Significantly higher sponsor salary query [merged threads]

[northusa44 4]

We are in the midst of what is now a near-two-year slog through green card applications for my wife's parents. We are currently at the National Visa Center stage. I-864 and civil documents were submitted months ago; everything was accepted except for one of the documents and a request that we submit W-2s. We resubmitted the requested documents three weeks ago.

 

On the I-864s (completed at the very end of 2021), I served as a joint sponsor because my wife's salary was low (less than $30000). Our joint salaries together were perhaps 50-60000 (we are both graduate students). My wife is about to graduate and just received a great offer from a company that will pay her much, more more than her old salary, making her own salary quite a bit more than what we filed for the two of us combined on the -I864.

 

My question is regarding what the best way is for us to get this new salary information into consideration for her parents-in-laws' case? Should we try submitting her contract as a new civil document? Or wait and have her parents take the new contract information to the consular interview? We don't want to do anything that would require new document submissions for the other documents and more time added to what has already been a very long process. But we do want her new salary to help out during the consulate's interview (and for anything else it could be useful for). 

 

(I am more than fine continuing to be a joint sponsor, and so I am not attempting to get my name removed from the I-864 if you were wondering)

 

Thoughts are much appreciated, and thank you in advance! (they will be interviewing in Guangzhou, China)

Edited September 19, 2022 by northusa44

[marriedtomrg 141]

Hi there. If she has just gotten a new job, the only way her new salary will help is if you wait until her 2022 taxes are filed, or turn in her W-2. 

[northusa44 4]

On 10/3/2022 at 7:19 PM, marriedtomrg said:

Hi there. If she has just gotten a new job, the only way her new salary will help is if you wait until her 2022 taxes are filed, or turn in her W-2. 

Thanks! I suppose the thing to do then is to have her parents take some evidence of the new job with them to the interview? 

[marriedtomrg 141]

2 hours ago, northusa44 said:

Thanks! I suppose the thing to do then is to have her parents take some evidence of the new job with them to the interview? 

I would think so - has an interview been scheduled?

[northusa44 4]

On 10/12/2022 at 7:23 PM, marriedtomrg said:

I would think so - has an interview been scheduled?

It has! (sorry, missed this but thanks for your reply) Will post about it separately in a different thread.

[northusa44 4]

After more than two years, my parents-in-laws' application for a green card is finally at the consular interview stage (Guangzhou, China). I thus just wanted to see if there is anything more we can do at this stage to put the odds in their favor?

 

Without getting into too many specifics, they are both in their 50s/60s. They work in food services. Neither finished high school. They own two apartments in their large but third-tier city. On our end, we own a house and plan (and want!) them to stay with us. My wife just finished graduate school and got a new, better job in her chosen field; I am in the last year of graduate study and will likewise be starting a new job thereafter.  My wife's new job means that her income alone is more than double the amount needed to sponsor them (and our combined income is well over the median for our area, though the amount that we reported for the I-864 was lower since she was still in school). My in-laws may start a restaurant here, or they may look for jobs in food services.

 

Both my wife and I are committed/excited for them to come (I lived with them for a year in China and thus know that we are compatible). My assumption would be that the main thing to do (in addition to the usual things) is to write a one-page letter signed by both of us (or would you do one letter from my wife, the petitioner, and one letter from me？）stating my wife's new income and stating our desire for them to come to live with us in our home.  And then attach proof of her new salary and proof of home ownership. On their end, I would think that they also would want to provide proof of home ownership for their two apartments? Anything else that anyone can think of that could help put the odds even more in their favor?

 

Thank you in advance!

Edited November 21, 2022 by northusa44

[Crazy Cat 41,804]

Your wife should fill out a new I-864 and attach supporting documentation and proof of higher salary.  The parents should take those documents to the interview. That's all you need to do.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[TBoneTX 45,244]

Related threads have been merged.

[northusa44 4]

6 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Related threads have been merged.

Could you unmerge these？The other post was about the NVC. We are now at the consulate processing stage--the query is thus a different one. I am also not asking only about updating salary information, but about other things we can do to help improve their case (such as letter writing).

 

Thanks! (it is also fine with me to just delete the other thread. But I do want a thread with this final consulate stage as the focus from the get-go if possible)

Edited November 21, 2022 by northusa44

[Chancy 6,241]

54 minutes ago, northusa44 said:

I am also not asking only about updating salary information, but about other things we can do to help improve their case (such as letter writing).

 

@Crazy Cat addressed your question -- prepare a new I-864 with supporting financial documents, including proof of current income.  That's it.  The consulate won't care about other letters.

 

[northusa44 4]

2 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

Your wife should fill out a new I-864 and attach supporting documentation and proof of higher salary.  The parents should take those documents to the interview. That's all you need to do.

Thanks! (I meant to ask if she should fill out another I-864, and it is good to hear your thoughts that this is advisable) 

[Crazy Cat 41,804]

On 10/3/2022 at 9:19 PM, marriedtomrg said:

Hi there. If she has just gotten a new job, the only way her new salary will help is if you wait until her 2022 taxes are filed, or turn in her W-2. 

That is not accurate.  CURRENT annual income is important.  That is evidenced by a letter from current employer or CURRENT pay stubs.  Tax returns or transcripts confirm what was previously earned in the previous tax year, not what she is currently earning. 

 

Current annual income is calculated as follows:

Gross income from most recent pay period paystub multiplied by number of pay periods per year= Current annual income

Example: Most recent monthly pay stub indicates $5000 salary = $60,000 current annual income.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[northusa44 4]

7 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

@Crazy Cat addressed your question -- prepare a new I-864 with supporting financial documents, including proof of current income.  That's it.  The consulate won't care about other letters.

 

Thanks! (I will say that our past experience has shown that letters that are respectful to the consulate and express care for the applicants probably don't hurt and may help. So we may still write one. But it is good to know that the letter is not strictly necessary and that the I-864 and supporting docs is all that we can do otherwise). Appreciate it.

[marriedtomrg 141]

2 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

That is not accurate.  CURRENT annual income is important.  That is evidenced by a letter from current employer or CURRENT pay stubs.  Tax returns or transcripts confirm what was previously earned in the previous tax year, not what she is currently earning. 

 

Current annual income is calculated as follows:

Gross income from most recent pay period paystub multiplied by number of pay periods per year= Current annual income

Example: Most recent monthly pay stub indicates $5000 salary = $60,000 current annual income.

Thanks. I didn't know that

Probably timely information too, since I am sponsoring my mom.

[Crazy Cat 41,804]

1 hour ago, marriedtomrg said:

Thanks. I didn't know that

Probably timely information too, since I am sponsoring my mom.

For self-employed sponsors, it is different.  Good luck.