single mom of 3 and unemployed but need sponsor

[az110965 252]

Off topic for a moment...

Please read the guides to have a better understanding of all that is entailed in petitioning for a foreign fiance.

The vast majority of us prepare all of our own paperwork and have no problems through the process, but only after reading the guides for the various steps involved in getting our loved ones here with us.

Assuming you find a qualified co-sponsor and your K-1 is approved, your journey with USCIS is just beginning with the I-129F petition. You still have many more steps in your immigration experience in the future and you'll find it a much smoother process by studying the online guides here on VJ. Even if you decide to use the services of an attorney it's much better to completely understand the process.

Use the resources of this board, ask questions to it's members and you'll get straigh forward answers - for free.

[meandmybeloved 15]

wow, I hope u didn't pay for that attorney to do ur k-1 (& if u did, bad lawyer alrdy cuz ur timeline shows u had a rfe)? & if he/she is telling you that kinda bs...I would ask for my money back

reality as it is, if u can't find a cosponsor that makes enough to cover 5+ household ($32k/year), chances of the visa getting approved at the interview is very low & no way n a million years would some random person at the consulate come outta the blue & co-sponsor ur fiance

since u haven't gotten ur noa2 yet, u may have sometime on ur hands to finding someone that is willing to cosponsor you when the time comes

& hopefully ur fiance has some skills/degrees/assets & is rdy to start work, cuz ur unemployed & will b adding another mouth to feed

Your telling me!!!! We got a RFE because they wanted photos that had date stamps on them. We had no real primary evidence because we live only 8 hours apart and my fiance drives here every month. They told us nothing about photo's needing dates on them, nor did they explain primary evidence or secondary evidence. We only found this site this month and thank god we did. This site has been awesome. What I don't get is why on earth did my attorney not recognize that we had no real primary evidence and tell us right away before they sent it out that we needed to provide photo's with dates on them.Wwe had lots of photo's from each month and gas receipts from his travels and toll booth receipts. They also cost us 6 weeks of waiting till they finally submitted our I-129F to the USCIS because they would only speak to us via email only. I have been thinking about firing him and taking over from this point on. So upset that they are not acting very professional. Not to mention that they won't talk to us about the next steps in the visa process until we get a approval. So basically they are leaving us in the dark, but the laugh is on them. Cause my fiance and I have been learning so much from this site and all the research we have been doing.

My fiance is a hard worker and works 2 full time jobs now in canada and he is a quality engineer and hopefully won't have a problem finding work when he gets here and is allowed to work.

Thanks

[Boiler 45,558]

we can always use a co-sponsor at the U.S. Consulate in Canada

Seems pretty clear, but I agree with everybody else, get familiar with the process.

[meandmybeloved 15]

Off topic for a moment...

Please read the guides to have a better understanding of all that is entailed in petitioning for a foreign fiance.

The vast majority of us prepare all of our own paperwork and have no problems through the process, but only after reading the guides for the various steps involved in getting our loved ones here with us.

Assuming you find a qualified co-sponsor and your K-1 is approved, your journey with USCIS is just beginning with the I-129F petition. You still have many more steps in your immigration experience in the future and you'll find it a much smoother process by studying the online guides here on VJ. Even if you decide to use the services of an attorney it's much better to completely understand the process.

Use the resources of this board, ask questions to it's members and you'll get straigh forward answers - for free.

I agree completely with you. It is only because we have been doing so much reading on VJ that we have found so many answers to our questions. I will be doing all the paperwork from this point on without our attorney. Those on this board are the ones with the true answers, for they are the ones that have walked the journey.

Don't know if anyone on this board has heard of Allan S. Lolly & Associates, but this is who we have been working with. Thanks to everyone here who gives us straight answers.

[meandmybeloved 15]

"Thank you for your income. If Loretta does not meet the minimum income requirement we can always use a co-sponsor at the U.S. Consulate in Canada. We can proceed now to file the petition and after the petition is approved obtain the financial documents from the co-sponsor for the visa interview."

Hi Loretta...

What your lawyer was saying is her email is that if your income isn't sufficient, then you'd be able to use the income and/or assets of a co-soposor. I think you confused that statement to infer that you'd be supplied with a co-sponsor. In reality, a close personal friend or relative is needed to provide sufficient income to qualify.

You should know that co-sponsoring can potentially make a friend or relative financially responsible for your fiance if he would at some point apply for and reveive "means tested" government benefits.

Thank you for your response. I understand how I misinterpreted what she said. But at the time, we were so new at all this and we had not the understanding as we do now with all this.

Praying we find a sponsor. Rick is my life and living life without him is not a option.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Actually I think you got a little misinfo on the income your co sponsor will need. They are only sponsors your hubby to be not your entire family. ( the number were for you to be a sponsor ) They need enough for THEIR family and your hubby. So if you have a single auntee it would be enough for a household of 2 not 5 ( then again if auntee has 8 kids it would be a bigger income requirement )

[Casprd 167]

I would seriously look at doing a cr-1. You still will need a cosponsor but then you new husband will hit the ground running with a green card and be able to work instead of waiting until you can afford to as later

[meandmybeloved 15]

"Thank you for your income. If Loretta does not meet the minimum income requirement we can always use a co-sponsor at the U.S. Consulate in Canada. We can proceed now to file the petition and after the petition is approved obtain the financial documents from the co-sponsor for the visa interview."

Hi Loretta...

What your lawyer was saying is her email is that if your income isn't sufficient, then you'd be able to use the income and/or assets of a co-soposor. I think you confused that statement to infer that you'd be supplied with a co-sponsor. In reality, a close personal friend or relative is needed to provide sufficient income to qualify.

You should know that co-sponsoring can potentially make a friend or relative financially responsible for your fiance if he would at some point apply for and reveive "means tested" government benefits.

