I-864 help

[RekYan 7]

When I filed the I-864 and 3 yrs tax transcripts '20, '21, 22' and '23 W2's (taxes not filed yet) NVC accepted but said I needed additional sponsor. My income for 2020 1.9 times required income, 2021 2.6 times, 2022 and 2023 5 times the required income for a family of 4.

 

I'm not understanding the problem. Anyone else have this issue?

[MamangMataba 0]

What’s the exact pharse/sentence you received from them?

[pushbrk 12,817]

1 hour ago, MamangMataba said:

What’s the exact pharse/sentence you received from them?

Need to know that, and whether you are employed or self employed.  Can't understand the problem without more complete information.  If you have W2, then you are employed, so really need more details.  Did you have some losses, or other deductions that took the "total income" number lower?  Do you still have the job?  What is your current income, and how did you calculate and document it?

 

Edited February 21 by pushbrk

[RekYan 7]

Employed and draw retirement. I submitted both 1099 and W2 for last yrs compensation 193k. 
 

The transcript you must go to page 2 and 3 to see the total compensation. Taxes were filed a few weeks ago so I’ll submit the transcript for ‘23. I honestly don’t think they know how to read the transcripts. 

[pushbrk 12,817]

19 minutes ago, RekYan said:

Employed and draw retirement. I submitted both 1099 and W2 for last yrs compensation 193k. 
 

The transcript you must go to page 2 and 3 to see the total compensation. Taxes were filed a few weeks ago so I’ll submit the transcript for ‘23. I honestly don’t think they know how to read the transcripts. 

Need the exact wording of what you read that makes you think they told you to get a joint sponsor.  I'm going to predict it say "you may" with regard to the joint sponsor, and "Consular Officer will make the decision".  If so, and your income is as you say it is, then ignore the message.  I expect it's only your taxable income that's not enough and that your retirement income is tax free.  You do not qualify based on a tax return.  You qualify based on your current income, which should be documented with a declaration letter from your retirement source and a pay stub from your current employer.  Did you state and document 193k of current income?  (Tax returns are about the past.)

[RekYan 7]

On 2/29/2024 at 6:26 AM, pushbrk said:

Need the exact wording of what you read that makes you think they told you to get a joint sponsor.  I'm going to predict it say "you may" with regard to the joint sponsor, and "Consular Officer will make the decision".  If so, and your income is as you say it is, then ignore the message.  I expect it's only your taxable income that's not enough and that your retirement income is tax free.  You do not qualify based on a tax return.  You qualify based on your current income, which should be documented with a declaration letter from your retirement source and a pay stub from your current employer.  Did you state and document 193k of current income?  (Tax returns are about the past.)

Here's the wording, the I-864 showed plenty of income. Also I had not uploaded any current income, I've done that now along with the 2023 Tax Transcript that was just put out. One of my son's has been Documentary Qualified even with the email below. Thanks for the help, truly appreciate it.

The income reported as stated on form I-864, I-864A is insufficient to overcome the public charge grounds of inadmissibility for visa issuance. To avoid delays, an additional Affidavit of Support Form I-864 from a joint sponsor may be submitted. For more information visit https://nvc.state.gov/aos and https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p. A consular officer will decide if you meet these requirements at the time of the interview. Note: You, as the sponsor, and any other sponsors household members and joint sponsors, must provide updated or additional evidence for the applicant to present at the time of their interview such as: * Other income * Assets * Proof of current employment Note: You submitted documentation to the National Visa Center through the Consular Electronic Application Center CEAC. You can continue to upload documents to CEAC up until the date of your visa interview.

[pushbrk 12,817]

6 hours ago, RekYan said:

Here's the wording, the I-864 showed plenty of income. Also I had not uploaded any current income, I've done that now along with the 2023 Tax Transcript that was just put out. One of my son's has been Documentary Qualified even with the email below. Thanks for the help, truly appreciate it.

The income reported as stated on form I-864, I-864A is insufficient to overcome the public charge grounds of inadmissibility for visa issuance. To avoid delays, an additional Affidavit of Support Form I-864 from a joint sponsor may be submitted. For more information visit https://nvc.state.gov/aos and https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p. A consular officer will decide if you meet these requirements at the time of the interview. Note: You, as the sponsor, and any other sponsors household members and joint sponsors, must provide updated or additional evidence for the applicant to present at the time of their interview such as: * Other income * Assets * Proof of current employment Note: You submitted documentation to the National Visa Center through the Consular Electronic Application Center CEAC. You can continue to upload documents to CEAC up until the date of your visa interview.

Thanks.  So if  you stated and documented your current income with pay stub and declaration letters, just ignore that message.  It is sent anytime "taxable income" is below the minimum on the latest tax return. Keywords here are "may be submitted" and "Consular Officer will decide".  See bold above.

[RekYan 7]

Thank you!

