Sponsoring parents, brothers and sisters - process question

[PM&MM 7]

Hello,

 

I just became naturalized, and got the passport in hand.

 

I would like to give my parents and siblings the option that I can sponsor them for GC if they want. My wife may want to do the same with her parents/siblings. I have not had this discussion with anyone in my family, including my wife. I don't want to promise something without first learning everything there is to learn about it.

 

1. I make $100k in salary, in IT. With that income, how many people can I sponsor (assuming they want to migrate - which I don't know as I have not asked)? What is the calculator?

2. I *may be* able to bump up my income on paper, for a year or two, by selling a bunch of RSUs that my employers have given me over time, that I never sold. Can that be utilized in case everyone wants to come to the US and my salary alone is not sufficient?

3. Is there any way I can keep my income information from being revealed to the dependents? I come from fairly economically disadvantaged background, and my parents never earned close to $100k total in their lifetime. My salary being revealed to them will give them *very* wrong ideas about how "wealthy" I really am.

 

Thank you for your help

 

[Dashinka 24,489]

For number 1 refer to the link below.  For I130s use the 125% column.  As to 3, not really sure, but you will have to provide an I864 eventually if you do sponsor someone.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p

[Redro 4,611]

1 hour ago, PM&MM said:

Hello,

 

I just became naturalized, and got the passport in hand.

 

I would like to give my parents and siblings the option that I can sponsor them for GC if they want. My wife may want to do the same with her parents/siblings. I have not had this discussion with anyone in my family, including my wife. I don't want to promise something without first learning everything there is to learn about it.

 

1. I make $100k in salary, in IT. With that income, how many people can I sponsor (assuming they want to migrate - which I don't know as I have not asked)? What is the calculator?

2. I *may be* able to bump up my income on paper, for a year or two, by selling a bunch of RSUs that my employers have given me over time, that I never sold. Can that be utilized in case everyone wants to come to the US and my salary alone is not sufficient?

3. Is there any way I can keep my income information from being revealed to the dependents? I come from fairly economically disadvantaged background, and my parents never earned close to $100k total in their lifetime. My salary being revealed to them will give them *very* wrong ideas about how "wealthy" I really am.

 

Thank you for your help

 

 

1. How old are your siblings?

 You can petition your parents and siblings but they will all be separate petitions. Your parents (depending on the embassy they interview at) will be able to move to the US about 18-24 months after you petition them. The waiting period for your siblings (depending on their age and country of origin will be longer). Currently they are processing petitions from 2007. Check F4 category.  Your parents will also be able to petition your siblings if they decide to come over. If they are able to work, they can use their earnings to sponsor them (and the waiting period will be shorter). 

2. Which embassy will your family interview at?

The Korean embassy requires the applicants take the I-864 and supporting documents to the interview- your family members would then be able to see how much you earn. Other embassies do not require the physical paperwork but instead are fine with the uploaded documents. You are responsible for uploading the documents and once uploaded they cannot be accessed by anyone else as they contain sensitive information. Your family might be able to guess the ballpark of how much you make if they look at the poverty guidelines and know your household size. So, if there are currently 4 members in your family and you are sponsoring one of your parents, they'll know you make at least $44K. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Redro

[Adventine 3,196]

It's good that you're doing research before offering to sponsor any of them.

 

In practical terms, I don't see any foolproof way for you to conceal your income from your family. Here are some ways I can see the info leaking out:

 

- They may interview at an embassy where they are required to handcarry the I-864 which contains your income information.

- They may stumble upon the sponsorship requirements online (easily found with a quick Google search) and realize you must making X amount to comfortably sponsor so many people.

- When word gets around their community that you are sponsoring them for US visas, any nosy acquaintance with a basic understanding of US immigration can also realize you must be making good money and tell them that.

- If you decide to sponsor them in stages (for example, parents first) and then your parents sponsor your siblings, there is no guarantee that your parents will earn enough to meet the sponsorship requirements. So they will likely ask you to be a joint sponsor. That means they will have access to your income and tax info.

