i-134 woes with joint sponsor for k-1 visa

[belishabeacons 3]

First time poster, long time lurker

My fiance has got his interview date in hand (finally!) on February 27th, 2014. I am the American citizen.

I have assembled all of the documents, but like many, have a lot of questions about the i-134. So, here goes:

1) I am student, so I am having a cosponsor. I've attached my tax transcript from last year (when I had a job in London), my bank statements and verification letter, and a letter from my university confirming I am a student. Is this enough?

2) my joint sponsor is a friend, not a family member, because my only family member is my mother who is currently unemployed. My friend who is sponsoring makes well about the 125% poverty level for all three of us. She has pay stubs, bank statements, and tax transcripts from the past three years. Does the fact that she is a friend seem like a deal breaker?

3) I have only been back in the US for grad school since August. I have a letter from my US bank confirming that I had had the account open since august with my present balance, and I am printing statements for the deposit. However, do I need to then print statements and have yet another verification letter from my UK bank (from when I lived in London) for the months in the past year before I moved back to the States? Does it even matter because I have a joint sponsor?

4) My joint sponsor's job is less than a year old. so her old tax transcripts would illustrate her making less money than she does now. Would just her letter from her employer, her bank statements, and her pay stubs be enough without the tax transcripts? Would including them actually damage our case?

5) I know the guide on this UK forum says the documents have to be 'wet signed'... do you mean the i-134 or all the rest of the documents? all the supporting documents both my cosponsor and I have scanned for my fiance in London.

Thank you so much for answering these questions... I'm going a little out of my mind right now trying to organize everything! All advice would be much appreciated, and thank you to the mods for the thorough guide on the London embassy!

[Boiler 45,403]

Self Sponsorship for K1 is a good option for London.

[belishabeacons 3]

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean?

We are not self sponsoring, we are using myself and a joint sponsor.

[Boiler 45,403]

Fair enough, nice option not available elsewhere.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

First time poster, long time lurker

My fiance has got his interview date in hand (finally!) on February 27th, 2014. I am the American citizen.

1) If you aren't employed and don't qualify, they don't need anything from you really, including the I-134.

2) Friend is fine.

3) Doesn't matter. You have a joint-sponsor. Actually "joint" is a misnomer because London wants a sponsor-- you, the immigrant (self-sponsor), or somebody else.

4) Letter from employer and pay stubs. They have approved on employer letter alone many times. Pay stubs are the "just in case".

5) Forms, ie I-134, I-129F, G-325A and the like are wet signed. Documents are things like police certificate, birth certificate, tax transcript, pay stubs. If an employer actually writes a letter then it's good to send the original. If it's a printout from a website verifying employment then that works as well. Or a statement from Social Security for retired sponsors serves like an "employer letter" and it won't be signed.

Glad you like the London guide. We aren't mods, just normal members like you.

Edit: those were example form numbers. You won't be doing all those for the interview. Point is

Forms and documents are different things.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[belishabeacons 3]

1) If you aren't employed and don't qualify, they don't need anything from you really, including the I-134.

2) Friend is fine.

3) Doesn't matter. You have a joint-sponsor. Actually "joint" is a misnomer because London wants a sponsor-- you, the immigrant (self-sponsor), or somebody else.

4) Letter from employer and pay stubs. They have approved on employer letter alone many times. Pay stubs are the "just in case".

5) Forms, ie I-134, I-129F, G-325A and the like are wet signed. Documents are things like police certificate, birth certificate, tax transcript, pay stubs. If an employer actually writes a letter then it's good to send the original. If it's a printout from a website verifying employment then that works as well. Or a statement from Social Security for retired sponsors serves like an "employer letter" and it won't be signed.

Glad you like the London guide. We aren't mods, just normal members like you.

Edit: those were example form numbers. You won't be doing all those for the interview. Point is

Forms and documents are different things.

1) Oh... I read on the USCIS website and State Department website that they do need an i-134 from me since we're filing as joint sponsors... Would the embassy really not like my form? Otherwise, the person sponsoring isn't the petitioner (me!) in the US!

2) Thanks! I've been freaking out about that over the past few months a lot.

3) Okay, great. I'll have him bring those documents along just in case.

4) Okay, that's great to know. I will let my fiance know just to produce her letter of employment and pay stubs.

5) So, sorry, just to be clear-- we should have the wet signed original for the I-134 forms... but we can have copies of the tax transcript and pay stubs, as well as the employer letter (which was online verified)?

thanks so much for all your hard work! you're really helping me in a high stress time period.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

1) Oh... I read on the USCIS website and State Department website that they do need an i-134 from me since we're filing as joint sponsors... Would the embassy really not like my form? Otherwise, the person sponsoring isn't the petitioner (me!) in the US

It says that about the I-864 but I haven't seen it for the I-134. It says sponsor this or that but i haven't seen it say sponsor must equal fiance. Browse the Foreign Affairs Manual http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/86988.pdf on the subject of both forms. It tells how "friends or family" can sponsor on an I-134 and even discusses close friends vs casual acquaintances. It all boils down to the consulate because the FAM basically says the officer has many ways to determine if the applicant meets the public charge. I know London allows self sponsoring (outlined in the FAM) and people have been approved in London without an I-134 from the fiancé. (I've been reading London stories on this forum since Feb 2008). Sometimes they hand back the inadequate form, keeping the one that qualifies and sometimes they keep anything you hand them. Other times people just turn in the one that qualifies and are approved. Take one from the fiance and give it to them if you like. Take all the documentation you wish showing the fiance doesn't qualify. Do what feels right to you, not what any stranger says on a forum. Note that when you file the I-864 with adjustment of status, the spouse MUST fill out a form even if it says zero income. Stricter requirements for that form.

2) Thanks! I've been freaking out about that over the past few months a lot.

Make sure you are able to say what a close friend this person is to your fiancé, how they know each other, in case asked.

3) Okay, great. I'll have him bring those documents along just in case.

??? I lost the plot and don't know what documents you mean or who "he" is.

4) Okay, that's great to know. I will let my fiance know just to produce her letter of employment and pay stubs.

I thought the fiancé was unemployed. Kinda confused because the first post seems to be written by the American student. This response sounds like it is from the UK dude saying his fiancé is employed.

5) So, sorry, just to be clear-- we should have the wet signed original for the I-134 forms... but we can have copies of the tax transcript and pay stubs, as well as the employer letter (which was online verified)?

Yes

[Big Papa Zone 93]

So exactly how many spoons have you gone through on here anyway, Nich?

[belishabeacons 3]

Thanks for all your help guys!

Oh, and Nich-Nick-- the 'her' i was referring to was my friend who is the joint sponsor.

One more question-- my fiance's NOA2 date has expired. can i just send a letter reaffirming i still want to marry him and sign it, or do i need to get that letter notarized?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The beneficiary gets a letter of instruction from London (sometimes still called by the ancient name Packet 3). That letter actually says a notarized letter is required if the petition is expired. So I would follow that instruction exactly.

[belishabeacons 3]

Thanks Nich-Nick! Wow, you've been such a help. I wrote a standard letter that reaffirmed I was going to marry him in 90 days as per the k1 and got it notarized today... hope that's enough!

You've been a giant help, especially with the guides, too!

[Slsx21 0]

So did they let you have a co sponsor? My fiancé Is interviewing at the London embassy and my dad is co sponsoring because I've been a student as well