I864 as petitioner with negative total income [merged threads]

[ER232 1]

I'm sponsoring someone, and my income alone meets the requirements. My spouse and I file taxes jointly, but he doesn’t want to be involved in the sponsorship for personal reasons and therefore wants to avoid sending his W2, etc.. I only want to use my income—not his.

What’s the best way to do that?

Should I send my W-2 along with our joint 1040, even though I’m only using my income? Is that enough? And for the part that asks for total annual household income, do I enter just my income or the total from the joint return? Will USCIS be able to tell that the total income is 100k, but we only got w2 for one person, so that must be their income ?

Thanks!

[K1visaHopeful 2,965]

50 minutes ago, ER232 said:

I'm sponsoring someone

Do you mean acting as a joint sponsor for a K1 AOSer as you've posted this in K1 AOS forum?

Or for someone completely doing another process that you've not indicated in your post?

Your VJ timeline is blank so we cannot guess. Please fill it out. 

Are you a US citizen or GC holder so this post can be moved so not to confuse K1s in this forum. 

50 minutes ago, ER232 said:

, and my income alone meets the requirements. My spouse and I file taxes jointly, but he doesn’t want to be involved in the sponsorship for personal reasons and therefore wants to avoid sending his W2, etc.. I only want to use my income—not his.

What’s the best way to do that?

 

50 minutes ago, ER232 said:

Should send my W-2

Yes.

50 minutes ago, ER232 said:

along with our joint 1040,

No. 1040 is not a complete federal tax return and not the preferred format. 

50 minutes ago, ER232 said:

even though I’m only using my income? Is that enough?

 

No you should submit a Tax Return TRANSCRIPT and (as the form instructions state) your W2's also to indicate your personal income to differentiate your income from his on your MFJ transcript.

The copy of the actual tax return is not the recommended format as the instructions state. 

Ensure you've read the instructions. 

50 minutes ago, ER232 said:

And for the part that asks for total annual household income, do I enter just my income or the total from the joint return?

Your personal income should be in input on Part 6 Q7 where it asks for current individual income.

Q12 is for if you are adding the income of household members above it. 

Your joint tax reported income should be in Part 6, 16a-c.

Please use Part and question numbers for anything else.

 

50 minutes ago, ER232 said:

Will USCIS be able to tell that the total income is 100k, but we only got w2 for one person, so that must be their income ?

Thanks!

Not sure what this means?

"The total income"? Who's income? Yours alone or yours combine which you cannot use unless he agrees to sponsor too?

Part 6 Q7 is YOUR current income and by what you've eluding to, you are using your W2 to prove it. (There are other methods as described in the instructions).

Part 6 Q12 is your households' total income for ALL household members agreeing to sponsor. 

Your Q7 and Q12 will be the same number.

Part 6 Q16a-c only proves you filed taxes which you are required to do to sponsor so it will have the total income of your MFJ file return. The amounts don't matter unless your W2 shows you cannot support your household alone including all immigrants you are sponsoring and have sponsored previously and everyone living in your household now. You ALONE must earn enough for all household members and that includes your husband whether or not he is willing to sponsor or not. He is still included in your household size. Details on your household size is necessary to elaborate. 

 

Please indicate your immigration status so this post can be moved ASAP if necessary and fill out your immigrants VJ timeline as required. 

Edited April 15 by K1visaHopeful

[ER232 1]

Sorry new to this. I guess i put it in the wrong forum? How do i move it and where?

I'm a US citizen. Acting as joint sponsor for a relative (also us citizen who is sponsoring parents to come over).

Edited April 15 by ER232

[Dashinka 25,312]

6 hours ago, ER232 said:

Sorry new to this. I guess i put it in the wrong forum? How do i move it and where?

I'm a US citizen. Acting as joint sponsor for a relative (also us citizen who is sponsoring parents to come over).

You can only report your own thread and request a moderator/organizer move it.  I did this for you already.

 

Good Luck!

[Crazy Cat 43,326]

***Moved to Bringing Family Members of US Citizens to America***

[ER232 1]

Can anyone provide insights?

