london interview checklist

[mr and mrs 187]

<fine print>

so now i am feeling bad that i included too much stuff on my checklist. i want to clarify and say that my list is, like people have said (nicely!), a bit OTT. i dont want to confuse anyone or cause any unneeded anxiety. this is just my take on what combination of documentation gives us the best chances for an approval. and for me, it is important to understand all of the different permutations of this process. im not sure why (maybe due to a need to feel some control in this situation), but i feel compelled to learn as much as i can. (though i havent gotten to the point of reading the foreign affairs manual for visas. yet.)

jamie will be taking too much info with him, but it wont do any harm, as long as it is organized well so that he can access the things he needs quickly.

while i know you arent REQUIRED to take every item mentioned on the list, we are going to be OTT and bring it all. i gotta be me! i overpack, i overplan, and yes, on occasion i have been know to overreact!

</fine print>

[Laura+Tom 2]

What's the letter of explanation and letter of support on your list?

[mr and mrs 187]

laura,

they are extras that i imagined up! i work at a garden center (<3) and for the past three years, i have only been employed for 10 months each year (march to december), so i wanted to write a letter explaining that situation. its been great because i each year, i have gone to england to be with jamie for an extended visit.

the second letter would just be a letter from my mother says how lovely we are, how we have spent lots of time together (they like to play boggle on summer evenings), and how should we need any financial assistance, she is 100% able to help until we no longer need it.

i make border-line (very) 125% of the poverty level (so much for a master's degree in french! : p), so i do need a co-sponsor. my mother is solid and has enough funds and income to qualify as a co-sponsor for jamie.

i guess i do have a question. how concerned are they about seeing EVERYTHING? she has several bank accounts for various things. (i dont really understand financial stuff that well.) does she need to show ALL of her assets or just enough to satisfy the embassy? her salary is considerably above the poverty line for 3 people, she has $100K+ in savings accounts and has various stocks and investments.

i feel comfortable with what she has provided document-wise and it seems to me we will be fine with the I-134, a letter from her employer and the appropriate tax information. so im happy. but, as you now know, i like to worry. : D

i talk/type a lot! hee.

yours,

lisabette.

[mr and mrs 187]

re: affidavit of support

i guess i do have a question. how concerned are they about seeing EVERYTHING? she has several bank accounts for various things. (i dont really understand financial stuff that well.) does she need to show ALL of her assets or just enough to satisfy the embassy? her salary is considerably above the poverty line for 3 people, she has $100K+ in savings accounts and has various stocks and investments.

can anyone comment on this? please and thanks.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

If her salary is adequate to meet the I-134 support level for 3 people, she does not need to show any assets or bank accounts. I say this because our joint sponsor for the I-864 (which has more stringent criteria) only used her salary and we were just fine.

[mr and mrs 187]

If her salary is adequate to meet the I-134 support level for 3 people, she does not need to show any assets or bank accounts. I say this because our joint sponsor for the I-864 (which has more stringent criteria) only used her salary and we were just fine.

elmcity, do you mean on the I-134 form or as supporting evidence?

i dont want to screw up the I-134. so im trying to decide how i need fill in the form. i think i have the supporting evidence sorted (even if we dont need it because her salary is more than enough, we have tax transcripts, bank letters and a letter of employment for both her and i).

but what about what we put on the I-134 form itself?

does she need to state EVERYTHING? or can she just state salary?

and for me, i dont have much in the way of property. no car, no house. can i put N/A for those categories.

if she has an adequate salary, does she need to state the 'reasonable value' of other personal property? (im wondering how much effort we need to put into coming up with a $ amount for that. )

basically, i can understand what information is needed on the I-134 but what im getting caught up on is knowing if we need to show back-up for the numbers that we ultimately put on the I-134 form. and if the numbers we put on it can be estimates? her salary can be an exact figure, but the assets, stocks, etc. may be more 'reasonable estimates'.

im being super-inarticulate, i know. ill post this and see if i get any suggestions.

thanks, elmcitymaven. : )

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

If her salary is adequate to meet the I-134 support level for 3 people, she does not need to show any assets or bank accounts. I say this because our joint sponsor for the I-864 (which has more stringent criteria) only used her salary and we were just fine.

elmcity, do you mean on the I-134 form or as supporting evidence?