[Warmcredit 0]

@pushbrk, I am in a similar situation as the OP. I make 132K a year at my current job in the US, the taxable income shown on my 2023 tax return was 13K because I worked half the year in Japan and half the year in the US and the foreign earned income tax credit drove the AGI down (currently working in the US, in reality I made 60K from working 4 months). I received the same warning message as the poster. Would showing my paystubs and YTD salary be sufficient for my wife's consular interview? Thank you.

 

@RekYan if your spouse already had the interview, I would like to know how it went, if you don't mind sharing.

Edited March 13 by Warmcredit
additional details added.

[pushbrk 12,817]

2 hours ago, Warmcredit said:

@pushbrk, I am in a similar situation as the OP. I make 132K a year at my current job in the US, the taxable income shown on my 2023 tax return was 13K because I worked half the year in Japan and half the year in the US and the foreign earned income tax credit drove the AGI down (currently working in the US, in reality I made 60K from working 4 months). I received the same warning message as the poster. Would showing my paystubs and YTD salary be sufficient for my wife's consular interview? Thank you.

 

@RekYan if your spouse already had the interview, I would like to know how it went, if you don't mind sharing.

Yes, the pay stubs should work fine, but your pay stub should also have been used to calculate your "current income".  Current income, from the employed does NOT come from any tax return.  Further AGI is not the number you use.  While it is often the same number as Total Income, it is not always.  AGI is the number used when you file a 1040 EZ, which you certainly did not, if you used the foreign income exclusion.

[Warmcredit 0]

@pushbrk, Thank you for the feedback. I guess I was using the wrong terminology when I said AGI.
Some clarification: I actually did add up my total gross income for the line item on the I-864 application for total income, but still received that warning.  I am guessing that the system they used looked at the adjusted number on my tax return because that is the only number that is lower than the stated fiscal requirements. I guess we will find out in a couple of weeks at the interview...

[pushbrk 12,817]

1 minute ago, Warmcredit said:

@pushbrk, Thank you for the feedback. I guess I was using the wrong terminology when I said AGI.
Some clarification: I actually did add up my total gross income for the line item on the I-864 application for total income, but still received that warning.  I am guessing that the system they used looked at the adjusted number on my tax return because that is the only number that is lower than the stated fiscal requirements. I guess we will find out in a couple of weeks at the interview...

There is no "adding" involved.  The number from your tax return they looked at was not AGI.  There is a line on the return titled "Total Income".  That's what they used.  Anytime that number is under the requirement, you will get that message.  But, your "current income" (as an employed person) does not come from a tax return and is not stated in the same section as the info from past tax returns.  It comes from taking your gross income, from a recent pay stub, and multiplying by the number of pay periods in a full year.  Example: Every two weeks is times 26.  How did YOU calculate YOUR "current income"?

[Warmcredit 0]

@pushbrk, perhaps I am more dense than I believe myself to be or I am in some sort of cognitive feedback loop in my brain or missing something really obvious. I was given a W-2 for the work I did in the US, which, of course, shows how much was paid to me at my job in the US during 2023. It is just the straight up amount of money I was paid.

That is roughly 60K. The schedule items 1-10 on my tax return added up to -37K. The end result is that the total income line item amount is $18K. This return was prepared professionally and was already processed and accepted by the IRS, so I am assuming that it is not agregiously off. I am just trying to figure out what could have triggered that warning message, and my best guess is that is that it was that $18K number.

[pushbrk 12,817]

7 minutes ago, Warmcredit said:

@pushbrk, perhaps I am more dense than I believe myself to be or I am in some sort of cognitive feedback loop in my brain or missing something really obvious. I was given a W-2 for the work I did in the US, which, of course, shows how much was paid to me at my job in the US during 2023. It is just the straight up amount of money I was paid.

That is roughly 60K. The schedule items 1-10 on my tax return added up to -37K. The end result is that the total income line item amount is $18K. This return was prepared professionally and was already processed and accepted by the IRS, so I am assuming that it is not agregiously off. I am just trying to figure out what could have triggered that warning message, and my best guess is that is that it was that $18K number.

Correct.  It is the 18k number from the "total income" line of your 1040 that triggered the notice.  Your W2 is totally irrelevant to how you complete the I-864 properly.  If your income is TODAY 5,000 every two weeks, your "current income" should have shown 130k.  THAT is how you calculate "current household income" in the complete other section.

 

Perhaps you are also interpreting "current income" to mean 2023 income.  For self employed, that's correct, but not for the employed.  It's also not what you are going to make in 2024.  It's what you will make at your current pay rate during the NEXT 12 months.

 

[Warmcredit 0]

3 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Correct.  It is the 18k number from the "total income" line of your 1040 that triggered the notice.  Your W2 is totally irrelevant to how you complete the I-864 properly.  If your income is TODAY 5,000 every two weeks, your "current income" should have shown 130k.  THAT is how you calculate "current household income" in the complete other section.

 

Perhaps you are also interpreting "current income" to mean 2023 income.  For self employed, that's correct, but not for the employed.  It's also not what you are going to make in 2024.  It's what you will make at your current pay rate during the NEXT 12 months.

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I did look back at the I-864 I filled out, and 132K is what I wrote for the line item for my current income. 🤔