What exactly do I need for Affidavit of Support (i-864)

[El_killer47 22]

I am the petitioner for my wife, who lives overseas. I will be sole sponsor for her. I have a few questions about the affidavit of support.

On my tax return, is it necessary to have her listed as my wife? Even though she doesn't live with me and has no American documentation whatsoever, such as social security number etc? My tax return for 2014 has been filed, as I always file as single. Does this need to be amended?

Second, I am self employed so what can I attach in lieu of employment letter. I have a firm, corporation under which I operate and business licenses, but I am the only owner of 100% of my firm and have no permanent employees. I hire temporary help seasonally. So, what do self employed individuals usually provide instead of employment letter?

[newacct 688]

How you file taxes is according to tax law, and it says that as long as you were married as of December 31 of that year, you cannot file as Single. You can only file as Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately (or in rare cases Head of Household). This has nothing to do with immigration status or whether you lived with your spouse. So if you were married as of December 31, you filed taxes wrong and need to amend it ASAP (and so on for any previous year you were married in and filed as Single).

Employment letter is not a requirement. If you are self-employed, employer letter is obviously not relevant. Because you are self-employed, they will determine your income based on the past year's tax return.

[Anh map 2,098]

The amount shown on line 22 of the most recent tax year's form 1040 is the income used for a self employed person. You should provide a complete copy of your tax return with all supporting schedules and/or tax transcript. If you've taken all of the allowed deductions, etc. to lower your taxable income (normally through Schedule C) and that income does not meet the requirement then you could use assets to make up the income difference. See the form instructions for acceptable assets and how to establish their value.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Anh map