Embassy Requires Co-sponsor while NVC did not think it was necessary

[agynyame 2]

It has been a while since I posted so please bear with me.

I am a clergy person with a mainline denomination. This means that my taxes are handled a bit differently. Clergy persons per IRS guidelines can declare portions of their salary for housing(within reason of course) which is tax exempt . We pay taxes on the stipend.

During the NVC stage when I turned my information there was a letter from the church attached to the I-864EZ which plainly indicated that once you combine my housing allowance which the church pays me and my stipend also paid by the church which is taxable, I make about $57K (pretax). Once my pension and car allowance are added, I make a combined annual of about 76K. Taking the housing allowance and stipend alone (57K) does this not put me over the federal poverty threshold for just my wife and I?

Well I did not get an rfe at the NVC. Today, however, when my wife went for her interview at the Embassy in Accra, we were told that while everything is in order, based on my tax transcripts I do not make enough to sponsor my wife by myself and will need a co-sponsor (bear in mind that a portion of my salary cannot be taxed). How do I get it through the Embassy that I have more than sufficient income based on my salary of 57K to sponsor my wife by myself. Can the CO make such a determination without reading the information to understand that he or she is dealing with a clergy person?

I need your input and advice. We have been given till next month to provide a co-sponsor.

This process and people's inability to see beyond the guidelines provided has given me gray hair.

[Herb1431 1]

Bear in mind that most of the COs working at the USE around the world are not up on the more complicated IRS tax rules, they know just the very basics about tax filings. Just like you, the same thing is happening to US military members that have served in the TAX FREE zones in IRAQ and AFGAN. In some cases for military members if they have been in the TAX FREE zone for more that a year, on our W-2s it looks like we made no money for the year because our pay is tax free. VISAs have been declined in Ethiopia just on the basis that the CO did not know what they were looking at when they try to interpit a military member's W-2. You would think, they would be advised on these small but very vital facts but they are not kept up to speed or informed about the various tax rules. Try contacting the USE she did her interview at and explain it so they can understand. Chances are they did not even look at letter from your church. God Bless you,,,Hope your situation change soon.

[catknit 144]

Does the stipend alone cover 125% poverty line for your size family? Having done payroll/end of year tax stuff for a mainline protestant church that paid the minister with a mix of stipend and housing I know the tax paperwork is different than typical taxes they see all the time, the CO may be looking only at the stipend number???

[agynyame 2]

Does the stipend alone cover 125% poverty line for your size family? Having done payroll/end of year tax stuff for a mainline protestant church that paid the minister with a mix of stipend and housing I know the tax paperwork is different than typical taxes they see all the time, the CO may be looking only at the stipend number???

catnip,

yes the stipend alone covers the 125% poverty level. n i believe she only looked at the stipend which is the only stuff listed on the w2. $19,906 is listed on the transcript. the 125% for 2 is $18,387.

[agynyame 2]

Bear in mind that most of the COs working at the USE around the world are not up on the more complicated IRS tax rules, they know just the very basics about tax filings. Just like you, the same thing is happening to US military members that have served in the TAX FREE zones in IRAQ and AFGAN. In some cases for military members if they have been in the TAX FREE zone for more that a year, on our W-2s it looks like we made no money for the year because our pay is tax free. VISAs have been declined in Ethiopia just on the basis that the CO did not know what they were looking at when they try to interpit a military member's W-2. You would think, they would be advised on these small but very vital facts but they are not kept up to speed or informed about the various tax rules. Try contacting the USE she did her interview at and explain it so they can understand. Chances are they did not even look at letter from your church. God Bless you,,,Hope your situation change soon.

Herb,

Thanks I appreciate it.

[Anh map 2,098]

What does line 22 of your tax return show?

What does your W2 show as Wages, Other?

Edited October 20, 2011 by Anh map

[agynyame 2]

What does line 22 of your tax return show?

What does your W2 show as Wages, Other?

you know thanks for pointing this out. i will check n send you a message

[reecy 2]

I will like to know if the us embassy in Accra accepts co-sponsors.hope i have a responds from you soon.Thank you good luck to all