How to find sponser?

[lightsound 0]

Ok...I am a U.S. citizen and my husband is Japanese. He initially got into the U.S. on a visitor's visa then we got married (no we didn't know each other before hand - truely a spontaneous thing) and we lived in Hawaii until our daughter was born, then we moved to Japan to live with the in-laws so I could stay home with her.

It has been almost 3 years since we moved here (so no more green card) and we are interested in moving back to Hawaii so I can work again. My family is currently unwilling to help (I am not sure if they are unable to) and so we need to find a joint sponsor b/c we don't have any income from the U.S. from the time we were living here. Has anyone done that with someone other than family? Otherwise I would have to work for a year in America before we could even apply so we can show Ryuji wouldn't become a public charge right? Any other way to do the sponsor thing?

We are also thinking to get him a student visa b/c he wants to go to massage school in Hawaii anyway and then turn it into a permanent resident visa when we are there - he is half owner of the house we live in (in Japan) and we can register my daughter in school over here so we think this is a possiblity...any experiences here?

I also just wanted to express my gratitude here for this forum - thank you guys!

[chaos242 0]

Ok...I am a U.S. citizen and my husband is Japanese. He initially got into the U.S. on a visitor's visa then we got married (no we didn't know each other before hand - truely a spontaneous thing) and we lived in Hawaii until our daughter was born, then we moved to Japan to live with the in-laws so I could stay home with her.

It has been almost 3 years since we moved here (so no more green card) and we are interested in moving back to Hawaii so I can work again. My family is currently unwilling to help (I am not sure if they are unable to) and so we need to find a joint sponsor b/c we don't have any income from the U.S. from the time we were living here. Has anyone done that with someone other than family? Otherwise I would have to work for a year in America before we could even apply so we can show Ryuji wouldn't become a public charge right? Any other way to do the sponsor thing?

We are also thinking to get him a student visa b/c he wants to go to massage school in Hawaii anyway and then turn it into a permanent resident visa when we are there - he is half owner of the house we live in (in Japan) and we can register my daughter in school over here so we think this is a possiblity...any experiences here?

I also just wanted to express my gratitude here for this forum - thank you guys!

Well it sounds like your husband has a job and enough money but he needs someone else to help you guys out. I think that transferring the amount needed to YOUR bank account and then using that would be fine and I've read of other people doing this successfully. Check the form 1-864P for the guidelines on how much money you need to have to sponsor him, but I think you will need to have a job as well for this to work. Check around, though, because I'm not sure!

[lightsound 0]

Well it sounds like your husband has a job and enough money but he needs someone else to help you guys out. I think that transferring the amount needed to YOUR bank account and then using that would be fine and I've read of other people doing this successfully. Check the form 1-864P for the guidelines on how much money you need to have to sponsor him, but I think you will need to have a job as well for this to work. Check around, though, because I'm not sure!

Thanks Chaos : )

[MargotDarko 0]

If you have no dependants and if you have assets totaling $51,339 USD, then you do not need a joint sponsor. Can the house be signed over into your name only? Are there any other assets that can be put into your name? If you can reach that amount and show solid proof of it, then you're good to go.

[u2rsobad 0]

If you have no dependants and if you have assets totaling $51,339 USD, then you do not need a joint sponsor. Can the house be signed over into your name only? Are there any other assets that can be put into your name? If you can reach that amount and show solid proof of it, then you're good to go.

She mentioned that they have a daughter, so they do have a dependant. Where did you find that dollar amount? I've only seen references to being a certain percentage above the poverty level and no actual amount, so I'd like to look at the information that quotes that amount.

Thanks

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

If you have no dependants and if you have assets totaling $51,339 USD, then you do not need a joint sponsor. Can the house be signed over into your name only? Are there any other assets that can be put into your name? If you can reach that amount and show solid proof of it, then you're good to go.

She mentioned that they have a daughter, so they do have a dependant. Where did you find that dollar amount? I've only seen references to being a certain percentage above the poverty level and no actual amount, so I'd like to look at the information that quotes that amount.

Thanks

125% poverty guidelines for a 2 member household is $17,112. If one doesn't have that income they can use assets that are three times that amount when the spouse is the sponsor (about $51,339 as MargotDarko posted). This would only be accurate for all states other than Alaska and Hawaii, though.

Since the OP has a dependent AND will be residing in Hawaii it would be $24,687 (for a household of three). And if they were counting only assets it would be $74,064, since assets must be three times the required income when being used to show sponsorship by the spouse.

Keep in mind that VJ warns in its guides that consulates feel income is more important than assets, so it wouldn't be wise to submit sponsorship based soley on assets.

OP:

If you do get a sponsor other than yourself, assets will need to be 5 times the required income. It is only 3 times with a spouse. For instance, if a friend or family member sponsors you and makes $2,000 less than 125% of the poverty guideline for the number of members in his/her household including your husband and daughter, he/she would have to have assets worth $10,000 ($2,000 x 5).

http://www.nolo.com/support/detail.cfm/Obj...B07CDE5214B42DF

Edited August 14, 2007 by Clarky and Tarah

[MargotDarko 0]

If you have no dependants and if you have assets totaling $51,339 USD, then you do not need a joint sponsor. Can the house be signed over into your name only? Are there any other assets that can be put into your name? If you can reach that amount and show solid proof of it, then you're good to go.

She mentioned that they have a daughter, so they do have a dependant. Where did you find that dollar amount? I've only seen references to being a certain percentage above the poverty level and no actual amount, so I'd like to look at the information that quotes that amount.

