What should I put for income on I-864?

[ProPaki 0]

Hello,

I am a student who has never held a job in his life (yet) because my parents have financially supported me. That means I have no tax returns and no income. However, I will be graduating this semester and have a job lined up to start in the Fall. My question is: should I put the earnings from my job as my annual income then include a letter explaining what is going on and why I don't have tax returns? My dad has already agreed to be a joint sponsor so I will have him fill out a I-864, too. He has plenty of income to cover us.

But, in addition to my dad being a joint sponsor, should I include my annual salary (once I start my job in the Fall -- I have already signed with them) on my I-864? Would it help or hurt either way? I'm thinking it can probably only help except I'm afraid they may think "he won't have a job until Fall, let's not approve his wife until then".

Thanks!

Edited January 26, 2013 by ProPaki

[CHarvey80 72]

You put your current income at the time of submitting your I-864. If that happens to be when you are working then make sure you get an employment letter and submit all the pay stubs you have at the time.

Whether or not you should start trying to find a co-sponsor or not I will leave to someone who has experienced that to fill in those blanks for you.

If you are submitting your I-864 before you start your job though then your current income is $0, so you put $0 and get a co-sponsor that makes enough to cover the household requirement.

[amykathleen2005 441]

It is not a job until you are actually working and earning the money.

[The Mean Lady 604]

[ProPaki 0]

Thank you everyone for the response. I'll probably put $0 for my income and have a joint sponsor, then just put a little note that I do have a job I've already signed on to, it just hasn't started yet.

[pushbrk 12,883]

Thank you everyone for the response. I'll probably put $0 for my income and have a joint sponsor, then just put a little note that I do have a job I've already signed on to, it just hasn't started yet.

Though the affidavit of support can get complicated, when the answer is $0, that part gets real simple. They are questions asked in the present tense, unless otherwise noted. If you don't have an income, your only possible answer is $0. If you never had an income, that answer is going to appear in several places on your I-864.