Affidavit of Support

[JBF 116]

Hi everyone!

I’m getting quite confused with the Affidavit of Support and supporting documents, especially because online I’ve been finding too much information that sometimes is kind of contradictory. 
My fiancé is a college student and a military member. He has recently joined, and in the past years being a student he didn’t meet the poverty guidelines. 
My questions are:

 

1. Do we need a cosponsor anyway? 

I’m asking this because I’ve been told it would be better, but at the same time he meets the poverty guidelines now and actually will exceed them as well. 
 

2. What kind of documents should we bring exactly? For example, should we include tax returns for this past year even though it doesn’t reflect what he has now started earning? 
 

I apologize if this information is already out there somewhere, but just wanted to make sure that I’m not doing things the wrong way. Thank you in advance! 

[JBF 116]

  On 4/9/2020 at 4:42 PM, Reyess said:

Hi everyone!

I’m getting quite confused with the Affidavit of Support and supporting documents, especially because online I’ve been finding too much information that sometimes is kind of contradictory. 
My fiancé is a college student and a military member. He has recently joined, and in the past years being a student he didn’t meet the poverty guidelines. 
My questions are:

 

1. Do we need a cosponsor anyway? 

I’m asking this because I’ve been told it would be better, but at the same time he meets the poverty guidelines now and actually will exceed them as well. 
 

2. What kind of documents should we bring exactly? For example, should we include tax returns for this past year even though it doesn’t reflect what he has now started earning? 
 

I apologize if this information is already out there somewhere, but just wanted to make sure that I’m not doing things the wrong way. Thank you in advance! 

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@Greenbaum do you have any advice? Considering you were in the military as well, I figured I would ask you! 

[Greenbaum 12,260]

  On 4/9/2020 at 5:31 PM, Reyess said:

@Greenbaum do you have any advice? Considering you were in the military as well, I figured I would ask you! 

Expand  

1. If he can show the currently, he meets or exceeds the poverty levels then he's OK without a sponsor. He can print off a copy of his pay to verify his status as a military member. Whether he is renting an apartment, purchasing a car or other reasons, his Leave and Earning Statement (available via myPay) provides details on his pay grade, pay and entitlements, and deductions.

 

https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/statusverification.html

 

2. EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT: You must submit any evidence which will show that you and members of your family who will accompany you are not likely to become public charges while in the United States. Visa petitioner (US Citizen) will have to complete form I-134. If the petitioner does not qualify as a sponsor, a Joint-Sponsor should ALSO be presented (any US Citizen living in the US or Legal Permanent Resident), who will also have to complete form I-134. Both, the Sponsor (Petitioner) as well as the Joint-Sponsor, will have to present last year's income tax return transcripts. W2 form and proof of current and sustainable income (e.g. letter of employment on letterhead including salary and start date, most recent salary receipts, bank accounts, the value of properties, etc.). You may download the I-134 affidavit at https://www.uscis.gov/i-134 Get the IRS transcript in place of the actual 1040 here: https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript Use this link to determine the income levels needed https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p. Also, the new requirement from most embassies is to complete the DS-5540. https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5540.PDF

 

3. There is no three, so I am making one.  The embassy is only interested in current income. Not future and not past income. If this is not true for you guys, then get yourself a co-sponsor to use for the interview. 

Edited April 9, 2020 by Greenbaum

[JBF 116]

  On 4/9/2020 at 6:02 PM, Greenbaum said:

1. If he can show the currently, he meets or exceeds the poverty levels then he's OK without a sponsor. He can print off a copy of his pay to verify his status as a military member. Whether he is renting an apartment, purchasing a car or other reasons, his Leave and Earning Statement (available via myPay) provides details on his pay grade, pay and entitlements, and deductions.

 

https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/statusverification.html

 

2. EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT: You must submit any evidence which will show that you and members of your family who will accompany you are not likely to become public charges while in the United States. Visa petitioner (US Citizen) will have to complete form I-134. If the petitioner does not qualify as a sponsor, a Joint-Sponsor should ALSO be presented (any US Citizen living in the US or Legal Permanent Resident), who will also have to complete form I-134. Both, the Sponsor (Petitioner) as well as the Joint-Sponsor, will have to present last year's income tax return transcripts. W2 form and proof of current and sustainable income (e.g. letter of employment on letterhead including salary and start date, most recent salary receipts, bank accounts, the value of properties, etc.). You may download the I-134 affidavit at https://www.uscis.gov/i-134 Get the IRS transcript in place of the actual 1040 here: https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript Use this link to determine the income levels needed https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p. Also, the new requirement from most embassies is to complete the DS-5540. https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5540.PDF

 

3. There is no three, so I am making one.  The embassy is only interested in current income. Not future and not past income. If this is not true for you guys, then get yourself a co-sponsor to use for the interview. 

Expand  

I really appreciate your advice. Thank you!

[Greenbaum 12,260]

  On 4/9/2020 at 6:07 PM, Reyess said:

I really appreciate your advice. Thank you!

Expand  

Here's some tricks to use when answering and wanting to quote someone.
 
First, when you use the quote button, go into a LONG posts that you are quoting and if there isn't a need to have the entire post, just delete a small portion of it, but leaving enough of the original post so we can understand what you are replying to.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1krDA5e93LXA3JbzBl8Zo-pvBjpNlLJam/view?usp=sharing
 

Second, you can use the "@" sign in a blank reply box then begin typing the person's nick to bring up a list with their name and select their name. If it is done right, you should see a blue box around their nick like this @Greenbaum. When you use the @ sign you would use it in a blank reply and not a "+" reply.
 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MDRnqzVsqYuInL1iSIyuxaMOj52yDAxb/view?usp=sharing
 

Third is just to use the "heart" icon and select "thanks". Don't really need to say thanks in a quote. (using your example, you were making a comment and a thank you so the way you presented yourself is fine.