I-864 questions

[jjack 7]

Hello Everyone, 

 

My I130 was approved couple of weeks ago. While my wife an I wait for the response from NVC, I wanted to get a head start on the next set of forms I am supposed to fill out. One of these forms is I-864. 

 

I started to fill it out and even looked at the sample/filled out forms on VisaJourney but had a couple of questions that I was hoping to get some help from. 

 

1. Tax Returns - One of the things the form requires it last 3 years of tax return. I was in grad school until May 2017. My income on the tax return for 2016 is low because of that (but still 2x poverty line). My income in the year 2017 and 2018 has been high enough that I can cover at least one dependent. Question - how important is it to submit 3 years worth of tax return? On the form, only 1 year is required. The two other years are optional. 

 

2. Assets - If my income is enough, I am not required to list the assets. Again, wanted to confirm if this is the case. Current income is enough, but I wanted to check if it is better to list the total of my checking and savings accounts? Am I required to submit copies of my bank statements? 

 

2a. Assets of Principle Immigrants - My wife is currently in India. Even if she had assets, with the current exchange rate between USD-INR, they wouldn't amount to much. This is also listed as optional, but wanted to again confirm whether to trust that

 

3. Household Size - I am a little confused the way the form asks me to list the size of my household. I live by myself - and I am only sponsoring my wife. So the total will be 2 people. Correct? The way the form asks, makes it pretty confusing. 

 

TO summarize, I am looking to confirm whether I should trust the 'optional' requirements - or is it better to be safe and submit everything? 

 

Thanks

[AnJay 137]

23 minutes ago, jjack said:

Hello Everyone, 

 

My I130 was approved couple of weeks ago. While my wife an I wait for the response from NVC, I wanted to get a head start on the next set of forms I am supposed to fill out. One of these forms is I-864. 

 

I started to fill it out and even looked at the sample/filled out forms on VisaJourney but had a couple of questions that I was hoping to get some help from. 

 

1. Tax Returns - One of the things the form requires it last 3 years of tax return. I was in grad school until May 2017. My income on the tax return for 2016 is low because of that (but still 2x poverty line). My income in the year 2017 and 2018 has been high enough that I can cover at least one dependent. Question - how important is it to submit 3 years worth of tax return? On the form, only 1 year is required. The two other years are optional. 

 

2. Assets - If my income is enough, I am not required to list the assets. Again, wanted to confirm if this is the case. Current income is enough, but I wanted to check if it is better to list the total of my checking and savings accounts? Am I required to submit copies of my bank statements? 

 

2a. Assets of Principle Immigrants - My wife is currently in India. Even if she had assets, with the current exchange rate between USD-INR, they wouldn't amount to much. This is also listed as optional, but wanted to again confirm whether to trust that

 

3. Household Size - I am a little confused the way the form asks me to list the size of my household. I live by myself - and I am only sponsoring my wife. So the total will be 2 people. Correct? The way the form asks, makes it pretty confusing. 

 

TO summarize, I am looking to confirm whether I should trust the 'optional' requirements - or is it better to be safe and submit everything? 

 

Thanks

Yes, your household is Two people. 

I included 1 tax return and tax transcript. Didnt get RFE. 

Dont list assets if income is enough. 

Edited June 11, 2019 by AnJay

[pushbrk 13,222]

There's a difference between providing information from three returns and providing three returns.  You must provide information from all three but are only required to provide the latest one.  "Current income" which is how you qualify, does not come from a tax return though.

[jjack 7]

11 hours ago, pushbrk said:

There's a difference between providing information from three returns and providing three returns.  You must provide information from all three but are only required to provide the latest one.  "Current income" which is how you qualify, does not come from a tax return though.



Thanks for your response. I will provide information from all three (which is Part 6 24a. 24b. 24c.) but don't have to provide three tax returns, especially if the total income in the most recent year is enough. 

 

To you second point, just to make sure I am understanding correctly, what you are saying is, Current Income is my income - basically what would be on my W-2, or what my Employer can verify. Tax Return of course includes everything - which will change YoY.

 

Is that what you mean? Or are you saying something different? 

[pushbrk 13,222]

7 hours ago, jjack said:

Thanks for your response. I will provide information from all three (which is Part 6 24a. 24b. 24c.) but don't have to provide three tax returns, especially if the total income in the most recent year is enough. 

 

To you second point, just to make sure I am understanding correctly, what you are saying is, Current Income is my income - basically what would be on my W-2, or what my Employer can verify. Tax Return of course includes everything - which will change YoY.

 

Is that what you mean? Or are you saying something different? 

Tax returns are the past, so not current.  Take the gross pay on your pay stub for a full pay period.  Multiply that number by the number of pay periods in a full year.  That's your current income.  Making $2,000 every two weeks?  That's 2,000 X 26 = $52,000 in current income.  Got it?

[jjack 7]

11 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Tax returns are the past, so not current.  Take the gross pay on your pay stub for a full pay period.  Multiply that number by the number of pay periods in a full year.  That's your current income.  Making $2,000 every two weeks?  That's 2,000 X 26 = $52,000 in current income.  Got it?

Yep, thanks. That's what I meant by:

 

7 hours ago, jjack said:

what my Employer can verify

Employment verification shows the rate of pay without potential bonus etc. It lists what you make in a year. In the example you gave, that value would be 52K. 

We are aligned. 

[pushbrk 13,222]

2 minutes ago, jjack said:

Yep, thanks. That's what I meant by:

 

Employment verification shows the rate of pay without potential bonus etc. It lists what you make in a year. In the example you gave, that value would be 52K. 

We are aligned. 

Except, I would still use a current pay stub, simply because it is likely to be more current and can be backed up with another MORE current one carried to the interview.