 

 

You can imagine exactly the same situation playing out with your wife's side of the family, especially if you file taxes jointly.

[Boiler 45,468]

How old are the Brothers and Sisters, are they married?

[JeanneAdil 6,494]

Things to consider

1.  Do parents speak English at all or is there a community of same nation  persons that will aid them to adapt?

2.  can either parent work to help with household and health care insurance?

3.  cost of health care insurance if u have to pay out for this?

4.  any major illness or medicine they need that is costly in the US?   u can see prices for meds online    add prescritions are a whole other cost not covered under health care insurance

5.  HOmesickness as they need to spend the majority of every year in the US/ will the cost of flying them out and in for home visits hurt your finances?

6. cell phones and cell plans for all?

7.  Both sets of parents?   may mean a bigger house?

 

what we experienced:

MIL came for tourist visa to see how she would like it

homesick within 2 months

she didn't bring enough diabetes medicine and we took her 2 hours to Atlanta to Arabic dr as she would not let others do blood work

her diabetes medicine was just under $500 for 30 day supply and another was 120 for a month

no friends here and she spent all her days talking to home as other sons and grandchildren were there.

asked her "do u want us to file to bring u back to live here?  definite 

she had stomach issues which turned out to be appendicitis when she went home and cost of surgery there was $1000 which here would have been seriously costly

 

We talked about bringing MIL to live here but with her homesickness and other issues ,  its was cheaper for us to buy a nicer apartment in Casablanca which is what she wanted

 

Good luck with any decision u make 

Edited May 13, 2023 by JeanneAdil

[PM&MM 7]

Thank you @Adventine, @Redro, @Boiler, @JeanneAdil. You have given me a lot of food for thought.

 

I am originally from India. Some family members will interview at the Delhi embassy in India, some at Kolkata. Do you happen to know if these embassies, or others in India (in Mumbai, Chennai) require you to walk in with a physical copy of I-864?

 

Parents for me/DW have been to the US multiple times on our invitation. I strongly suspect my parents will *not* want to move even if given a chance. They are used to their life in the *very* remote village in India and find life incredibly boring in the US. Not so sure about DWs. Not a whole lot of idea what the siblings will say either.

 

The siblings are all adults, married, in their 30s. Two of them have kids of their own now.

Edited May 13, 2023 by PM&MM

[Boiler 45,468]

Lets say Parents are a couple of years out, now whatever the procedure is now may stay the same. Would they understand what you give them, and it sounds like they are not interested anyway.

 

Siblings are a looooong way away and who knows what the procedure will be then.

 

 

[PM&MM 7]

14 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Lets say Parents are a couple of years out, now whatever the procedure is now may stay the same. Would they understand what you give them, and it sounds like they are not interested anyway.

 

Siblings are a looooong way away and who knows what the procedure will be then.

 

 

My parents won't understand it. My siblings, and DW's, surely will!

 

I am thinking *if* the parents decide to take me up on this offer, then I will make a trip back when they have interview, and handle all their paperwork myself. That way they will come out none the wiser.

 

We'll need to worry about the siblings a decade or two later. Lots will change by then, as you said.

 

[Boiler 45,468]

Sounds like a plan

[Redro 4,611]

3 hours ago, PM&MM said:

My parents won't understand it. My siblings, and DW's, surely will!

 

I am thinking *if* the parents decide to take me up on this offer, then I will make a trip back when they have interview, and handle all their paperwork myself. That way they will come out none the wiser.- you might not have this option. you have to check to see if you’re allowed in the embassy when your parents interview. Also, remember you will be submitting two I864 with supporting documents and there will be two interviews (maybe on two different days/ several months apart).  Would like to add only Mumbai processes immigrant visas so that is where everyone will interview (unless it changes in the future). 

