Questions re Montreal I-134 for K3.

[Jersey Girl 2]

1. My husband in Toronto received Package 3 from Montreal. It contained an I-134 Afffidfavit of Support. Is this normal? I thought they mailed that separately to me, the sponsor, in the States.

2. Nowhere does it ask for tax returns unless you're self employed. Why do people generally get transcripts of them anyway?

3. I'm a dual citizen who resided in Canada until last year. Should I be photocopying both Canadian and U.S. returns and having them notarized? (Canadian returns have details.)

4. Last year was a sabbatical year that showed my below the poverty line. Should I collect Canadian and U.S. returns going back 3 years to show a better picture?

5. I'll start a good, full-time job about 2 months before the interview. I'll get a letter from HR and any pay stubs. Would you buy me a beer to celebrate?

6. My brother will co-sponsor. He's married and files jointly. Should both husband and wife fill out separate I-134s?

7. The brother makes the most money and has yearly income slips. But the wife makes very little with a home-based business and income slips from part-time work. What happens if the wife does not make over the poverty line as an individual? Do they submit one I-134 as a couple?

8. My savings are with ING, a virtual bank, and all statements are online. Will it be enough to print monthly statements and have them notarized?

9. I have a checking account with a bricks-and-mortar bank. Can I simply collect monthly statement, give a summary of deposits for the year, show the balance, and have this information notarized? (Most banks don't collect this information or put it in a letter.)

10. I still have retirement savings in Canada. Can these be listed as assets? Or will only U.S.-based assets be considered as evidence?

[Yodrak 7]

Jersey Girl,

1. Yes, this is normal.

2. You are looking only at the I-134, and appear to have the common misperception that I-134 is the only documentation that one needs to meet the public charge provisions of the law.

3. US tax return.

4. If you are planning to have your brother sponsor your husband then it doesn't make much difference how good your finances look. But looking ahead to question #5, yes.

5. Then maybe you won't need to have your brother sponsor your husband. Yes, next time I'm in NJ if you can meet me at The Cabin in Freehold near the Howell border.

6. If you have your brother sponsor your husband then then your brother's wife does not need to put together a financial sponsorship package, only he does.

7. Why do you keep bringing the wife into this?

8. Probably, if the amount of your savings are worth documenting.

9. Probably, if the amount in your checking account is worth documenting. What's with the notary?

10. Any assets that you can readily convert to cash and move to the USA to spend here have value.

Yodrak

1. My husband in Toronto received Package 3 from Montreal. It contained an I-134 Afffidfavit of Support. Is this normal? I thought they mailed that separately to me, the sponsor, in the States.

2. Nowhere does it ask for tax returns unless you're self employed. Why do people generally get transcripts of them anyway?

3. I'm a dual citizen who resided in Canada until last year. Should I be photocopying both Canadian and U.S. returns and having them notarized? (Canadian returns have details.)

4. Last year was a sabbatical year that showed my below the poverty line. Should I collect Canadian and U.S. returns going back 3 years to show a better picture?

5. I'll start a good, full-time job about 2 months before the interview. I'll get a letter from HR and any pay stubs. Would you buy me a beer to celebrate?

6. My brother will co-sponsor. He's married and files jointly. Should both husband and wife fill out separate I-134s?

7. The brother makes the most money and has yearly income slips. But the wife makes very little with a home-based business and income slips from part-time work. What happens if the wife does not make over the poverty line as an individual? Do they submit one I-134 as a couple?

8. My savings are with ING, a virtual bank, and all statements are online. Will it be enough to print monthly statements and have them notarized?

9. I have a checking account with a bricks-and-mortar bank. Can I simply collect monthly statement, give a summary of deposits for the year, show the balance, and have this information notarized? (Most banks don't collect this information or put it in a letter.)

10. I still have retirement savings in Canada. Can these be listed as assets? Or will only U.S.-based assets be considered as evidence?

Edited September 6, 2006 by Yodrak

[Jersey Girl 2]

Thanks, Yodrak.

2. You are looking only at the I-134, and appear to have the common misperception that I-134 is the only documentation that one needs to meet the public charge provisions of the law.

So what else is needed? Do you mean evidence?

I plan to sponsor and hope my new job and assets will be enough. But to play safe, I've got my brother as co-sponsor. His taxes are mingled with his wife's, which is why I keep asking about her role. Looks like we can use my brother's income and leave her out of it.

I'd like to document savings/assets because my 2005 income doesn't meet poverty lines. I figured notarized statements would add weight to my case. Many people have reported that bank won't write the kind of letter asked for as evidence. Hence, the notary.

Freehold? Home of The Boss? I have a sister in Belmar, and neice in Neptune. I'll let you know the next time I'm "down da shore."

[Yodrak 7]

Jersey Girl,

What's needed is to document that the proposed sponsor has adequate financial resources to support the visa applicant. Tax returns are one good form of documentation, although since they go out-of-date quickly it can be important to have other documentation that is current - things like a recently dated letter from employer and recent pay stubs.

How does one determine the figures that go on a joint tax return - by adding one person's figures to the other person's figures? And where do the two people's figures come from? Wherever that is, that's what you want to provide along with the tax return to show how much of the joint income belongs to the person who is being proposed to be the sponsor. In most cases W-2 forms cover most of the income being reported, and are not W-2s part of a tax return anyway?

Notarizing bank statements does not provide "weight". 5-digit balances on the statements provide weight.

Yodrak

Thanks, Yodrak.

2. You are looking only at the I-134, and appear to have the common misperception that I-134 is the only documentation that one needs to meet the public charge provisions of the law.

So what else is needed? Do you mean evidence?

I plan to sponsor and hope my new job and assets will be enough. But to play safe, I've got my brother as co-sponsor. His taxes are mingled with his wife's, which is why I keep asking about her role. Looks like we can use my brother's income and leave her out of it.

I'd like to document savings/assets because my 2005 income doesn't meet poverty lines. I figured notarized statements would add weight to my case. Many people have reported that bank won't write the kind of letter asked for as evidence. Hence, the notary.

Freehold? Home of The Boss? I have a sister in Belmar, and neice in Neptune. I'll let you know the next time I'm "down da shore."