Affidavit of Support/Bonafide Marriage Proof While Abroad

[OliverBa 61]

Hi, i'm in the process of getting everything in order so we can begin to file. Thanks to all those who have gone through this before me and left your wealth of information available to us all, I really learned a lot and appreciate it. 

 

I'm planning on heading down to the Guangzhou embassy next month to submit the application and just want to have all of our ducks in a row. I saw that at some point we will need to submit an affidavit of support and it needs to meet the poverty guidelines in order to qualify. My question is that I've been working abroad for the last 4 years here in China and I have my tax return for the most recent year (2017), the total income before taxes was $23,325, after taxes $21,930. The website says the poverty guideline for a household of 2 (Me and my husband) is $16,460. So is this enough, do we qualify? Do I still need to get a co-sponsor? I guess my concern is because the income I earned this year and last year is while I'm currently here in China, not in America. So will they accept this?

 

Also, My husband and I also just recently bought some land in the states (showing proof of bonafide marriage by combining resources and owning property right?). Is this sufficient for showing proof of a bonafide marriage since I can't add him to any of my credit cards or bank accounts yet because he doesn't have a SSN. And because we have this, can we also use the land deed as an additional proof of support? Or do we need a co-sponsor?

 

 

Thank you for any advice you can give! :) 

[Crazy Cat 41,893]

You will have to provide evidence of continuing income after you relocate to the US, or you will have to find a sponsor.  Taxes show past income, but not what income will be used to support the new immigrant in the future.  A land deed with both names in the US is one good piece of evidence.  Any other documentation of your life together will also help.  Although minor in nature 1 or affidavits from friends might help as well.

 

EDIT:  Assets can used as well as future income.

Edited August 27, 2018 by missileman

[OliverBa 61]

45 minutes ago, missileman said:

You will have to provide evidence of continuing income after you relocate to the US, or you will have to find a sponsor.  Taxes show past income, but not what income will be used to support the new immigrant in the future.  A land deed with both names in the US is one good piece of evidence.  Any other documentation of your life together will also help.  Although minor in nature 1 or affidavits from friends might help as well.

 

EDIT:  Assets can used as well as future income.

1

Thank you so much for your quick response. At what point on during the process do we submit the affidavit of support? I'm thinking I could leave China early and go get a job in the states and submit my first two paycheck stubs as proof. Would that work? Submitting some paycheck stubs from a job I have? Or finding a telecommuting job that I start now while I'm in China to show that I will continue it once I get to the states? I can get my brother and sisters to co-sponsor if necessary, but I'd rather not if I can help it. 

 

So the land deed in both our names can be used as future income? Showing it as an asset can help, but it doesn't specify it's worth. Do I need to get the land appraised if I want to use it as future income? It's definitely not worth 22k though hahaha, so I don't know how much that would help.

 

Do the majority of people who are living abroad and doing DCF primarily submit co-sponsored applications?

 

Thank you again!