I’m so confused and need help

[hollycogan 0]

Hey! I’m a US citizen from North Carolina but I am currently residing in Australia. I have a fiancée whose Australian and she and I would like to move back to the US together. The easiest way seems to be through a K1 visa but the process is very confusing and I need answers. 

Can I file from Australia? 

Can I file without having a job or bank account in the US? 

Whats a joint sponsor and will I need one because it seems to say I need to make upwards of 17,000 a year to sponsor my fiancée? 

 

Any help or guidance would be amazing! Thank you. 

 

[TBoneTX 46,242]

Welcome to the forum.  Have you looked at the Guides (atop any VJ page)?  A lot of good information is there.

[hollycogan 0]

Yes, but it doesn’t answer any of my questions. I’ve also spent a ton of time researching. The governmental websites don’t answer things in an easy format either. Like what types of proof they need and stipulations and financial requirements etc. Thank you for your response. 

[Roel 7,193]

49 minutes ago, hollycogan said:

Hey! I’m a US citizen from North Carolina but I am currently residing in Australia. I have a fiancée whose Australian and she and I would like to move back to the US together. The easiest way seems to be through a K1 visa but the process is very confusing and I need answers. 

Can I file from Australia? 

Yes. 

 

 

49 minutes ago, hollycogan said:

Can I file without having a job or bank account in the US? 

Yes. 

 

49 minutes ago, hollycogan said:

Whats a joint sponsor and will I need one because it seems to say I need to make upwards of 17,000 a year to sponsor my 

 

You need over 125% over poverty line to sponsor anyone. If you don't make this then you need a cosponsor. Co sponsor can be Us citizen or US legal resident who makes enough money. 

 

Even so you are still the main sponsor and you need to file paperwork also. 

 

You never filed taxes? You should provide tax returns if you work - even if its not in the US. 

 

You need to proof domicile or intent to domicile in the US - address, job, bank account, state Id,  driving license, tax returns, - those are just examples. 

 

K1 takes about 10 months to process. 

 

Also all those info can be found in guides or it has been mentioned 10000 times before on this forum. 

[bakphx1 789]

Assuming you can't do a direct consular filing (only offered in AU in emergencies), it looks like you'd file from there.   The first thing is to consider your timeline to move to the states,  If you get the visa and don't move, it expires. 

 

You may get better answers from others who've done this, but the income requirements can be tricky if you leave a job and come to the US without one.  A US sponsor is your best option. 

 

I think you'd file all the same info.  I *think* you're required to file US taxes even living abroad.  So if you haven't done that, that is something to look into.  That's the little I know. 

 

 

[met 106]

40 minutes ago, hollycogan said:

Hey! I’m a US citizen from North Carolina but I am currently residing in Australia. I have a fiancée whose Australian and she and I would like to move back to the US together. The easiest way seems to be through a K1 visa but the process is very confusing and I need answers. 

Can I file from Australia? 

Can I file without having a job or bank account in the US? 

Whats a joint sponsor and will I need one because it seems to say I need to make upwards of 17,000 a year to sponsor my fiancée? 

 

Any help or guidance would be amazing! Thank you. 

 

So in a nutshell:

 

1. You can file from Australia. 

2. You should have a domicile in US or at least work on reestablish one (bank account, real estate, filing taxes etc.)

3. Joint sponsor is a third party (US citizen and above 18 yrs old) who is willing to sponsor your fiancée becouse you don’t meet financial criteria. 

 

More details:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/nonimmigrant-visa-for-a-fiance-k-1.html

 

And no, this is not true that goverment websites don’t provide answer to your questions

 

There are also VJ guides but those are only suggestions. 

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

 

[Roel 7,193]

1 minute ago, bakphx1 said:

 

 

I think you'd file all the same info.  I *think* you're required to file US taxes even living abroad.  So if you haven't done that, that is something to look into.  That's the little I know. 

 

 

US citizen are required to file US taxes no matter where they live and where they work. 

[geowrian 22,338]

13 minutes ago, met said:

3. Joint sponsor is a third party (US citizen and above 18 yrs old) who is willing to sponsor your fiancée becouse you don’t meet financial criteria. 

USC or LPR*