DCF request prior to registering marriage

[JRoo 3]

8 hours ago, SalishSea said:

I may be wrong, but I believe you wouldn't be eligible if you move back before the visa processing/interview etc.  The expectation is that you're still living abroad with your spouse.

@SalishSea I think it is ok to have moved back before the beneficiary, as this shows intent to domicile. (as long as the sponsor doesn't give up their foreign residency)

 

You can provide a range of documents to prove domicile including voting records in the United States, maintaining property/real estate, a lease or rental agreement, bank accounts showing activity in the United States, proof you paid U.S. taxes

[JRoo 3]

On 6/23/2023 at 10:28 AM, primrose_bambi said:

 

Hi @SalishSea — Yes, sorry if it was unclear. I meant 3-5 days to hear back on whether the embassy will accept the case after requesting DCF. We understand after this initial stage it will still take up to 12 weeks after acceptance. And I agree on cutting it close, but the job offer came fast after we wanted to get married so we've had to scramble a bit!

Hi @primrose_bambi - I was curious to hear if you've received a response to your DCF request yet?

[primrose_bambi 3]

Sorry for the delay @JRoo! Things have been a bit hectic as you might imagine.

 

We did hear back roughly 5 days after submitting request for DCF, with an appointment two weeks after for the petitioner (me, USC) to file the I-130 in person at the US Embassy in London. 

Finished my appointment so now we're waiting for the email from the embassy with next steps and appointment for the beneficiary (husband). I think I'll write a more detailed timeline once we're all done with the process.  Not much to update for now as we're still in the middle of it all.

 

All the best!

Edited July 6, 2023 by primrose_bambi
Fix typo

[primrose_bambi 3]

Well we ran into a bit of an issue during husband (beneficiary)'s recent appointment so I am hoping to get some advice here. Basically my (USC)'s I-864 was insufficient because while I filed taxes abroad every year while being employed and living in the UK, those income counted as 0 and therefore not met the minimum income level.

 

Just wanted to ask if it's better at this point to just count all of husband's foreign liquid assets, and my savings (all of these accounts our separate, as in they're his foreign assets and my foreign assets) which would put us comfortable over 3x the requirement. We do not have any US assets.

 

Or should we just find a joint sponsor which is what the embassy recommended (as it seems to be a more common path people take).

 

Thanks!

[D-R-J 192]

I would do both. When we did DCF, the CO misread my financial documents and was asking for a joint sponsor. Luckily my wife was able to point out her mistake, but we had that joint sponsor paperwork ready. The worst thing is to have to send it in later and be delayed in the process. Who knows when they get to it.

[primrose_bambi 3]

1 hour ago, D-R-J said:

I would do both. When we did DCF, the CO misread my financial documents and was asking for a joint sponsor. Luckily my wife was able to point out her mistake, but we had that joint sponsor paperwork ready. The worst thing is to have to send it in later and be delayed in the process. Who knows when they get to it.

 

Did you use foreign assets or US assets? Thanks!

[D-R-J 192]

US assets

[Redro 4,611]

On 8/20/2023 at 11:39 PM, primrose_bambi said:

Well we ran into a bit of an issue during husband (beneficiary)'s recent appointment so I am hoping to get some advice here. Basically my (USC)'s I-864 was insufficient because while I filed taxes abroad every year while being employed and living in the UK, those income counted as 0 and therefore not met the minimum income level.

 

Just wanted to ask if it's better at this point to just count all of husband's foreign liquid assets, and my savings (all of these accounts our separate, as in they're his foreign assets and my foreign assets) which would put us comfortable over 3x the requirement. We do not have any US assets.

 

Or should we just find a joint sponsor which is what the embassy recommended (as it seems to be a more common path people take).

 

Thanks!

Are you making above poverty now? 

[primrose_bambi 3]

Yes, but Embassy has already said my current income doesn't count as I haven't worked there long enough to file taxes.

[Redro 4,611]

1 minute ago, primrose_bambi said:

Yes, but Embassy has already said my current income doesn't count as I haven't worked there long enough to file taxes.

This is a change. Generally the understanding was current income is king and past taxes don’t matter. If you have sufficient savings I would use them before electing a joint sponsor. 

[primrose_bambi 3]

1 minute ago, Redro said:

This is a change. Generally the understanding was current income is king and past taxes don’t matter. If you have sufficient savings I would use them before electing a joint sponsor. 

 

Thank you, we do have enough liquid assets, my concern right now is they're 90% in GBP and 10% in USD. Unsure if this matters?

[Redro 4,611]

5 minutes ago, primrose_bambi said:

 

Thank you, we do have enough liquid assets, my concern right now is they're 90% in GBP and 10% in USD. Unsure if this matters?

It shouldn’t. The issue with assets in foreign country relates to difficulty in moving it within a year to the US. if exchange rate  isn’t bad I would move more money to the US but it isn’t necessary.