[ER232 1]

On 4/14/2025 at 11:56 PM, K1visaHopeful said:

Do you mean acting as a joint sponsor for a K1 AOSer as you've posted this in K1 AOS forum?

Or for someone completely doing another process that you've not indicated in your post?

Your VJ timeline is blank so we cannot guess. Please fill it out. 

Are you a US citizen or GC holder so this post can be moved so not to confuse K1s in this forum. 

 

Yes.

No. 1040 is not a complete federal tax return and not the preferred format. 

No you should submit a Tax Return TRANSCRIPT and (as the form instructions state) your W2's also to indicate your personal income to differentiate your income from his on your MFJ transcript.

The copy of the actual tax return is not the recommended format as the instructions state. 

Ensure you've read the instructions. 

Your personal income should be in input on Part 6 Q7 where it asks for current individual income.

Q12 is for if you are adding the income of household members above it. 

Your joint tax reported income should be in Part 6, 16a-c.

Please use Part and question numbers for anything else.

 

Not sure what this means?

"The total income"? Who's income? Yours alone or yours combine which you cannot use unless he agrees to sponsor too?

Part 6 Q7 is YOUR current income and by what you've eluding to, you are using your W2 to prove it. (There are other methods as described in the instructions).

Part 6 Q12 is your households' total income for ALL household members agreeing to sponsor. 

Your Q7 and Q12 will be the same number.

Part 6 Q16a-c only proves you filed taxes which you are required to do to sponsor so it will have the total income of your MFJ file return. The amounts don't matter unless your W2 shows you cannot support your household alone including all immigrants you are sponsoring and have sponsored previously and everyone living in your household now. You ALONE must earn enough for all household members and that includes your husband whether or not he is willing to sponsor or not. He is still included in your household size. Details on your household size is necessary to elaborate. 

 

Please indicate your immigration status so this post can be moved ASAP if necessary and fill out your immigrants VJ timeline as required. 

The petitioners household is 5, and they make 45,000k.



My house hold is 2. How much income should i be making ?

 

On 4/14/2025 at 11:56 PM, K1visaHopeful said:

Do you mean acting as a joint sponsor for a K1 AOSer as you've posted this in K1 AOS forum?

Or for someone completely doing another process that you've not indicated in your post?

Your VJ timeline is blank so we cannot guess. Please fill it out. 

Are you a US citizen or GC holder so this post can be moved so not to confuse K1s in this forum. 

 

Yes.

No. 1040 is not a complete federal tax return and not the preferred format. 

No you should submit a Tax Return TRANSCRIPT and (as the form instructions state) your W2's also to indicate your personal income to differentiate your income from his on your MFJ transcript.

The copy of the actual tax return is not the recommended format as the instructions state. 

Ensure you've read the instructions. 

Your personal income should be in input on Part 6 Q7 where it asks for current individual income.

Q12 is for if you are adding the income of household members above it. 

Your joint tax reported income should be in Part 6, 16a-c.

Please use Part and question numbers for anything else.

 

Not sure what this means?

"The total income"? Who's income? Yours alone or yours combine which you cannot use unless he agrees to sponsor too?

Part 6 Q7 is YOUR current income and by what you've eluding to, you are using your W2 to prove it. (There are other methods as described in the instructions).

Part 6 Q12 is your households' total income for ALL household members agreeing to sponsor. 

Your Q7 and Q12 will be the same number.

Part 6 Q16a-c only proves you filed taxes which you are required to do to sponsor so it will have the total income of your MFJ file return. The amounts don't matter unless your W2 shows you cannot support your household alone including all immigrants you are sponsoring and have sponsored previously and everyone living in your household now. You ALONE must earn enough for all household members and that includes your husband whether or not he is willing to sponsor or not. He is still included in your household size. Details on your household size is necessary to elaborate. 

 

Please indicate your immigration status so this post can be moved ASAP if necessary and fill out your immigrants VJ timeline as required. 

My house hold is 2. How much income should i be making ?

Edited April 16 by ER232

[ER232 1]

Quote

"The total income"? Who's income? Yours alone or yours combine which you cannot use unless he agrees to sponsor too?

