Starting my journey

[TeacherJeff 0]

Later, yes. Start with the guides. There's no affidavit of support in the I-130 package. Study, really.

yeah, i made a mistake. I believe that was my only mistake anyway, My bank account was closed due to inactivity and my driver license has expired. Do I need to have those activated before she comes to america with me?

[pushbrk 12,882]

yeah, i made a mistake. I believe that was my only mistake anyway, My bank account was closed due to inactivity and my driver license has expired. Do I need to have those activated before she comes to america with me?

Not necessarily. Why not do some specific study on the domicile issue using the search function.

Including an I-134, is more than one mistake. It's two big ones. Including ANY affidavit of support at this stage AND using the wrong one for the kind of visa you're seeking for your spouse. The bigger mistakes were not studying the guide and not studying the I-130 instructions.

[TeacherJeff 0]

Not necessarily. Why not do some specific study on the domicile issue using the search function.

Including an I-134, is more than one mistake. It's two big ones. Including ANY affidavit of support at this stage AND using the wrong one for the kind of visa you're seeking for your spouse. The bigger mistakes were not studying the guide and not studying the I-130 instructions.

I never intended to put the affidavit of support at this stage. I know quite well that the AOS is required after the I-130 application has been processed which typically takes between 3-6 months. I started to go down this road two years ago and my god parents decided not to sponsor my wife at the last second. Had I submitted the paperwork then I would had been up the creek without a paddle. That is why I want to secure all the documents prior to me submitting anything to the government. Lastly I do have a co-sponsor who does have domicile within America and that's why I was confused when you said that I had to have a driver license and a bank account. I've been abroad uninterrupted for the past five years in Thailand and thus am not considered to be domicile. So the question still remains: do I need to establish a bank account and/or driver licenses if I have a co-sponsor?

kindest regards,

Jeff

Edited August 3, 2012 by TeacherJeff

[pushbrk 12,882]

I never intended to put the affidavit of support at this stage. I know quite well that the AOS is required after the I-130 application has been processed which typically takes between 3-6 months. I started to go down this road two years ago and my god parents decided not to sponsor my wife at the last second. Had I submitted the paperwork then I would had been up the creek without a paddle. That is why I want to secure all the documents prior to me submitting anything to the government. Lastly I do have a co-sponsor who does have domicile within America and that's why I was confused when you said that I had to have a driver license and a bank account. I've been abroad uninterrupted for the past five years in Thailand and thus am not considered to be domicile. So the question still remains: do I need to establish a bank account and/or driver licenses if I have a co-sponsor?

kindest regards,

Jeff

Carefully STUDY the I-864 instructions. The domicile issue is discussed there. I see why you would want to secure a commitment from a joint sponsor but if you're filing now, you'll need a current I-864 and current evidence of income probably sometime in 2013, so an I-864 executed now will be useless.

[TeacherJeff 0]

Carefully STUDY the I-864 instructions. The domicile issue is discussed there. I see why you would want to secure a commitment from a joint sponsor but if you're filing now, you'll need a current I-864 and current evidence of income probably sometime in 2013, so an I-864 executed now will be useless.

Can you point to me exactly where the i-864 form / instruction manual discusses the domicile issue? I have read the instruction manual and it very briefly mentions domicile. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864instr.pdf This is what I have found at my embassy website about domicile. http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visas/domicile.html. So do I need to have an driver license and an american bank account as you previously stated?

[pushbrk 12,882]

Can you point to me exactly where the i-864 form / instruction manual discusses the domicile issue? I have read the instruction manual and it very briefly mentions domicile. http://www.uscis.gov.../i-864instr.pdf This is what I have found at my embassy website about domicile. http://bangkok.usemb.../domicile.html. So do I need to have an driver license and an american bank account as you previously stated?

You'll need a convincing combination of things. Decide for yourself what combination you can accomplish. There's no way for anybody to give you a firm goal line to cross. It's a judgment call.

[pushbrk 12,882]

Note also that the domicile issue is dealt with at the end of the process, not the beginning.

[TeacherJeff 0]

I am merely trying to prepare for the future now. Last quick question. On my work history for the g-325 form I need to put down the places, and addresses, that I have worked for the past five years. Can I transliterate that information into english or must I use the Thai alphabet?

Edited August 4, 2012 by TeacherJeff

[pushbrk 12,882]

I am merely trying to prepare for the future now. Last quick question. On my work history for the g-325 form I need to put down the places, and addresses, that I have worked for the past five years. Can I transliterate that information into english or must I use the Thai alphabet?

Transliterate.

