Don't Meet Income Requirements - What to do?

[insipidtoast 3]

I definitely do not meet the income requirements to prove that I can support my spouse nor do I have the assets. So, am I correct in assuming that I need to obtain a co-sponsor? Does this have to be a family member?

Any tips to help convince someone to be a co-sponsor. My dad, for example, really didn't like it when I asked him, because he assumes that he is going to be obligated to take care of someone.

Does my co-sponsor need to fill out and sign this entire form? http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-864.pdf At the end of the form where it talks about the sponsor's contract, this requirement sounds rather scary:

If an intending immigrant becomes a permanent resident in the United States based on a Form I-864 that you have signed, then, until your obligations under the Form I-864 terminate, you must: Provide the intending immigrant any support necessary to maintain him or her at an income that is at least 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for his or her household size

So that means if my spouse and I don't make 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines as an annual income, then my spouse's sponsor will be forced by the U.S. Government to pay money to my spouse? Yikes! It sounds like this is a tough sell. Just how much does a married couple need to make (combined annual income) in order to reach 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines?

If an intending immigrant becomes a permanent resident in the United States based on a Form I-864 that you have signed, then until your obligations under the Form I-864 terminate, your income and assets may be considered (“deemed”) to be available to that person, in determining whether he or she is eligible for certain Federal means-tested public benefits and also for State or local means-tested public benefits, if the State or local government’s rules provide for consideration (“deeming”) of your income and assets as available to the person.

Yikes! Yikes!

If you do not provide sufficient support to the person who becomes a permanent resident based on the Form I-864 that you signed, that person may sue you for this support.

That's it? That's the only consequence? The government doesn't come after our sponsor if my spouse is receiving benefits such as SSI or social security disability insurance? I was kind of planning on just living off of SSI and part-time jobs back in the USA. What if I'm on SSI? Will the government act against our sponsor?

If a Federal, State or local agency, or a private agency provides any covered means-tested public benefit to the person who becomes a permanent resident based on the Form I-864 that you signed, the agency may ask you to reimburse them for the amount of the benefits they provided. If you do not make the reimbursement, the agency may sue you for the amount that the agency believes you owe.

OK, there's the axe.

What form or what part of what form do I have to fill out and sign? Or will our sponsor be the only one filling out and signing the affidavit of support and any other related forms?

Also, what is the difference between I-864 and I-864EZ? Also, under what circumstances does someone file I-864A?

Edited September 26, 2014 by insipidtoast

[Rlelle09 28]

Your joint sponsor can be a family member or a friend.

You are the PRIMARY sponsor

You and the joint sponsor each fill out a seperate I-864

the government just wants to make sure your spouse will not become a public charge as in collecting welfare and food stamps etc.

If your spouse does become a public charge the joint sponsor will be responsible for paying it back.

Also a beneficiary can take a sponsor/joint sponsor to court if the i_864 is not being fulfilled. i.e. the beneficiary needs financial support.

good luck.

[Plarka 0]

Can the sponsor and their children have food stamps under the sponsor's name if the immigrant is in their household?

[insipidtoast 3]

Can the sponsor and their children have food stamps under the sponsor's name if the immigrant is in their household?

This is a good question. I would like to know the answer as well, as I am planning on receiving SSI under my name.