Part 6 Q7 is YOUR current income and by what you've eluding to, you are using your W2 to prove it. (There are other methods as described in the instructions).

Part 6 Q12 is your households' total income for ALL household members agreeing to sponsor. 

Your Q7 and Q12 will be the same number.

Part 6 Q16a-c only proves you filed taxes which you are required to do to sponsor so it will have the total income of your MFJ file return. The amounts don't matter unless your W2 shows you cannot support your household alone including all immigrants you are sponsoring and have sponsored previously and everyone living in your household now. You ALONE must earn enough for all household members and that includes your husband whether or not he is willing to sponsor or not. He is still included in your household size. Details on your household size is necessary to elaborate. 

My income.
Q12- Do i include my income only or husband's income too?

The petitioners household is 5, and they make 45,000k.

My house hold is 2. How much income should i be making ?

[K1visaHopeful 2,965]

1 hour ago, ER232 said:

My income.
Q12- Do i include my income only or husband's income too?

If your husband is not willing to sponsor like you said, only your income goes in 7 and then transferred to 12.

1 hour ago, ER232 said:

The petitioners household is 5, and they make 45,000k.

My house hold is 2. How much income should i be making ?

??Who is the two??

You and your husband are 2 but you havent counted the immigrant(s) which you need to. Youll need enough  for your household (you and your husband PLUS the number of immigrants you are sponsoring now or have sponsored in the past and anyone else included in your household as per instructions.)

A review of the I864 instructions will be helpful to you so you can understand what household size means.

 

Google "USCIS I864P" for the current chart of the FPGLs.

Edited April 17 by K1visaHopeful

[ER232 1]

I am a co sponsor.

The petitoner has a 5 person household but they do not qualify vased on their income. So my income has to qualify for 4house hold members? Me+husband+two immigrants?

[ER232 1]

Can someone assist? What do i put under annual income for myself? My gross income, my social security wages, or wages and tips (after deductions etc)?

[ER232 1]

Hi everyone,

I’m seeking clarification on how to properly fill out Form I-864 in this specific situation. Applying for parents and asking on behalf of a friend.

• In 2024, I personally earned $50,000, but due to my husband's stock losses, our joint income reported will show - $40,000.

• My current annual income for 2025 is also $50,000.

• For 2023, our total joint income was $40,000.

• For 2022, we had a total joint income of - $10,000 (again, due to stock losses).

I’m using a joint sponsor whose income is consistent and qualifies on its own. However, I still need to complete my own Form I-864, and I want to be sure I do it correctly.

My questions:

1. Should I include a cover letter explaining that although the tax return shows negative income due to my husband's losses, my individual income was $50,000 in 2024?

2. On the form, for the three years of tax history, should I:

   • Include 2022 and 2023, even though they reflect negative income?

   • Leave those years blank, since I’m not required to submit transcripts?

   • Or write zero instead of a negative number?

3. For my current income, should I just list $50,000 based on my job?

[Lil bear 4,404]

@ER232  You have posted this in the forum for AOS from a fiancé visa .. 

So we can move it to the correct forum.. are your parents already in the US and are adjusting status, or in their home country and applying for an IR5 visa through  the consular process. Thx 

[ER232 1]

They are overseas. Not sure what the ir5 is , we did a 130 petition. I was told to post here in another post i made, thanks for moving it.

[K1visaHopeful 2,965]

On 4/16/2025 at 11:17 PM, ER232 said:

I am a co sponsor.

You are not a co sponsor.

You are a Joint sponsor. 

They are not the same. 

 

On 4/16/2025 at 11:17 PM, ER232 said:

The petitoner has a 5 person household but they do not qualify vased on their income. So my income has to qualify for 4house hold members?

Yes.

On 4/16/2025 at 11:17 PM, ER232 said:

Me+husband+two immigrants?

Yes if you are sponsoring two immigrants. 

 

11 hours ago, ER232 said:

Can someone assist? What do i put under annual income for myself? My gross income, my social security wages, or wages and tips (after deductions etc)?

Gross total.