Feeling so silly now about this misunderstanding from my attorney. But hopefully we have time still to get a co-sponsor. Thanks to everyone for all the advice that you have offered.

[az110965 252]

Loretta,

Don't feel silly and I'm glad you asked this qustion now rather than 2 days before your interview. Always feel free to ask any questions you might have because odds are, another newbie might have the same questions and you're helping others learn.

One thing that DOES bother me about this whole lawyer situation is why SHE didn't tell you that income would be an issue when you submitted all your papers to her for her to send to USCIS. It sounds to me that your lawyer's only concern was to collect your fees without mentioning in a passing email that income would be a problem. Assuming that your lawyer has ever submitted just 1 K-1 package in her life she should have known when you provided your information for the I-134 that there would be issues. She should have IMMEDIATELY notified you in no uncertain terms that you'd REQUIRE a co-sponsor...

The problem that has been evidenced many times here before on VJ is that unless there are extradinary circumstances (ie: criminal records, needing a waiver, etc...) lawyers typically don't do anything to hasten the process and at best case, merely accomplih what you could have done ny yourself or at worst case - delay your process.

[reecy 2]

"Thank you for your income. If Loretta does not meet the minimum income requirement we can always use a co-sponsor at the U.S. Consulate in Canada. We can proceed now to file the petition and after the petition is approved obtain the financial documents from the co-sponsor for the visa interview."

Hi Loretta...

What your lawyer was saying is her email is that if your income isn't sufficient, then you'd be able to use the income and/or assets of a co-soposor. I think you confused that statement to infer that you'd be supplied with a co-sponsor. In reality, a close personal friend or relative is needed to provide sufficient income to qualify.

You should know that co-sponsoring can potentially make a friend or relative financially responsible for your fiance if he would at some point apply for and reveive "means tested" government benefits.

I think you misunderstood your attorney. I think the attorney meant that you can proceed with the K1 application for now but when it get to the consulate and it is time for your fiance visa interview you will need to have a cosponsor. The cosponsor will not literally be at the consulate but you will need one once your documents reaches the consulate.

[Rufus2012 175]

If your fiance is a Canadian citizen, he might be eligible to find employment based on a NAFTA visa (TN-1, IIRC). That could get him working sooner than the 3 to 6 months quoted here for employment authorization.

[az110965 252]

Hi Waiting...

It's my understanding that if the fiance enters on a K-1 he's bound under the entire provision of the K-1 and using a TN-1 won't be a possibility. I'm sure someone else can answer this definitively but I'm pretty sure that's the case. If I'm mistaken I apologize.

That being said:

The issue at hand is not the fiance getting to work quickly upon his entry, it's obtaining the K-1 approval in the first place. Without sufficient income and/or assets proven by either the petitioner or a co-sponsor the K-1 will be disapporved at the Embassy interview.

[meandmybeloved 15]

Loretta,

Don't feel silly and I'm glad you asked this qustion now rather than 2 days before your interview. Always feel free to ask any questions you might have because odds are, another newbie might have the same questions and you're helping others learn.

One thing that DOES bother me about this whole lawyer situation is why SHE didn't tell you that income would be an issue when you submitted all your papers to her for her to send to USCIS. It sounds to me that your lawyer's only concern was to collect your fees without mentioning in a passing email that income would be a problem. Assuming that your lawyer has ever submitted just 1 K-1 package in her life she should have known when you provided your information for the I-134 that there would be issues. She should have IMMEDIATELY notified you in no uncertain terms that you'd REQUIRE a co-sponsor...

The problem that has been evidenced many times here before on VJ is that unless there are extradinary circumstances (ie: criminal records, needing a waiver, etc...) lawyers typically don't do anything to hasten the process and at best case, merely accomplih what you could have done ny yourself or at worst case - delay your process.

Oh, I agree completely. Our attorney has cost us time. They have dragged this out for us by 6 weeks at the least. Thank you so much for your understanding.

[3t3rnal 3]

Your telling me!!!! We got a RFE because they wanted photos that had date stamps on them. We had no real primary evidence because we live only 8 hours apart and my fiance drives here every month. They told us nothing about photo's needing dates on them, nor did they explain primary evidence or secondary evidence. We only found this site this month and thank god we did. This site has been awesome. What I don't get is why on earth did my attorney not recognize that we had no real primary evidence and tell us right away before they sent it out that we needed to provide photo's with dates on them.Wwe had lots of photo's from each month and gas receipts from his travels and toll booth receipts. They also cost us 6 weeks of waiting till they finally submitted our I-129F to the USCIS because they would only speak to us via email only. I have been thinking about firing him and taking over from this point on. So upset that they are not acting very professional. Not to mention that they won't talk to us about the next steps in the visa process until we get a approval. So basically they are leaving us in the dark, but the laugh is on them. Cause my fiance and I have been learning so much from this site and all the research we have been doing.

My fiance is a hard worker and works 2 full time jobs now in canada and he is a quality engineer and hopefully won't have a problem finding work when he gets here and is allowed to work.

Thanks

that sux, the lawyer shoulda known better when u submitted photos to him w/o dates on them (i annotated on the back & used stickies on my photos to tell who, what, where & when the photos were taken)

ur a may csc filer & alrdy got ur rfe, so ur noa2 could be anyday now (the rfe shoulda been ur noa2)

so hope & pray & also make a lotta phone calls to ppl u know & c if they will be willing to co-sponsor u, b/c ur noa2 might be around the corner & after that the whole process just goes by way 2 fast

gl

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The poverty guidelines are here: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864p.pdf do not trust anything else.

AOS fee is $1070 and while the OP's husband COULD work once he gets the GC, there's no guarantee he'll get a job right away.