dates on supporting evidence for affidavit of support

[Searsison 8]

Okay so we got our NOA2 last night via email and me and my fiance are currently in the process of gathering all the forms we will need for the next steps. I have read the london guide already but one thing im not entirely sure on is dates, for example should i be ordering my police certificate right now or will it be deemed useless by the time my interview is scheduled in 3 months or so? the same applies to the forms my fiance (petitioner) is ordering like the IRS transcript, empoyer letter and letter from her bank will all of these be dated too early if we get them ordered now or are they generally accepted aslong as they are within 6 months prior to interview or something?

I appreciate any help given i understand there is alot of information on here to cover things like this but i feel like im swimming in an ocean of different answers and my mind is lost in it all!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Okay so we got our NOA2 last night via email and me and my fiance are currently in the process of gathering all the forms we will need for the next steps. I have read the london guide already but one thing im not entirely sure on is dates, for example should i be ordering my police certificate right now or will it be deemed useless by the time my interview is scheduled in 3 months or so? the same applies to the forms my fiance (petitioner) is ordering like the IRS transcript, empoyer letter and letter from her bank will all of these be dated too early if we get them ordered now or are they generally accepted aslong as they are within 6 months prior to interview or something?

I appreciate any help given i understand there is alot of information on here to cover things like this but i feel like im swimming in an ocean of different answers and my mind is lost in it all!

Police certificate is good for 12 months. Read that on the London website in the list of documents for interview.

Tax return for 2013 will never change so it is good forever unless she goes back and files an amended return.

Now with a NOA2 is the perfect time to get those documents. You don't need all of them. Employer letter is perfect and sufficient for London. Add the tax transcript to soothe your fears. Skip the bank stuff.

My stuff was at least 4 months old by interview. Somewhere official it says 12 months, but I don't want to look it up.

[Searsison 8]

Thanks Nich-Nick very helpful info, sometimes the most basic of requirements are the ones that have us fretting

for the IRS transcript, my fiance says there are multiple types to choose from which she has no idea which applies to us, for example there is a tax return transcript, wage and income transcript, account transcript and a record of account transcript. Any thoughts on which one would best suit? id assume wage and income but i guess they could all be useful in someway.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks Nich-Nick very helpful info, sometimes the most basic of requirements are the ones that have us fretting

for the IRS transcript, my fiance says there are multiple types to choose from which she has no idea which applies to us, for example there is a tax return transcript, wage and income transcript, account transcript and a record of account transcript. Any thoughts on which one would best suit? id assume wage and income but i guess they could all be useful in someway.

Tax return transcript.

Tax account is more about what you owe, what you paid in, what you still owe because you got a penalty for being late...things like that.

You print them off at home. Does she know it's all online now?

Edited July 25, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[Searsison 8]

Okay excellent, yes she had one of them printed and halfway through filling it out she realised there were other types available and as we need to show evidence of income we both assumed it would be the wage one but never the less youve given us the answers we need so we can crack on and get it done now, thanks for the help

[bluebird74 34]

Nich-Nick... my wife's co-sponsor has just informed of something that made me wonder. She watched a I-864 instructional video on youtube, where some lawyer talked about the difference in supporting documents needed. She said that if the intending immigrant is already in the U.S., then the co-sponsor is only required to provide the recent tax return. Where in the case of the intending immigrant having his/her interview at the Consulate, then the co-sponsor must submit all three tax returns and three recent paystubs. What do you know about that? We're ready for the interview in week's time and now I wonder if her co-sponsor should send some more evidence.

[JIJourney 96]

Okay so we got our NOA2 last night via email and me and my fiance are currently in the process of gathering all the forms we will need for the next steps. I have read the london guide already but one thing im not entirely sure on is dates, for example should i be ordering my police certificate right now or will it be deemed useless by the time my interview is scheduled in 3 months or so? the same applies to the forms my fiance (petitioner) is ordering like the IRS transcript, empoyer letter and letter from her bank will all of these be dated too early if we get them ordered now or are they generally accepted aslong as they are within 6 months prior to interview or something?

I appreciate any help given i understand there is alot of information on here to cover things like this but i feel like im swimming in an ocean of different answers and my mind is lost in it all!

Not at all. Dates will not be a big deal unless they are way too far.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Nich-Nick... my wife's co-sponsor has just informed of something that made me wonder. She watched a I-864 instructional video on youtube, where some lawyer talked about the difference in supporting documents needed. She said that if the intending immigrant is already in the U.S., then the co-sponsor is only required to provide the recent tax return. Where in the case of the intending immigrant having his/her interview at the Consulate, then the co-sponsor must submit all three tax returns and three recent paystubs. What do you know about that? We're ready for the interview in week's time and now I wonder if her co-sponsor should send some more evidence.

I know exactly what the instructions for the I-864 say. Believe the instructions, not the internet. The instructions apply across the board whether interviewing in town or across the sea.

One tax return. Others optional if it will help your cause

"You must provide either an IRS transcript or a photocopy from your own records of your Federal individual income tax return for the most recent tax year. If you believe additional returns may help you to establish your ability to maintain sufficient income, you may submit transcripts or photocopies of your Federal individual income tax returns for the three most recent years."

Tax return requires W2 with it. Transcript is stand alone

"If you provide a photocopy of your tax return(s), you must include a copy of each and every Form W-2 and Form 1099 that relates to your return(s). Do not include copies of these Forms if you provide an IRS transcript of your return(s) rather than a photocopy."

You MAY include evidence of income Not a bad idea to put some extra frosting on the cake. Note the instructions suggest six months, not three.

"You may include evidence supporting your claim about your expected income for the current year if you believe that submitting this evidence will help you establish ability to maintain sufficient income. You are not required to submit this evidence, however, unless specifically instructed to do so by a Government official. For example, you may include a recent letter from your employer, showing your employer's address and telephone number, and indicating your annual salary. You may also provide pay stub(s) showing your income for the previous 6 months. If your claimed income includes alimony, child support, dividend or interest income, or income from any other source, you may also include evidence of that income."

You need to prove a joint sponsor is a USC OR LPR

"Proof of U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident status is required for joint and substitute sponsors "

And all the rest of a total of 13 pages of instructions. I have read every word at least 5 times. A casual read-through doesn't work for me. If you haven't then print them out and highlight anything that applies to you. That's my secret method for getting through immigration and complicated tax filing over hiring a professional. So far, so good. No RFEs and no IRS audits.

[bluebird74 34]

Thanks. I read the instructions many times over, but I'm sure you've hear about the differences in Consular approach. Each Embassy's VU has a different approach, e.g. London doesn't care to see evidence of strong marital bond, etc. At least this is what I read from past interview experiences. I'm not worried about mine, for I am covered. Thanks again for clarifying things. The only other thing that I'm still pondering on, is whether or not by not counting my wife in household size on 864, I made a mistake. It tells you right on the form not to count anyone twice, but if you count your spouse as the intending immigrant, then yourself and leave the other thing as if you didn't have a spouse, so the household size "2" - just as it should be, then you're not truthfully answering questions. If you do, then you end up counting someone twice. An oxymoron type of thing.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

They tell you to not count anyone twice, so if the wife got counted as the immigrant beneficiary then she can't go in any other box. She's counted and done. It's not about being truthful, but about getting a correct household count. They know who the wife is from biographic forms and such.

If a person was sponsoring his parent, then the parent is the beneficiary, and counting his wife in the spouse box has it's place. The forms have to fit many cases and scenarios and don't always feel customized to your situation. Makes it harder to sort through.