US Domicile? Am I eligible to be a sponsor?

[kemijo 0]

Cancel that, I see it was in your first post!

Yep, using grandparents past residency. I'm happy to inform that our Wednesday trip to Buffalo has been successful and they are now US citizens! I have an appointment the apply for their passports Monday morning - the same day my wife gets her physical for immigration, the same day we intend to open a US bank account through HSBC...the paperwork/phone calls/research/emails/appointments never stops, it's a full time job!

I also was successful in getting a cell phone contract while I was in Buffalo, to use as evidence of establishing domicile. I have an iPhone that I have to pay for and won't be using till I actually move...sigh, every step of this process requires hundreds of dollars. It's insane, but of course worth it.

[trailmix 77]

Just wanted to point you to the thread below, another Canadian DCFer who had their interview last Thursday, again the domicile issue came up, thought you might find it of interest:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=224630

[kemijo 0]

Just wanted to point you to the thread below, another Canadian DCFer who had their interview last Thursday, again the domicile issue came up, thought you might find it of interest:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=224630

Wow, more great information, thanks Trailmix! But this does have me worried. Our interview is on November 3rd, and we're planning on moving in January. Wouldn't it be a little tough to get a lease agreement when we won't be moving for 2 months? Also, in my line of work things happen fast. I don't imagine I'll have trouble getting a job, but it might be difficult to get someone to offer me a job when I won't be there for at least 2 months. but it is possible. It's starting to lool like it's NOT possible to establish domicile without a lease and/or a job offer. I will have a US bank account, a US cell phone service, the moving truck quote, and possibly correspondence from prospective landlords and employers (but not necessarily actual signed agreements or offers). Is there any point in trying unless I have a job offer and/or a lease?

[trailmix 77]

Absolutely I think so, keep your fingers crossed that you don't get that CO

So where are you going to live? Are you staying with family or just taking that month to find accomodation? If the latter - then absolutely I would take correspondence from prospective landlords - the accomodation part seems to be a major factor.

Also don't forget to mention that you just documented your children's U.S. citizenship - I think that's also a good indicator that you have intent to establish domicile.

Edited October 26, 2009 by trailmix

[kemijo 0]

Absolutely I think so, keep your fingers crossed that you don't get that CO

So where are you going to live? Are you staying with family or just taking that month to find accomodation? If the latter - then absolutely I would take correspondence from prospective landlords - the accomodation part seems to be a major factor.

Also don't forget to mention that you just documented your children's U.S. citizenship - I think that's also a good indicator that you have intent to establish domicile.

Yep, all good advice that I plan to do. We're going to LA. It's been a real rollercoaster! My initial sponsor fell through due to lack of time to devote to this so I had to find a replacement at the last second. I've got a lease! A friend of a friend is a landlord, he has a vacant place in San Bernadino that he's willing to rent to us. Very lucky!

You weren't kidding when you said my interview would have been hard had I not found this place! There are still some things that worry me, like the fact that I decided of my own volition to quit a very good job and take the year off, which brings my current income to zero...doesn't seem like such a great idea now And my new sponsor is actually below the 125% for 2008, but she's fine for the rest. I will try and get a backup sponsor, but he'll have to email me the signed forms and docs. Might have a job offer too.

Coming down to the wire now!

[carolynhotstuff 252]

Kemijo I've been reading your posts. Wow you are on the ball and busy doing everything you can to get your family to the USA. If you get the job make sure they put it in writing to take to your interview. I was told in one of my posts that they have to go by the current income of the sponsor. Someone else can, I hope, verify this for you. If you also want a back-up sponsor go for it. Don't feel so bad now about not having a job in Canada. Would you have been able to do all this if you had been working?

Good luck to you and your family.

[kemijo 0]

Kemijo I've been reading your posts. Wow you are on the ball and busy doing everything you can to get your family to the USA. If you get the job make sure they put it in writing to take to your interview. I was told in one of my posts that they have to go by the current income of the sponsor. Someone else can, I hope, verify this for you. If you also want a back-up sponsor go for it. Don't feel so bad now about not having a job in Canada. Would you have been able to do all this if you had been working?

Good luck to you and your family.

Hi Hotstuff Thanks, but honestly I would not have even been close had it not been for this board, and especially the help from Trailmix. In the end a job offer didn't come in time for the interview. I'm not at all surprised, as in my line of work (film visual effects) people are rarely hired so far ahead of when they'll actually be working. I plan to be in the US in Jan, so I expect real talks to begin by the end of November at the earliest.

They certainly do go by the income of the sponsor, but if it is not sufficient, then you'll need a joint sponsor. In my case I require one since I have never lived or worked in the US. So in some ways, what I make is irrelevant, since my wife's sponsor must meet all the requirements by themselves. My I-864 says I have been unemployed since March, and my current annual income is $0, but my previous three years all qualify.

I've returned from the interview so I'll start a new thread about that and explain how it all went.

Ken