Faxed Birth Certificate / Sponsorship

[q-panic 0]

A question about NOA1: Me and my American love are about to send of the I-129f package (me = German; her = US citizen). We have a problem with her birth certificate. She applied for a passport to visit me in Germany in May and they still have her original birth certificate. I only have a faxed copy of it at hand and honestly, it looks pretty bad. What do you suggest, is it better to wait until I actually have the original to make a good, clean copy or is the faxed copy ok. What kind of forms does the USCIS usually demand originals for (RFE). Could we also just copy her driver's licence and simply send it along to make sure or would that look weird to the USCIS?

Another question about NOA2: Neither me and my love have a job right now since we are both still students (she has a part-time job on campus right now, though). That means we need co-sponsorship for the K1-Visa. Must the sponsor have enough money to support me and her, or just me? How much income would that be? I know it has something to do with the poverty line. Could somebody please post a link where the actual ammount we need is stated. That would be very helpful. I have some savings on an account in Germany. I know I would need to transfer this money to an American account so it could be considered in the process. However, this costs a lot of fees. I would only do it, if it actually made a difference. How much money should I have so that the USCIS actually accepts that as self-sponsoring?

Thanks for all the help. I'll post when we finally send the I-129F package of.

-----

Feb 2006 - we met for the first time while I studied as an exchange student in the USA

April 2006 - became a couple

May 2006 - I had to return to Germany

Oct/Nov 2006 - I visit her in the USA for 6 weeks

Feb/March 2007 - I visit her in the USA for 7 weeks

May 2007 - she graduates university (bachelor)

June 2007 - she visits me in Germany for 4 weeks

July 2007 - I graduate (masters)

Sept 2007 - plan to move to L.A. together and to get married

[payxibka 10,045]

A question about NOA1: Me and my American love are about to send of the I-129f package (me = German; her = US citizen). We have a problem with her birth certificate. She applied for a passport to visit me in Germany in May and they still have her original birth certificate. I only have a faxed copy of it at hand and honestly, it looks pretty bad. What do you suggest, is it better to wait until I actually have the original to make a good, clean copy or is the faxed copy ok. What kind of forms does the USCIS usually demand originals for (RFE). Could we also just copy her driver's licence and simply send it along to make sure or would that look weird to the USCIS?

Another question about NOA2: Neither me and my love have a job right now since we are both still students (she has a part-time job on campus right now, though). That means we need co-sponsorship for the K1-Visa. Must the sponsor have enough money to support me and her, or just me? How much income would that be? I know it has something to do with the poverty line. Could somebody please post a link where the actual ammount we need is stated. That would be very helpful. I have some savings on an account in Germany. I know I would need to transfer this money to an American account so it could be considered in the process. However, this costs a lot of fees. I would only do it, if it actually made a difference. How much money should I have so that the USCIS actually accepts that as self-sponsoring?

Thanks for all the help. I'll post when we finally send the I-129F package of.

According to the instructions they indicate that the her US passport can be used as a substitute or maybe even in conjunction with birth certificate.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

I can only speak for the birth certificate, it is my thought you should have a certified copy. Sponsorship i believe has to make up the different of what is not provided by the US citizen, since im not using i dont know details but for the birth certificate i would not use just a fax copy also the money wont be shown until later, for the first step just that you have seen in the last 2 years and both free to marry

Edited February 21, 2007 by brnidokiegurl

[JenT 0]

A copy of the bc is acceptable, but you must have front/back views. The I-129F form instructions clearly state that a passport may also be used to prove citizenship. I would have her get a certified copy of her bc anyway.... but don't hold up your petition because of it.

Here's a link to the Affadavit of Support she will need to sign/have notarized:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-134.pdf

She will need to be your primary sponsor, but you can have a co-sponsor. The support $$ is for you....

Here's your poverty guidelines link:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-864p.pdf

David came through Frankfurt... feel free to pm if you like!

Jen

[q-panic 0]

The step-by-step guide says nothing of a certified copy of the birth certificate:

"Copy of the Birth certificate (front and back) for the US Citizen or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport issued with a validity of at least 5 years or a copy of the US Citizen's naturalization certificate (front and back). This is used to establish citizenship."

Does it have to be?

About the passport: she does not have it yet. She applied for it and they took her birth certificate so we neither have the birth certificat as an original nor is the passport issued yet. If it gets issued I have both. However, right now, we are stuck. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Dan J 277]

If you have a US passport, a birth certificate is not necessary. It simply used to establish US citizenship and you can't get a passport without being a citizen. I used a copy of my passport since my birth certificate is Swedish, and wouldn't help anyway.

[JenT 0]

The step-by-step guide says nothing of a certified copy of the birth certificate:

"Copy of the Birth certificate (front and back) for the US Citizen or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport issued with a validity of at least 5 years or a copy of the US Citizen's naturalization certificate (front and back). This is used to establish citizenship."

Does it have to be?

