I-864 Affidavit of Support – Completing and filing in US Embassy based in London - Part 2

[npson 0]

Hi

This is a follow up from my other forum post titled “I-864 Affidavit of Support – Completing and filing in US Embassy based in London”

My wife (the petitioner) filed an I-130 on my behalf and we have received a letter confirming it has been approved. (My wife is the US citizen and has resided in the UK for a while and I am a British Citizen currently residing in London, UK).

We are now completing the I-864 in preparation for my visa interviewand really need some help with completing this form.

Q15 in Part 4, my wife (US Citizen) has been in the UK for a while and the instructions in the I-864 page 5 and 6 titled Part 4 Information on sponsor 15. Country of Domicile states if you are currently not living in the United States you may meet the domicile requirement if you can submit evidence to establish that any of the following conditions apply:

A) You are employed by a certain organisation (just so you know there's more detail on each of these options in the instructions within the I864)

B) You are living abroad temporarily

C) You intended in good faith to restablish your domicile in the US no later than the date of the intending immigrant's admission or adjustment of status.

For option B the only thing that could be used a evidence based on the instructions is where it states proof of paying U.S. state or local taxes but technically speaking as her income has been in the UK this would not apply as she has filed foreign income exemptions via her Tax Return. Is there anything else we can use here?

Is option C is our only choice, if so, what things can be used?

Thanks in advance!!!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Option C is the choice here, as it is for most people doing DCF. You might find this thread of interest (and not just because I pontificate at length in it): http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242929

Whatever you do, make sure it is clear that her domicile is down as being the US. A couple of years back, there was someone who was told at the interview that because she had put down UK as her domicile, they were not eligible for DCF. She wasn't a VJer, but on another board, and this was discussed at some length on here. It was pretty messy, and in everybody's opinion here she should have just been allowed to correct the mistake, but it took a while to correct. I hesitate to even dig it up and link to it because it sent people into minor panic mode at the time!

[npson 0]

Thanks for your help!

I also read the other forum link on this matter and having read that and the template letter in that forum link, I have a couple of questions.

We won't have our own place to stay when we first arrive but will be staying with my wife's family in the US when we first arrive. On that basis, should we get them to write up a quick letter to say that they have agreed for us to stay with them. This was briefly mentioned on the supporting statements that my wife's family memberalready submitted when we sent through our I-130 but would it be worthwhile getting something re-drafted, if so, what level of detail needs to be included?

My wife did have a US Bank Account but closed it down a while ago as she came back to the UK. If she is not able to fly out to the US before my actual interview takes place to set up a US Bank account, what can we do instead to show evidence of re-establishing domicile? Are we able to open a US Dollar bank account in a US Bank based in London or will that not be clear evidence of restablishing domicle?

[uk2usa2010 2]

Thanks for your help!

I also read the other forum link on this matter and having read that and the template letter in that forum link, I have a couple of questions.

We won't have our own place to stay when we first arrive but will be staying with my wife's family in the US when we first arrive. On that basis, should we get them to write up a quick letter to say that they have agreed for us to stay with them. This was briefly mentioned on the supporting statements that my wife's family memberalready submitted when we sent through our I-130 but would it be worthwhile getting something re-drafted, if so, what level of detail needs to be included?

My wife did have a US Bank Account but closed it down a while ago as she came back to the UK. If she is not able to fly out to the US before my actual interview takes place to set up a US Bank account, what can we do instead to show evidence of re-establishing domicile? Are we able to open a US Dollar bank account in a US Bank based in London or will that not be clear evidence of restablishing domicle?

Further to the helpful tips given by the nice people on this site and general info available my wife intends to provide:

1. Her US Drivers Licence

2. US Bank and Credit Card and 401k accounts (currently registered at her parents address in the US) - I understand that these can be opened online.

3. A letter from her parents saying we can stay with them.

4. An invoice showing we rent a small self-storage lockup, which holds some of our wedding gifts!

5. A couple of online shipping quotes for cost of shipping our belongings.

6. Some email correspondence showing we have reached out to a couple of child day cares to get information on their services (although no intention to use in practice).

7. A shipping quote for our imported US vehicle (we bought it in the UK, but the reason for doing so was so that we could potentially take it back if we wanted to - so I think the rationale might help also).

8. Potentially a Wells Fargo mortgage quote. I did this a few years ago when we thought we were going to move, and at that time they were free to get but the loan was conditional on the visa being approved.

9. Closure details of some of our extra credit cards/bank accounts (which we are doing anyway to consolidate).

10. Estate agent property quote (if you own) or details of lease notice period (which is ideally pretty short) with explanation that you do not wish to give notice until visa is confirmed but could move within the 6 months.

Appreciate you may not have some of these, but these are just things I came up with following help from others, and which I have or can potentially get. I dont think it hurts to be creative on this too. The rule is pretty open. It says what steps have you taken to reestablish domicile in the US and reliquish domicile in the UK.

Hope this helps.

[npson 0]

Thanks for your help!

Would anyone happen to know if we can open a US Bank Account from the UK? If so, which banks?

Just thinking about one the options as part of this domicile evidence.

Thanks in advance...

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Bank of America and ING Direct are two options.

[npson 0]

The Bank of America website is focused purely on US locations - I can't seem to find the UK site to find any info????

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Doesn't matter -- you're opening an account in America, so you need the US site. On the home page, click on "Open an Account" under "Products & Services." On the next page, select the state where you are claiming domicile. Then on the next page, click on "Open now" under "Checking." Select whichever of the checking accounts suits and off you go!

[jhphi 0]

fnbodirect.com is another bank that makes it quick and easy to open an online account. I like it better than my B of A as you can transfer funds easily to external accounts without the fees that some other banks charge. I use this bank a lot for my currency exchange transactions from USD to GBP through xetrade.com.