i dont want to screw up the I-134. so im trying to decide how i need fill in the form. i think i have the supporting evidence sorted (even if we dont need it because her salary is more than enough, we have tax transcripts, bank letters and a letter of employment for both her and i).

but what about what we put on the I-134 form itself?

does she need to state EVERYTHING? or can she just state salary?

and for me, i dont have much in the way of property. no car, no house. can i put N/A for those categories.

if she has an adequate salary, does she need to state the 'reasonable value' of other personal property? (im wondering how much effort we need to put into coming up with a $ amount for that. )

basically, i can understand what information is needed on the I-134 but what im getting caught up on is knowing if we need to show back-up for the numbers that we ultimately put on the I-134 form. and if the numbers we put on it can be estimates? her salary can be an exact figure, but the assets, stocks, etc. may be more 'reasonable estimates'.

im being super-inarticulate, i know. ill post this and see if i get any suggestions.

thanks, elmcitymaven. : )

If your mother has enough to sponsor using her salary, she only need put the salary down on the I-134 itself. She will not need to put down any value of any assets, nor will you need to have any supporting evidence for the assets since they are not being relied upon. Only evidence of the salary and tax transcripts (which sometimes aren't even asked for when dealing with the I-134 anyway, but this is definitely an area where you should cover your #######!).

I know this is nerve-wracking, but you need to take a deep breath... and relax (as much as possible ). Even if everything is not letter-perfect on the day, should anything be wrong with the I-134 that is a mere technicality, that technicality can be fixed and the visa will not be denied (unless for non-I-134-related reasons!). It is SO easy to let yourself spin out of control into obsessing over "what if? what if?" for far-fetched situations, especially when you're going through London and looking at other, high-fraud consulates.

So, for the day, the I-134 has your mother's salary figures, no mention of other assets/income. You only need evidence to support what is on the I-134. Hope this helps!

[mr and mrs 187]

If your mother has enough to sponsor using her salary, she only need put the salary down on the I-134 itself. She will not need to put down any value of any assets, nor will you need to have any supporting evidence for the assets since they are not being relied upon. Only evidence of the salary and tax transcripts (which sometimes aren't even asked for when dealing with the I-134 anyway, but this is definitely an area where you should cover your #######!).

I know this is nerve-wracking, but you need to take a deep breath... and relax (as much as possible ). Even if everything is not letter-perfect on the day, should anything be wrong with the I-134 that is a mere technicality, that technicality can be fixed and the visa will not be denied (unless for non-I-134-related reasons!). It is SO easy to let yourself spin out of control into obsessing over "what if? what if?" for far-fetched situations, especially when you're going through London and looking at other, high-fraud consulates.

So, for the day, the I-134 has your mother's salary figures, no mention of other assets/income. You only need evidence to support what is on the I-134. Hope this helps!

this was EXTREMELY helpful (and it impressed my mom!).

so from what i understand, on the I-134 form, she will put her income (pretty much as reflected as 'TOTAL INCOME' on her tax returns).

she is not required to state other savings, assets and property on the I-134 form unless those savings, assets and property will help to push her over the threshold to qualify as a sponsor, correct?

hmm. having trouble asking my question still.

am i understanding this correctly? that she would state her annual income as $x, and because that number is well over the threshold to qualify as a sponsor, she can leave the lines that ask for savings, personal property, and stocks and bonds blank. seems like we should state savings at least.

(for the record, she doesnt own a house, but has a car and other sorts of normal things. she has some stocks and bonds (money markets, IRAs, cerifticates, uh... she listing things. im lost here.) the value of the stocks and bonds in well in excess of what would be necessary.)

im sorry im so dense. should have done the business course instead of french. dammit.

also, (she is now planting doubts in my head. what a mean mom!) since she is nearing the age of retirement, will this be taken into account? shes not planning on retiring in the next few years, but maybe to a CO the idea might crop up?

im going to post this and see if i get any bites!

thx, elmcitymaven, you are keeping me from getting too wound up about this. <mwah>

[mr and mrs 187]

okay. im losing it a little.

do all savings need to be shown on the I-134 form and/or in bank statements? my mom has a stupid number of bank accounts, but essentially has 2 main ones. can she just state the savings in the two main accounts? or is it an all or nothing situation?

