I-134/Affidavit of Support - timeliness and content of evidence of income

[Hemutian 68]

Only just sent in I-129F, know that I have many months before I actually submit I-134/Affidavit of Support.

Live in China full-time, currently on short trip to US (in order to file I-129F), so trying to look ahead and gather as much 

evidence that will be needed in the upcoming year since it will be harder for me to gather them once I've left the US for China.

 

For financial context: self-employed, so won't be submitting any evidence of salary, employment, or pay stubs.

Business income, dividends income, and capital gains income sufficient to meet the 125% poverty threshold. Plan on submitting

evidence of all of the above. Have 3 years of tax returns that match up with all of the above. 

 

Apologies in advance if my questions repeat topics that have already been covered. I searched through old threads and saw related discussion, 

but not discussion of some specific questions I have:

 

1) Timeliness of income evidence: If I get statements from my bank accounts now (Feb/Mar 2019) and my fiancee doesn't get interviewed until Nov/Dec 2019, will these bank accounts still be "fresh" enough? Or will the consulate (Guangzhou) want more recent statements than this?

If timeliness is important, is it okay if evidence of my bank accounts and capital gains comes in the form of digital statements without wet signature from my bank, broker, etc? Or is that wet signature required?

 

2) Content of income evidence:

In I-134 Part 3 Item 3, can I write the sum total of my business income, dividend income, and capital gain income? (I'm talking about income from selling stocks, not assets). As long as this total income is higher than the 125% poverty level, then I should be fine, right? It shouldn't matter that none of my income is in wage form? In Part 5, what exactly should I consider "my other property"?  Car? Computer? Musical instruments? Is there a good rule of thumb, like "nothing below $1000, or nothing below $500"?

 

And finally, one general question:

3) Affidavit of Support Cover Letter

I realize that the I-134 isn't the "affidavit of support" itself; it's just a form that serves to organize the information necessary for the affidavit. Should I write a cover letter as well, summarizing my financial situation and how I plan to support my fiancee/future wife once we move to the US together? I suspect that the fact that my present income is mostly from investments and not a job might cause the consulate to treat me with more scrutiny, and that's why this cover letter seems like a good place to introduce my unusual situation.

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by Hemutian

[Prizm123 1,086]

if you have online banking you should be able to print out any of your bank statements, the bank statements themselves do not require any signatures unless you are getting a letter from the bank itself, but normally that is not needed. I would check with the consulate in Guanzhou. My mom is near there in Taishan right now, near being relative, I just remember we entered and left through Guanzhou airport. That place is huge.

 

as far as income, I would say anything you report on your income taxes or any forms you would use to file, 1099s etc. Your tax return, tax transcripts, and those documents should be sufficient if you make above the required amount.

 

for the cover letter, It is generally not required, and there is space at the end where you can put additional information if you need to.