URGENT!!! Sponsoring Advice for the Petitioner Needed!!!

[Mrs. Ibrahim 1]

Hi Everyone!! This is my first time posting so bear with me. I am a self-employed hair stylist by profession and I do work regular jobs too but only when I need a little extra money. My problem is I am now coming to that part of the process of sponsoring my husband and I knew we would need a sponsor cause my income isnt enough and thank god we have been blessed to find not one but two sponsors. But the situation is that I didnt file my taxes this year for personally reasons and now I have no proof of my self-employment. My business isnt exactly a receipt giving business, it is always cash but it is the main source of my income. I do have other income coming in like child support but that alone isnt enough and Im wondering what can I do so this dont hurt our chances. I am presently looking for work and may have found a job but I will also keep doing my business.So please if you can give me any advice I will deeply APPRECIATE it. Thank You!!

Edited April 21, 2012 by Mrs. Ibrahim

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

You need to file your taxes, even if you have a co-sponsor.

[midge and isi 8]

Agreed.

Ghana is very particular when it comes to the paperwork. You need to make sure you present the last three years of tax transcripts. Get your stuff in order as soon as you can.

Also I would suggest using only one co-sponsor. They will need to make enough to cover your whole household (children, yourself, and husband).

[sulhaq 60]

Best file your taxes, even if you find a co-sponser. If you don't, not only will your application be possibly denied, you could get in trouble with the IRS for tax evasion.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You must file taxes and have proof of such to gain immigration benefits ( or proof you werent' required to file taxes ) For a single immigrant you can only use one co sponsor, pick the better qualified of the 2 you have found.

[pushbrk 12,897]

Hi Everyone!! This is my first time posting so bear with me. I am a self-employed hair stylist by profession and I do work regular jobs too but only when I need a little extra money. My problem is I am now coming to that part of the process of sponsoring my husband and I knew we would need a sponsor cause my income isnt enough and thank god we have been blessed to find not one but two sponsors. But the situation is that I didnt file my taxes this year for personally reasons and now I have no proof of my self-employment. My business isnt exactly a receipt giving business, it is always cash but it is the main source of my income. I do have other income coming in like child support but that alone isnt enough and Im wondering what can I do so this dont hurt our chances. I am presently looking for work and may have found a job but I will also keep doing my business.So please if you can give me any advice I will deeply APPRECIATE it. Thank You!!

Since, as petitioner, you must be the PRIMARY sponsor you must provide an I-864 of your own, you'll need to have 2009, 2010 and 2011 tax returns or tax law related reason why you were not required to file a return. I suggest you choose the qualified sponsor with the cleanest simple "employment" income from a steady job, who has a plausible reason to want to act as a joint sponsor. Unless your two sponsors are part of the same household, you'll be using only one.

[ghanalover 7]

Agreed.

Ghana is very particular when it comes to the paperwork. You need to make sure you present the last three years of tax transcripts. Get your stuff in order as soon as you can.

Also I would suggest using only one co-sponsor. They will need to make enough to cover your whole household (children, yourself, and husband).

Correction the cosponsor if livin in a different house only needs to cover their household and ur husband so if ur cosponsor lives separate by themselcrsthen they only need to me the poverty guideline for 2.... If u have a cosponsor living in the same household then yes their income would have to cover everyone but their income would be combined with urs. The cosponsor cant sponsor u (usc) because u can get means tested help from the government ur a citizen of this country just when u include ur husband u just have to make it clear that hes in the household but not rewuesting assistance.......i spent hours on the phone getting this information because my cosponsor wanted to be clear

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

So you are primary sponsor and your household is hubby and you and ?? kids. If you live with mom/dad/?? they can combine their income with yours but they also count as extra bodies.

Your friend lets say Mr Smith can be a cosponsor , he has to cover HIS household , himself , wife and kids plus your hubby . But not you or your kids.

If Mrs Smith is working they can use both incomes.

If your hubby had a child then you and Mr Smiths family could cover the child if possible or you could get a second sponor ,say Mr Jones, to cover his family and the child ( but not your husband )

For any family you can't have more than your family the Smiths and the Jones, so you would have to divide the immigrants up between you all.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi Everyone!! This is my first time posting so bear with me. I am a self-employed hair stylist by profession and I do work regular jobs too but only when I need a little extra money. My problem is I am now coming to that part of the process of sponsoring my husband and I knew we would need a sponsor cause my income isnt enough and thank god we have been blessed to find not one but two sponsors. But the situation is that I didnt file my taxes this year for personally reasons and now I have no proof of my self-employment. My business isnt exactly a receipt giving business, it is always cash but it is the main source of my income. I do have other income coming in like child support but that alone isnt enough and Im wondering what can I do so this dont hurt our chances. I am presently looking for work and may have found a job but I will also keep doing my business.So please if you can give me any advice I will deeply APPRECIATE it. Thank You!!

To sponsor your husband, you will need to file an I-864. When filing the I-864, you will need to provide information about your last three tax years. You will need to disclose that information or why you are not legally required to file. If you are legally required to file and you don't, then your I-864 will be rejected. It is your responsibility to file US tax returns if required. Failing to do that means no immigration benefit for your husband. Even if you have a Joint Sponsor, you are required to file a valid I-864. So, go file your tax returns if you want your husband to immigrate. No tax returns = no immigration visa.

If you cheat on your taxes, then you suffer the consequences. First, it is illegal to not report your income. Second, you cannot hide the income for tax purposes and then hope to use that income to qualify for the I-864. If you don't abide by the legal requirement to report your income, then you can't use it to gain an immigration benefit. The government is not that stupid (it often is stupid but that's another discussion). The government will not let you cheat them by not reporting your income and then allow you to use the income to bring your husband to the US.

---------

my thoughts to you are; 1) file your US tax returns as you are legally required to do and 2) stop cheating on your taxes and report your income. Your failure to comply with the tax laws will hurt your husband's chances of immigrating to the US.

[RobbyUSA 26]

You need to file your taxes, even if you have a co-sponsor.

false information... there are times you don't have to file. Fed IRS example:

Do I need to file a tax return for 2011?

You are not required to file a tax return for 2011

You are not required to file a tax return because your income does not equal or exceed $3,700, nor do you owe any special taxes or have any special situations that require you to file.

so why did you say that you need to file for your taxes when the IRS is telling us if we don't exceed $3700. that you are NOT required to do so?

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

so why did you say that you need to file for your taxes when the IRS is telling us if we don't exceed $3700. that you are NOT required to do so?

Because I find it unlikely that the OP makes and lives off less than $4000 a year, as they mention they do work.

[Mrs. Ibrahim 1]

queen penguin you will be amazed what people can live off of but thank you for answering

[Mrs. Ibrahim 1]

false information... there are times you don't have to file. Fed IRS example:

Do I need to file a tax return for 2011?

You are not required to file a tax return for 2011

You are not required to file a tax return because your income does not equal or exceed $3,700, nor do you owe any special taxes or have any special situations that require you to file.

so why did you say that you need to file for your taxes when the IRS is telling us if we don't exceed $3700. that you are NOT required to do so?

thank you rob for this answer i was so afraid after getting all the other answers that i called irs and heard exactly what you are saying and i really apreiciate you for not being so harsh with how you explained this so thank you once again.