About the passport: she does not have it yet. She applied for it and they took her birth certificate so we neither have the birth certificat as an original nor is the passport issued yet. If it gets issued I have both. However, right now, we are stuck. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

It does not have to be certified IF you have front/back copies and they are readable. If there's a chance that the bc can't be read, I'd get a certified copy, copy it, and send it in. It doesn't take that long.....

She gave up her original bc, not a certified copy? Wouldn't have done that, but there's a lesson.... always a good idea to have a certified copy on hand....

Jen

[q-panic 0]

The poverty guideline speaks of "income". If I have 16.500 Dollars as "savings" in my bank account, would that be also acceptable?

[JenT 0]

The poverty guideline speaks of "income". If I have 16.500 Dollars as "savings" in my bank account, would that be also acceptable?

Read here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=support

[q-panic 0]

I-134 states that the affidavit of support is binding for 3 years.

The tips say it is valid for 5:

When assets are used, the assets must equal 5 times the difference between the annual income and the needed 125% of the poverty level, this is because the affidavit is in effect for 5 years. For instance, if you needed $15,500 income and had an annual income of $13,500, you would need an extra $2,000 of assets for 5 years, or a total of $10,000 in assets in addition to your income. In general, if you are deficient on yearly income for sponsorship and your assets are somewhat borderline, do not take chances--have a co-sponsor. If you do not

have a job or a steady income from other sources (such as retirement income), you will likely have to get a co-sponsor for your spouse, even if your assets are adequate. The USCIS looks VERY CLOSELY at current income and not just the assets.

What is the case?

So I guess, I need 3 times (or 5 times) 16.500 Dollars as savings to self-sponsor me. That's not going to happen anyway...

[JenT 0]

I-134 states that the affidavit of support is binding for 3 years.

The tips say it is valid for 5:

When assets are used, the assets must equal 5 times the difference between the annual income and the needed 125% of the poverty level, this is because the affidavit is in effect for 5 years. For instance, if you needed $15,500 income and had an annual income of $13,500, you would need an extra $2,000 of assets for 5 years, or a total of $10,000 in assets in addition to your income. In general, if you are deficient on yearly income for sponsorship and your assets are somewhat borderline, do not take chances--have a co-sponsor. If you do not

have a job or a steady income from other sources (such as retirement income), you will likely have to get a co-sponsor for your spouse, even if your assets are adequate. The USCIS looks VERY CLOSELY at current income and not just the assets.

What is the case?

So I guess, I need 3 times (or 5 times) 16.500 Dollars as savings to self-sponsor me. That's not going to happen anyway...

Well, there's a whole different topic.... the I-134, for the purpose of the K1 petition, is used to prove that the beneficiary will not become a public charge one s/he arrives in the US. The only legally enforceable document as far as financial support goes is the I-864, which is what your fiancee will complete when you adjust your status. Ironically, the I-864 does not need to be notarized, and the I-134 does.

This subject rears its head every few months on this board.....

[q-panic 0]

Well, the tips about the Affidavit of support say a lot but unfortunately don't state what the actual difference between a I-134 and a I-864 is. No wonder if people are confused. However, I don't want to sound ungreatful, because this side is a well of useful information. I don't know what I would do without it. So thanks to everybody who is helping here.

Well, the tips say that "the foreign fiance's assets CAN be used if they are readily convertible into cash". Ok, lets assume I can wire 25.000 dollars from a German account to an US account. What now?

My girlfriend fills out the I-134 but she has neither income nor assets. So her mom fills out an I-134 for co-sponsorship, right? If she has an income of more than 16.500 a year, we are fine anyway, right? If she has only 11.500 I could make up for the rest with my 25.000 (5 years x 5.000 dollars assets = 25.000). Is that correct?

Final question: how does one add those assets? What form do I have to use to do so. Is it true that a regular letter and the proof of my assets would work?

Again, thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

again i dont know sponsorship, but she is the US citizen right, she has to provide a bank letter, and she will need to list her income, her assets, her savings etc or i guess since she is a student the sponsor will have to account for all this, i dont know how your giving them this money is going to show up, also a letter of employment is needed. I know your looking ahead, but start with your evidence of meeting first, get that on its way. THen you will have a couple of months to gather the rest.

[q-panic 0]

I have gathered almost everything needed for the I-129f package. Just lacking a proper copy of her birth certificate. Our documentation on how me met in person during the last two yeas should be fine. We have tons of pictures, a letter by a professor that we were in the same class, phone bills, e-mails, movies we made together. That should be fine.

The reason why I go on about this affidavit is 1) I am scared and 2) I don't like being depended. I am scared because we don't have jobs. That looks bad on paper. We will both have good degrees when I will arrive at the USA but still, she doesn't have a penny to support me. Her parents are cool. There won't be any problems from their side. However, I just thought that it might be considered positive if I can proof that I actually have enough savings to last me a year in the USA.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

great good luck