Thanks

When a main sponsor is using assets and no income to sponsor their relative, then they need 3x times 125% above the poverty level for their household. I got the number by multiplying the income required for a household of two by 3. Also, when the income falls short, three times the difference between the income and required amount in assets can be used - I think that sentence might be a bit murky, I hope it makes sense.

If it's just the one dependent, and their household size is then 3, the amount needed in assets for the main sponsor with no income is $64,289 USD.

EDIT - Here's a good link -

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1327.html

If you have no dependants and if you have assets totaling $51,339 USD, then you do not need a joint sponsor. Can the house be signed over into your name only? Are there any other assets that can be put into your name? If you can reach that amount and show solid proof of it, then you're good to go.

She mentioned that they have a daughter, so they do have a dependant. Where did you find that dollar amount? I've only seen references to being a certain percentage above the poverty level and no actual amount, so I'd like to look at the information that quotes that amount.

Thanks

125% poverty guidelines for a 2 member household is $17,112. If one doesn't have that income they can use assets that are three times that amount when the spouse is the sponsor (about $51,339 as MargotDarko posted). This would only be accurate for all states other than Alaska and Hawaii, though.

Since the OP has a dependent AND will be residing in Hawaii it would be $24,687 (for a household of three). And if they were counting only assets it would be $74,064, since assets must be three times the required income when being used to show sponsorship by the spouse.

Keep in mind that VJ warns in its guides that consulates feel income is more important than assets, so it wouldn't be wise to submit sponsorship based soley on assets.

OP:

If you do get a sponsor other than yourself, assets will need to be 5 times the required income. It is only 3 times with a spouse. For instance, if a friend or family member sponsors you and makes $2,000 less than 125% of the poverty guideline for the number of members in his/her household including your husband and daughter, he/she would have to have assets worth $10,000 ($2,000 x 5).

http://www.nolo.com/support/detail.cfm/Obj...B07CDE5214B42DF

Thanks for this. I totally missed the boat on the Hawaii part!

Edited August 14, 2007 by MargotDarko

[lightsound 0]

Thanks you guys you are really helpful.

I just found out the reason my sister was wary of signing the affadavit of support form is she was thinking she would be responsible for the hospital bills if my husband got into an accident or developed a rare disease and our health insurance didn't cover it - that the hospital or government could directly go after them instead of my husband having to sue them in order to get the money to cover. Does anyone know if this is true?

[lightsound 0]

Thanks you guys you are really helpful.

I just found out the reason my sister was wary of signing the affadavit of support form is she was thinking she would be responsible for the hospital bills if my husband got into an accident or developed a rare disease and our health insurance didn't cover it - that the hospital or government could directly go after them instead of my husband having to sue them in order to get the money to cover. Does anyone know if this is true?

Wow is it true. Check this out:

http://www.us-immigration-attorney.com/aff...-of-support.htm

Sorry I think I messed up making it a link...good to know info!

[lightsound 0]

nuts...It says you can use assets to qualify only if you could convert it to cash within one year without undue harm to the sponsor or his or her family members. Because his parents and sister live in the house, I think they would say it would cause them undue harm if they were forced to move b/c he had to sell it. So it is only good if you like have a vacation home or own the home without your family living in it I presume.

So that means I would have to work for a year at an American based company in Japan and put my daughter in day care instead of staying home with her? I read in the DCF guide the money only qualifies if they think it can continue in America and was coming from the sponsor. Although my husband has an internet business - could they count his income from that b/c he can do that in America as well? Anyone have that experience where they accepted an internet job from the immigrant?

[essjay 0]

If you are using income that exceeds the poverty guideline levels, you will need to show that the income will continue once you get to the States. My husband and I both have incomes that will continue, but because we are largely self employed, we can't hand over a magic letter from a company confirming that our income will continue. Instead we went the asset route as it was just so much simpler. For some reason they were happier with real estate as an asset than cash in bank accounts, but this was London, so it might be different in Japan.

Bottom line, if you have assets which are convertible to cash within a year such as real estate, you can use that instead of income. It never does any harm to show both though.

Good Luck

[lightsound 0]

If you are using income that exceeds the poverty guideline levels, you will need to show that the income will continue once you get to the States. My husband and I both have incomes that will continue, but because we are largely self employed, we can't hand over a magic letter from a company confirming that our income will continue. Instead we went the asset route as it was just so much simpler. For some reason they were happier with real estate as an asset than cash in bank accounts, but this was London, so it might be different in Japan.

Bottom line, if you have assets which are convertible to cash within a year such as real estate, you can use that instead of income. It never does any harm to show both though.

Good Luck

Thank you for that bit about the assets - It is sooo good to know these things! : )

[pushbrk 12,894]

nuts...It says you can use assets to qualify only if you could convert it to cash within one year without undue harm to the sponsor or his or her family members. Because his parents and sister live in the house, I think they would say it would cause them undue harm if they were forced to move b/c he had to sell it. So it is only good if you like have a vacation home or own the home without your family living in it I presume.

So that means I would have to work for a year at an American based company in Japan and put my daughter in day care instead of staying home with her? I read in the DCF guide the money only qualifies if they think it can continue in America and was coming from the sponsor. Although my husband has an internet business - could they count his income from that b/c he can do that in America as well? Anyone have that experience where they accepted an internet job from the immigrant?

You seem to be getting a pretty good idea of the requirements but you don't actually have to complete a year of work to qualify. You could find a job in Hawaii, move your family there (husband on visitor or student visa or one then the other) then file the I-130 petition stateside. Your husband could not overstay his visa and would need to return to Japan for the immigrant visa interview but your "current" anualized income from you new job would be sufficient to sponsor him without actually working a full year. You simply provide pay stubs and an employer letter as evidence of sufficient income.