I-864 Questions

[Zin-Zin 21]

I am prepping for the I-864, and I have a few questions. 

1. My dad will be my only joint sponsor. Do we have to pay 2 I-864 fees? 
2. How long will the I-864 be "good" for? We are repatriating the entire family back to the USA so timing is a bit tricky. I'd like to get the I-864 in and then, POSSIBLY, wait a month or two before my wife fills out the visa application. 
3. This is the only required form, correct? https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-864.pdf
4. Any other tips or suggestions to make this successful?

Thanks!
ZinZin

[Crazy Cat 42,393]

An I-864 is in effect until the sponsored immigrant has become a US citizen, gained 40 quarters of work credit, has lost his/her resident status, or died.  The I-864 must be submitted with tax documents and CURRENT income/asset evidence.  I would read and fully understand the instructions.  If situations in income, etc change, the I-864 wouldn't be accurate.  

Edited May 27, 2021 by Lucky Cat

[Zin-Zin 21]

3 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

An I-864 is in effect until the sponsored immigrant has become a US citizen, gained 40 quarters of work credit, has lost his/her resident status, or died.  The I-864 must be submitted with tax documents and CURRENT income/asset evidence.  I would read and fully understand the instructions.  If situations in income, etc change, the I-864 wouldn't be accurate.  

Yeah, I understand how long it's being used to sponsor. 

I apologize for not being more clear. I want to know how long it can 'sit' in my CEAC dashboard after I submit it but BEFORE I submit the application. 

I'm in Taiwan as well. Interesting times!

 

[Crazy Cat 42,393]

2 minutes ago, Zin-Zin said:

Yeah, I understand how long it's being used to sponsor. 

I apologize for not being more clear. I want to know how long it can 'sit' in my CEAC dashboard after I submit it but BEFORE I submit the application. 

I'm in Taiwan as well. Interesting times!

 

The I-864 can stay at NVC for at least a year.   My wife and I are closely monitoring the situation in Taiwan.  My wife needs to make a trip there pretty soon.

[Zin-Zin 21]

1 minute ago, Lucky Cat said:

The I-864 can stay at NVC for at least a year.   My wife and I are closely monitoring the situation in Taiwan.  My wife needs to make a trip there pretty soon.

Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[pushbrk 13,133]

You ask if the I-864 is the only form needed from the joint sponsor.  It is if he's single.  If he's married, it's best practice to provide an I-864a from his spouse, even if the spouse has no income.  Of course the petitioner provides an I-864 too.

[Zin-Zin 21]

1 hour ago, pushbrk said:

You ask if the I-864 is the only form needed from the joint sponsor.  It is if he's single.  If he's married, it's best practice to provide an I-864a from his spouse, even if the spouse has no income.  Of course the petitioner provides an I-864 too.

Does each I0864 require a separate fee?

 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

There’s a fee for the support affidavit?

[Chancy 6,243]

2 hours ago, Nitas_man said:

There’s a fee for the support affidavit?

 

It's one of the fees paid at NVC stage, and they do call it the Affidavit of Support fee.

 

[pushbrk 13,133]

8 hours ago, Zin-Zin said:

Does each I0864 require a separate fee?

 

One fee only.

[Zin-Zin 21]

On 5/28/2021 at 10:10 AM, pushbrk said:

One fee only.

Hi Pushbrk, 

I read another post that you seemed to advise an American living and working abroad to report income as 0. I may have misunderstood the context. I am an American who has been living and working abroad. All of my income has been foreign based for the past 10 years. I have filed taxes. Is it better to report my income as 0 on the I-864 b/c none of it will count towards financial support anyway?

Also, my dad is now telling me that his 2020 taxes are not filed by the people who do his taxes. I don't know more about that at this point, but I am following up with him. That seems like a likely impediment to getting DQ. Would a copy of an extension help?

Thanks!

