fellowship). I included tax transcripts for the years I filed taxes, and the 1 that I did not I briefly explained why and a copy of the regulation citing why I was not required to file that year. My fellowship director was kind enough to write an "employer letter" for me briefly stating the amount of my taxable fellowship and length of my contract. I also included a letter from my bank stating the total amount of deposits into my account. Yes, that was a lot of document gathering and copying (and praying, I didn't have anyone willing to co-sponsor). But we went through the K1 without any issues. I submitted the same documentation for the I-864 with my hubby's AOS, again no problems. Approved without an interview.

If with all of this you find that you fiance is short on income, she can make up the shortfall by showing 3x that amount in assets. For example, if she is $1000 short she will need to show at least $3000 in assets (savings account, stock, etc.). If she doesn't have enough assets you could send her the cash to deposit in her account. (She would need to get a letter from the bank stating the balance, or a recent statement for you to take to you interview). Best of luck, be creative and document everything. No one cares about this more than you do!

[Lakontis 0]

Sorry, I didn't have time to go through all the prior posts. I successfully filed a K1 with as a graduate student without a co-sponsor. Over the 3 years prior to applying for the K1 I had been in school and had money from a variety of sources: scholarships, fellowships, and loans. For the I-134 I included documentation for ALL of it as well as My financial aid award letters & statements. I did not have W2 forms, but my fellowship did require me to pay taxes, I copied that portion of my fellowship handbook and included my last 6 direct deposits (no pay stubs either for my fellowship). I included tax transcripts for the years I filed taxes, and the 1 that I did not I briefly explained why and a copy of the regulation citing why I was not required to file that year. My fellowship director was kind enough to write an "employer letter" for me briefly stating the amount of my taxable fellowship and length of my contract. I also included a letter from my bank stating the total amount of deposits into my account. Yes, that was a lot of document gathering and copying (and praying, I didn't have anyone willing to co-sponsor). But we went through the K1 without any issues. I submitted the same documentation for the I-864 with my hubby's AOS, again no problems. Approved without an interview.

If with all of this you find that you fiance is short on income, she can make up the shortfall by showing 3x that amount in assets. For example, if she is $1000 short she will need to show at least $3000 in assets (savings account, stock, etc.). If she doesn't have enough assets you could send her the cash to deposit in her account. (She would need to get a letter from the bank stating the balance, or a recent statement for you to take to you interview). Best of luck, be creative and document everything. No one cares about this more than you do!

That's good to know that assets and yearly income can add up.

Anyway, I just talked to her about all this and she said that her mom can be co-sponsor but she is not sure if she makes enough (she works as part-time bus driver). If not, she will ask her friend from church to help us with that. She lives in a very small town in Texas so basically everyone knows each other The priest is her closest friend and I think he probably makes more than 18k a year. She said her older sisters makes enough money, but she is hesitating to ask her, because they are not very close to each other.

Also I was thinking about something else for a very last resort option. If none of her relatives or friends work out for the co-sponsor, would it be possible to just find some random (well maybe not TOTALLY random) US citizen who meets the income requirements and ask him to fill out the petition for us in return for some cash (say a couple grand)? Would that be an option? Or would that even be legal?

Edited May 18, 2009 by Lakontis

[Hell0W0rld 10]

Sorry, I didn't have time to go through all the prior posts. I successfully filed a K1 with as a graduate student without a co-sponsor. Over the 3 years prior to applying for the K1 I had been in school and had money from a variety of sources: scholarships, fellowships, and loans. For the I-134 I included documentation for ALL of it as well as My financial aid award letters & statements. I did not have W2 forms, but my fellowship did require me to pay taxes, I copied that portion of my fellowship handbook and included my last 6 direct deposits (no pay stubs either for my fellowship). I included tax transcripts for the years I filed taxes, and the 1 that I did not I briefly explained why and a copy of the regulation citing why I was not required to file that year. My fellowship director was kind enough to write an "employer letter" for me briefly stating the amount of my taxable fellowship and length of my contract. I also included a letter from my bank stating the total amount of deposits into my account. Yes, that was a lot of document gathering and copying (and praying, I didn't have anyone willing to co-sponsor). But we went through the K1 without any issues. I submitted the same documentation for the I-864 with my hubby's AOS, again no problems. Approved without an interview.

If with all of this you find that you fiance is short on income, she can make up the shortfall by showing 3x that amount in assets. For example, if she is $1000 short she will need to show at least $3000 in assets (savings account, stock, etc.). If she doesn't have enough assets you could send her the cash to deposit in her account. (She would need to get a letter from the bank stating the balance, or a recent statement for you to take to you interview). Best of luck, be creative and document everything. No one cares about this more than you do!

That's good to know that assets and yearly income can add up.

Anyway, I just talked to her about all this and she said that her mom can be co-sponsor but she is not sure if she makes enough (she works as part-time bus driver). If not, she will ask her friend from church to help us with that. She lives in a very small town in Texas so basically everyone knows each other The priest is her closest friend and I think he probably makes more than 18k a year. She said her older sisters makes enough money, but she is hesitating to ask her, because they are not very close to each other.

Also I was thinking about something else for a very last resort option. If none of her relatives or friends work out for the co-sponsor, would it be possible to just find some random (well maybe not TOTALLY random) US citizen who meets the income requirements and ask him to fill out the petition for us in return for some cash (say a couple grand)? Would that be an option? Or would that even be legal?

Good Luck!!!

[reeses16 8]

Co-sponsoring someone has tremendous legal obligations that last at least 10 years. I don't know how closely you to have read over the obligations of the I-134 (and the I-864 for AOS). I doubt some random person would co-sponsor you. Paying someone to help you get an immigration benefit seems illegal to me. A more likely last resort is that you wait and re-apply when she meets the guidelines or she moves to Canada.

[rebeccajo 14]

you can send in your petition now and use the few months it takes to process to find the co-sponsor. it's not needed until your interview which will be at the very least, 3 months, more likely 6-12 months from now

or IF possible, have your girl, find a job....

Not necessarily acceptable...they would ask for 3 years of tax returns and might not accept it if none of her tax returns show an income above the limit. Additionally, its important to finish school and I'm not aware of too many legal jobs a woman would get that would allow here to go to school full time and make over 18 grand a year, if you know what I mean....

Don't let finances be an obstacle. Find a co sponsor. The same financial requirements exist for the K3 visa.

Three years of tax returns are not required for any part of this process unless the sponsor happens to be self-employed.