Petitioner is a university student

[pumpkinseed 10]

These Forums have been soooo helpful!! I try to read everything, but there's always something to stress about,you know how it is

Now we just sent the petition, but we are trying to plan ahead long before the interview. My fiance (the petitioner) is currently working a summer job ending in September, but apart from this he has not been working for the past two years, because he is a full-time university student.His mom will be a co-sponsor, but we still worry on what they will think of his ability to support us.(And we dread a denial because of this!!) :o

He has been thinking of finding another full-time job after the summer ends, so he could be employed (and possibly making a monthly income satisfying the poverty guidelines, or close to them), but that would mean he will have to skip a quarter or two in school, and he only has 3 quarters left! A few things worry me about that decision - him postponing his education and also, will that look suspicious on the interview, as if he's abandoning his prospects, and that he has just started the job, so no good employment history?

His mom will still be the co-sponsor, even if he does find a job and her income and assets are enough...

But should we do it? Does it really make a big difference if he just started a job/has no job at the time of the interview?

I'm just afraid we'll make the wrong decision and he will get a job that won't matter at all in the end and at the same time , they will think that him being out of school is a bad sign...Or vice versa..

Please help!!!

[emiliya27 3]

I think that as long as him and his mom combined prove an income above the poverty line it would not be an issue. When I had my interview in Sofia my husband had just graduated (in December ), and he got a job in January (not even a month when I had the interview ). You can ask his employer if he could write a letter, saying that your fiance is a good employee and could be re-hired.

Good luck!

[pumpkinseed 10]

Thanks for the reply!

What if he just goes back to university and is absolutely unemployed at the time of the interview? Even if he does get a job, it won't be a very prestigious one yet I suppose...And I don't know about a letter from an employer providing that he would be planning to go back to university, so if he does get a job it will be a pretty temporary thing. Blah, I'm so confused!

P.S. Emi, Did you use a co-sponsor?

[emiliya27 3]

Thanks for the reply!

What if he just goes back to university and is absolutely unemployed at the time of the interview? Even if he does get a job, it won't be a very prestigious one yet I suppose...And I don't know about a letter from an employer providing that he would be planning to go back to university, so if he does get a job it will be a pretty temporary thing. Blah, I'm so confused!

P.S. Emi, Did you use a co-sponsor?

Yes, even though he makes more than they require we did have a co-sponsor.

However, I'm not sure how they'll look at him not working at all. Also, if he has money saved and any kind of assets he can use them along with evidence. His mom would have to prove that she can support you both, and other people that are depend on her. If you can also live with her (meaning you won't be paying rent ), it will probably be helpful! Another thing you can do is provide a second sponsor.

How long till he's done with school ? What state are you gonna be living at ?

Hope, I helped a bit

[pumpkinseed 10]

You are very, very helpful!

He's got three more quarters before he's done with school, so basically another year. We are planning on living in Ohio.

About finding another co-sponsor together with his mom, I think I read somewhere that you can't have more than one, and they don't add up the petitioner's and the co-sponsor income, but they consider one of them the main sponsor and this main sponsor needs to be able to provide the needed amount. His mom will qualify in that manner, she makes enough and we could also put the house as an asset to make it indisputable. But I still think that he shouldn't be unemployed, it's too risky on the interview, in my opinion.

When I called the Embassy to ask them about it I spoke with a Bulgarian woman and she said "Oh, he has no income? Well the immigration law allows co-sponsors, also it allows you to prove you can sponsor yourself". I ask "And it is not suspicious that he's not working?" - she says "It's allowed by the law, the only way it could be suspicious is the credibility of the relationship itself. It's a complex decision and there are a lot of factors considered."

She was quite helpful and basically I felt better after talking to her, cause she made it sound like it shouldn't be a problem. But I don't want to risk anything you know! And by saying it's suspicious on our relationship, I think she means that it's suspicious if he's not willing to make anything to sponsor our new family? I guess..

So I guess it will be for the best if he finds a job after he's done with this summer job and even if it's not the best of all jobs, he will probably be close to 18K which is the Poverty guidelines for 2 people. And to back-up why he has no good employment history - well he was a student; why is he working a low-paid job - well he's still a student! (That's me playing out the interview in my head )

Emi, before your husband started working in January, did he had any other jobs while he was studying?

Thank you!

[emiliya27 3]

You are very, very helpful!

He's got three more quarters before he's done with school, so basically another year. We are planning on living in Ohio.

About finding another co-sponsor together with his mom, I think I read somewhere that you can't have more than one, and they don't add up the petitioner's and the co-sponsor income, but they consider one of them the main sponsor and this main sponsor needs to be able to provide the needed amount. His mom will qualify in that manner, she makes enough and we could also put the house as an asset to make it indisputable. But I still think that he shouldn't be unemployed, it's too risky on the interview, in my opinion.

When I called the Embassy to ask them about it I spoke with a Bulgarian woman and she said "Oh, he has no income? Well the immigration law allows co-sponsors, also it allows you to prove you can sponsor yourself". I ask "And it is not suspicious that he's not working?" - she says "It's allowed by the law, the only way it could be suspicious is the credibility of the relationship itself. It's a complex decision and there are a lot of factors considered."

She was quite helpful and basically I felt better after talking to her, cause she made it sound like it shouldn't be a problem. But I don't want to risk anything you know! And by saying it's suspicious on our relationship, I think she means that it's suspicious if he's not willing to make anything to sponsor our new family? I guess..

So I guess it will be for the best if he finds a job after he's done with this summer job and even if it's not the best of all jobs, he will probably be close to 18K which is the Poverty guidelines for 2 people. And to back-up why he has no good employment history - well he was a student; why is he working a low-paid job - well he's still a student! (That's me playing out the interview in my head )

Emi, before your husband started working in January, did he had any other jobs while he was studying?

Thank you!

Yes, he had 2 part time jobs at the uni. I was going to suggest you call the embassy which you already did. Still, they care more about real relationships, so I think that's what she meant. But as you said it's more safe if he has a job. Can't he get one while he's still studying? At least a part time job at the uni ? If you have some money saved you could get a bank statement, just in case. But you should be positive. I mean he's almost done with school, you have 5 more months to figure that out, and you'll be together at the end of the year .

I'm not sure how the income matter works, but I think that even he's a bit below the 18k it should be fine if he has a job.

Welcome