[pushbrk 13,133]

1 hour ago, Zin-Zin said:

Hi Pushbrk, 

I read another post that you seemed to advise an American living and working abroad to report income as 0. I may have misunderstood the context. I am an American who has been living and working abroad. All of my income has been foreign based for the past 10 years. I have filed taxes. Is it better to report my income as 0 on the I-864 b/c none of it will count towards financial support anyway?

Also, my dad is now telling me that his 2020 taxes are not filed by the people who do his taxes. I don't know more about that at this point, but I am following up with him. That seems like a likely impediment to getting DQ. Would a copy of an extension help?

Thanks!

Not "better".  It's "required".  You are not reporting your income.  In one section you are reporting the number in the box named "Total Income" from your tax return.  In the current income section you are reporting the current income "you are using to qualify...".  In both cases the correct answer is zero.  Unless you have comfortably over 3X the required income amount, in liquid assets, you'll need a joint sponsor.  Alternatively, return to the USA and get a job.

[Zin-Zin 21]

18 hours ago, pushbrk said:

Not "better".  It's "required".  You are not reporting your income.  In one section you are reporting the number in the box named "Total Income" from your tax return.  In the current income section you are reporting the current income "you are using to qualify...".  In both cases the correct answer is zero.  Unless you have comfortably over 3X the required income amount, in liquid assets, you'll need a joint sponsor.  Alternatively, return to the USA and get a job.

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't understand. 

I found 3 places where the form asks for my personal or household income. None of them distinguish between my income and "income using to qualify" the immigrant.

They should all be $0?

One of the question says, "have I filed Federal Income Tax for each of the previous three years?" Yes or No. 

Then there's a 2 column chart that asks for the tax year and the total income for that year. 

If I understand what you're saying, I should write '0' for all three years even though my total income for each one of those years is not 0. Is that right? 

I appreciate your help, but your patience even more. 

[pushbrk 13,133]

3 hours ago, Zin-Zin said:

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't understand. 

I found 3 places where the form asks for my personal or household income. None of them distinguish between my income and "income using to qualify" the immigrant.

They should all be $0?

One of the question says, "have I filed Federal Income Tax for each of the previous three years?" Yes or No. 

Then there's a 2 column chart that asks for the tax year and the total income for that year. 

If I understand what you're saying, I should write '0' for all three years even though my total income for each one of those years is not 0. Is that right? 

I appreciate your help, but your patience even more. 

Yes, but you are only looking at the tax section.  For the tax section, you enter the number that appears on the line of your tax return or tax return transcript labeled "Total Income".  In your case that number does not relate to your actual total income.  The only way it will be more than zero is if you earned more than the foreign income exclusion.

 

As for the current income, you are not being "ignorant" but you have carefully read the step by step instructions, which say.

 

Item Number 7. Current Individual Annual Income. Type or print your current, individual, earned or retirement,
annual income that you are using to meet the requirements of this affidavit and indicate the total in the space provided.

 

It is critical that you become an A-Student of both the form and its extensive, detailed, step by step instructions.

 

 

[Zin-Zin 21]

17 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Yes, but you are only looking at the tax section.  For the tax section, you enter the number that appears on the line of your tax return or tax return transcript labeled "Total Income".  In your case that number does not relate to your actual total income.  The only way it will be more than zero is if you earned more than the foreign income exclusion.

 

As for the current income, you are not being "ignorant" but you have carefully read the step by step instructions, which say.

 

Item Number 7. Current Individual Annual Income. Type or print your current, individual, earned or retirement,
annual income that you are using to meet the requirements of this affidavit and indicate the total in the space provided.

 

It is critical that you become an A-Student of both the form and its extensive, detailed, step by step instructions.

 

 

I get it now. Thank you very much, Pushbrk.

My dad is going to be the joint sponsor. As of 2 days ago, he hasn't filed his 2020 return. He uses an accountant and I'm not sure of what's going on. How do you recommend I handle this? I've already asked what kind of timeline we are looking at to get the return, but have not received an answer.