I-134, both parents combined as one sponsor?

[RPGwriter 2]

Simple question. I live with my mother and father. They're married, file taxes jointly, and have a joint bank account. Can they both count as a single sponsor for the I-134?

(EDIT: To clarify, I'm the USC and don't make enough to sponsor yet, though my income is slowly increasing.)

Someone on VJ said they did that and they got their visa just fine, and others mentioned planning to do it but I never saw updates. Someone else here says you absolutely can't have two sponsors even if they're both using a joint account and married and the same household. I've seen the same split all over the internet, with both sides making absolute statements both ways. And it's making me terrified.

If my mom and dad can combine income, they have 150% poverty level for four people.

If they can't combine, and mom is a dependent but her income has no effect, my dad has around 100% poverty level for four people but might be off by a couple hundred. That won't look good. I think we might have a few assets to add to that to push it over, but I'd rather have the nice 150% safety net.

If they can't combine, but mom doesn't count as a dependent because she has her own income, then my dad has well over 100% poverty level for three people (him, me, fiancee).

I have heard a dozen different variations and theories on this, all stated as absolute fact. Does anywhere here actually have a clear answer? I know it varies by embassy to some extent.

My fiancee is from a low-fraud country (Norway) and her interview will be in Sweden, if that helps. I know they accept co-sponsors in general.

Any answer would be helpful, even if you aren't sure and say "I'm not sure but I think", but PLEASE do not make an absolute statement if you're just talking out your butt and aren't sure.

Follow-up question, if it's doable, then do we use a single I-134 or one for each parent?

Edited March 10, 2014 by RPGwriter

[Mike-eeh and Odie 193]

You may only have 1 co-sponsor and he/she must meet the poverty guidelines for your household. You are better off getting a job and meeting the poverty threshold for 2, which is $15,510. Depending on where you live, this is not a terribly difficult annual salary to achieve for most high school graduates.

Second, if your mother & father claimed single 0 on their W-4, and filed jointly, then only she or your father can sponsor your fiancee. If they claimed Married 1 and jointly, however, then they can use their combined income to cosponsor you as a joint parental entity.

[RPGwriter 2]

You may only have 1 co-sponsor and he/she must meet the poverty guidelines for your household. You are better off getting a job and meeting the poverty threshold for 2, which is $15,510. Depending on where you live, this is not a terribly difficult annual salary to achieve for most high school graduates.

Second, if your mother & father claimed single 0 on their W-4, and filed jointly, then only she or your father can sponsor your fiancee. If they claimed Married 1 and jointly, however, then they can use their combined income to cosponsor you as a joint parental entity.

They filed jointly as married. So, only one co-sponsor, but they'd count as a single entity because they're Married 1, joint bank account, etc?

Sorry for being confused. It just seems like the first and the second paragraphs conflict. If my parents can count as one entity can be the I-134 co-sponsor, than they're definitely the best option for me right now. I have a job, but it's not up to $15,510 yet.

Anyway, thanks!

Edited March 10, 2014 by RPGwriter

[RPGwriter 2]

https://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/department2.aspx?id=10127

Okay, using some keywords from Mike-eeh and Odie to get a better search result, I found something else. This is a website for a college and refers to I-134 for exchange students, but it's the same form, and it refers to married parents being able to be a combined co-sponsor if both their names are on all documentation. Which my parents' names are--they've really never had separate accounts. If that applies to I-134 for K1 visa, then we're more than in the clear. Whew!

Anyway, thanks so much for the reply.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

There is no combining of incomes on an I-134. The CO can clearly see he joint filing and combined income on the most recent joint tax filing that is provided with the form though. What makes the household count 4 though? You mention the dad and mom, and then there would be the foreign fiance(e) added in. Do they have another person they claim as a dependent on their taxes?

[RPGwriter 2]

I live with them, so I'm also counted as a dependent, presumably.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Do they claim you as a dependent on their taxes? If not, you are not counted in their household size.

How to count household size >

Your household size includes yourself and the following individuals, no matter where they live: any spouse, any dependent children under the age of 21, any other dependents listed on your most recent Federal income tax return, all persons being sponsored in this affidavit of support, and any immigrants previously sponsored with a Form I-864 or Form I-864 EZ

[RPGwriter 2]

I'm counted as a dependent on their taxes.

I'm still very confused here. I know you can't have two different people as separate co-sponsors, but I've seen things saying that a married couple counts as one person.

This is just really frustrating, because my family have one account and can easily support four people at far higher than 125% of poverty level (PLUS my fiancee and I both have additional income but it's smaller; including our incomes), but technicalities might mess things up.

So, my father's income alone has to be able to support himself, my mother, me, and my fiancee, and my mother's income doesn't affect things even if she can support herself?

So far, I've seen the following things stated in different places:

1) Married co-sponsor couple counts as one co-sponsor, so it's valid. Use one I-134, not two.

2) Married co-sponsor couple counts as one co-sponsor, so it's valid. But use two I-134, not one.

3) Married co-sponsor couple counts as two separate co-sponsors, so only one parent can sponsor. But the other spouse doesn't count as a dependent part of the household if she has money.

4) Married co-sponsor couple counts as two separate co-sponsors, so only one parent can sponsor. The co-sponsor has to have enough money to support everyone, including his spouse, even if his spouse already can support herself with her own income and isn't actually dependent on him.

#1-3 means that we'll have no problem with getting the visa. #4 means that we'll be right on the edge of the threshold,.

If #4 is the case, will the CO at least look and see, "Oh, gee, this guy can just barely qualify for supporting four people but his wife makes about half as much as he does in a year on top of that, so it's really more than it looks like and there's no serious threat of the fiancee becoming a public charge?"

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

I have seen people state they had each parent fill out an I-134. I do not know if that would actually matter, or just the one parent's was needed and accepted. With the I-134, the one person must meet the requirement on their own for their own household size plus the foreign fiance(e).

Different consulates have different procedures, so what works at one does not necessarily mean it works at another. You can provide an I-134 from each parent and see if it helps at all. Some consulates will accept an I-864 from a co/joint sponsor, and with that form, a spouse can fill out an I-864A to go along with it and combine their incomes. Some consulates are reluctant to accept a co-sponsor at all. It might be beneficial to you if you would contact the consulate directly and ask them what forms to fill out if both your parents would like to combine their incomes in order to act as your co-sponsor for a K-1 visa.

[RPGwriter 2]

Thank you so much, Jay-Kay. That's helpful advice. I'll do that.