 

We'll need to worry about the siblings a decade or two later. Lots will change by then, as you said. If you think you want to petition your siblings be clear they are currently interviewing cases from 2005. Your siblings’ children will probably age out and won’t be able to immigrate with them. Not sure but they might not want to move to the US at the age of 50+. When you discuss this with your siblings make sure they know all the details of the process. Not sure about your wife’s siblings but they might feel the same. 

 

[Rocio0010 5,579]

12 hours ago, PM&MM said:

My salary being revealed to them will give them *very* wrong ideas about how "wealthy" I really am.

Stop right there: don’t you think they’ll realize of your salary and position once they migrate here? What’s the plan for that?

[PM&MM 7]

1 hour ago, Rocio0010 said:

Stop right there: don’t you think they’ll realize of your salary and position once they migrate here? What’s the plan for that?

This is slightly complicated to explain/answer, but I will try.

 

This will stop being a problem once/if they move here and acclimatize to the economic realities of Connecticut, one of the more expensive states in the country.

 

The economic realities they currently live in are a world apart. This is not the rich cities in India I am talking about, but the rural hinterland where 70% of the population live. 25 years ago, my family went without their milk ration for 2 months to make sure I can afford to purchase used copies of Engineering textbooks for the princely sum of $20. In that reality, spending $50k to buy a house is what really rich people do after working hard for 30 years at their really good business or job! $100k translates to a king's ransom that no mortal human being should have access to and it will turn you into an evil dragon guarding his lair if you do.

 

Once/if they move here and acclimatize to the realities here I will be far less worried *them* learning about my position/salary. I think at that time *they* will be the ones stressing about how to firewall the raw, bare economic differences from their acquaintances back home.

 

If they happen to learn about the raw numbers *before* they adjust to the American cost structure, then I'm afraid they will be likely give that information off to their current social circle directly or indirectly. That would cause *them* a lot of problems, e.g. long lost relatives suddenly showing up with an ask for a loan to tide them over their hard times.

 

Summary: They will gain the perspective necessary to deal with the raw economic differences once they move here, and this will stop being a problem.

 

 

Edited May 14, 2023 by PM&MM

[Redro 4,611]

10 minutes ago, PM&MM said:

This is slightly complicated to explain/answer, but I will try.

 

This will stop being a problem once/if they move here and acclimatize to the economic realities of Connecticut, one of the more expensive states in the country.

 

The economic realities they currently live in are a world apart. This is not the rich cities in India I am talking about, but the rural hinterland where 70% of the population live. 30 years ago, my family went without their milk ration for 2 months to make sure I can afford to purchase used copies of Engineering textbooks for the princely sum of $20. In that reality, spending $50k to buy a house is what really rich people do after working hard for 30 years at their really good business or job! $100k translates to a king's ransom that no mortal human being should have access to and it will turn you into an evil dragon guarding his lair if you do.

 

Once/if they move here and acclimatize to the realities here I will be far less worried *them* learning about my position/salary. I think at that time *they* will be the ones stressing about how to firewall the raw, bare economic differences from their acquaintances back home.

 

 

Do you not think it is important to educate your family on COL(cost of living) before they decide if they want move to the US? You want them to acclimatize but will they be able to if they’re moving to the US in their late 50s/early 60s… My husband and I had numerous discussions about COL before we made the decision to move to the US… I was aware I would have to pursue jobs that paid triple the salary I made in the country we lived in to be able to afford the life we were living… you need to prepare your parents and family for the reality of life in the US either on their next trip (show them how much utilities and health insurance cost) or just through discussions.. Hiding your salary will only make their move here much more challenging. But, the i864 will only be available to them just before they make the move (at the interview). I would not go through the expense of sponsoring your parents and siblings if you don’t think they can afford to live here and you’re not prepared to support them. 

Edited May 14, 2023 by Redro

[SalishSea 17,819]

8 hours ago, PM&MM said:

Some family members will interview at the Delhi embassy in India, some at Kolkata. Do you happen to know if these embassies, or others in India (in Mumbai, Chennai) require you to walk in with a physical copy of I-864?

All immigrant visa interviews will be done in Mumbai.