[Darnell 8,478]

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/EZGuideSpouse

then read all pages at

DS-230 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

I-864 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3730.html

General NVC stuff - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html

I do mean all pages..

and then.. study a bit more at:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/

and prep yer paperwork in such a fashion that you DO get into the auto-expedite queue.

Come back with more questions, after all the reading..

[Darnell 8,478]

re: domicile - there are two main categories..

1. prove up of domicile in the USA or

2. prove up of intent to re-establish domicile in the USA

Think about it a bit, as you are rereading the I-864 bits covering domicile.

This 'prove up' occurs on interview day, so you have some time to formulate your plan, then execute your plan.

Edited August 4, 2012 by Darnell

[TeacherJeff 0]

Thanks for your prompt reply Darnell and thanks for helping me two years ago. How have you been? Formulating a plan too prove my intent of re-establishing myself is kinda scaring me. What steps should I be taking now to show this intent? Two of the travel links that you posted are coming up dead. As my wife and I are assembling the i-130 package today we stumbled across a couple additional questions.

1: On the G-325A form there is a box that is directed towards the "applicant". Would I be the applicant or is my wife considered the applicant? What number would we use for the "Alien Registration Number"?

2: What if I do not know my biological father birth details? Would I leave that blank or would I write in "unknown"?

3: How many photos should I include that demonstrates that we have lived together for the past five years in Thailand? My wife has put 3 to 4 colored photos on a single sheet of a4 paper. We have 25 such photos including the ones that were taken at our wedding. Is this adequate?

Jeff

Edited August 5, 2012 by TeacherJeff

[pushbrk 12,882]

Thanks for your prompt reply Darnell and thanks for helping me two years ago. How have you been? Formulating a plan too prove my intent of re-establishing myself is kinda scaring me. What steps should I be taking now to show this intent? Two of the travel links that you posted are coming up dead. As my wife and I are assembling the i-130 package today we stumbled across a couple additional questions.

1: On the G-325A form there is a box that is directed towards the "applicant". Would I be the applicant or is my wife considered the applicant? What number would we use for the "Alien Registration Number"?

2: What if I do not know my biological father birth details? Would I leave that blank or would I write in "unknown"?

3: How many photos should I include that demonstrates that we have lived together for the past five years in Thailand? My wife has put 3 to 4 colored photos on a single sheet of a4 paper. We have 25 such photos including the ones that were taken at our wedding. Is this adequate?

Jeff

For YOUR G325a, you are are the applicant. For your wife's form, she is the applicant. Other than the G325a, you are the petitioner and she is either the beneficiary (now) and applicant later on an actual visa application.

Enter what you DO know and indicate Unknown for the rest.

There is no specific number of photos to use but photos are evidence of relationship, not evidence you live together. Evidence you live together would be more direct, like lease, official registration, business mail at the same address, etc.

[TeacherJeff 0]

For YOUR G325a, you are are the applicant. For your wife's form, she is the applicant. Other than the G325a, you are the petitioner and she is either the beneficiary (now) and applicant later on an actual visa application.

Enter what you DO know and indicate Unknown for the rest.

There is no specific number of photos to use but photos are evidence of relationship, not evidence you live together. Evidence you live together would be more direct, like lease, official registration, business mail at the same address, etc.

Would we leave the Alien Registration number blank?

I am also enclosing a photo copy of my visa stamps, my thai work permit, and a letter from my Thai landlord though I am unsure how to get something like that notarized in Thailand and/or if immigration in America would accept such documents. I have business correspondence from various places and my wife has personal correspondence Would a scanned copy of these documents be sufficient?

Jeff

[Darnell 8,478]

Thanks for your prompt reply Darnell and thanks for helping me two years ago. How have you been? Formulating a plan too prove my intent of re-establishing myself is kinda scaring me. What steps should I be taking now to show this intent?

Proving up intent to re-establish domicile, would have a sheaf of letters and documents that might (emphasis on might) show:

1. address of a place in USA that you intend to live

2. receipts for deposits paid for utilities on a domicile

3. signed lease of a rental property

4. signed (perhaps sworn also) letter from parents that they intend for you and your wife to live with them when you two return to USA.

4. Offer of Employment letter from a new employer.

What you can show always depends on what you have and how you will live - IMO is huge difference between moving in with your parents vs having a new lease on a rental property, so 'what you can show' will vary based on what path you choose.

DCF filers have had this issue, as well - but one thing that I've learned (on DCF filers) is that

RIGHT AFTER the I-130 is approved, is perfectly fine for the USCitizen Spouse to get into the USA and actually 'get all done' to secure new job and new domicile, then show that proof on interview day. You aren't a DCF casetype, but in the same breath , you have lived overseas all this time, and IMO you are 'safe to travel to USA' after I-130 is approved at USCIS.