and while im freaking out, what do we think are the chances of me qualifying as a single sponsor are?

my income is just under (by like $100) the 125% poverty line for two people, $18K.

i have about $6,000 in checking and savings.

i have personal property worth... oh lets say $2000. (no house, no car)

i have a Roth IRA worth $1500.

i work in a seasonal position 10 months a year, and have been in that position for 3 years.

i have a jar of loose change that has about $44 in it too!

im sorry to make this such a specific question. (i try to ask broad questions so others can benefit from the answers, usually.) but im nearing the edge of getting upset and id just rather not. : )

again. comments are encouraged. and i can probably contract out ms. magpie to make cookies for anyone who helps out. : p

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Shhhhhhh. You are working yourself up again!

so from what i understand, on the I-134 form, she will put her income (pretty much as reflected as 'TOTAL INCOME' on her tax returns).

Yes.

she is not required to state other savings, assets and property on the I-134 form unless those savings, assets and property will help to push her over the threshold to qualify as a sponsor, correct?

Absolutely.

am i understanding this correctly? that she would state her annual income as $x, and because that number is well over the threshold to qualify as a sponsor, she can leave the lines that ask for savings, personal property, and stocks and bonds blank. seems like we should state savings at least.

Yes, yes.

also, (she is now planting doubts in my head. what a mean mom!) since she is nearing the age of retirement, will this be taken into account? shes not planning on retiring in the next few years, but maybe to a CO the idea might crop up?

Nope. It's what is happening right then and there, on the day of the interview.

do all savings need to be shown on the I-134 form and/or in bank statements? my mom has a stupid number of bank accounts, but essentially has 2 main ones. can she just state the savings in the two main accounts? or is it an all or nothing situation?

If she's only using income, she doesn't need to show anything about bank accounts.

nd while im freaking out, what do we think are the chances of me qualifying as a single sponsor are?

my income is just under (by like $100) the 125% poverty line for two people, $18K.

i have about $6,000 in checking and savings.

i have personal property worth... oh lets say $2000. (no house, no car)

i have a Roth IRA worth $1500.

i work in a seasonal position 10 months a year, and have been in that position for 3 years.

Wow, you're only under by about $100 and you have $6k in the bank? I would say your chances would be pretty good, actually. Since you only need to make up in assets three times the difference between what you earn and what is required, you only need about $300 in the bank. If this is the case, you can put down the amount total in your savings account (assuming that account alone gets you to the magic number). Bring proof of this amount to the interview. No need to use anything else. You might still want to have your mom's I-134 as backup just in case something goes wrong, but I would say you are so nearly there the CO may just use his/her discretion and say yes to you and you alone.

Okay, babycakes? You can do this, just slow down and stop pre-disastering everything!

[mr and mrs 187]

Okay, babycakes? You can do this, just slow down and stop pre-disastering everything!

thank you. thank you. thank you. im leaking little, happy tears.

you are the STAR.

[i can do this, i can do this, i can do this.]

<gets back on track>

(thankyou.)

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Look, if I can do this, you can do this! I am hopelessly disorganised and lazy and I managed to get it together. Now go dry your eyes and take a nice hot bubble bath.

[mr and mrs 187]

another <mwah> for you.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Elmcitymaven you're too good! :: also hugs Lisabette :: Just wait and see me in a few days time, I've got a week before my interview...

Magpie.

[PB&JAM 1]

so i just created this list in open office. im pleased with myself. im certain it has been done before and done to death, but i figure cant hurt to post another take on it.

thank you, ms. magpie, for reminding me to make a REAL checklist. seems more official. i made it for jamie so he can feel organized about everything. mine is not as pretty as yours, but i may make it look foxy later on when i get the content all settled.

anyways, thought id share, because i am always appreciative of other people's methods.

let's see. how do i wedge a scan in here?

ooh! ooh! i did it!

i know i may be including too much stuff, but we all know why.

if i revise it, ill post an update. that is if anyone cares. : p

You are a girl after my own heart! Lists, files, organization, I get well into it myself! Can I ask what type of folder you put all this in? Also, how did you organize all the little evidence things like receipts, boarding passes, etc, all those pieces of paper (i'm sending my so the originals so its just tons of little pieces of loose paper?). Paperclips?? For the I-129f I just had photocopies n had it all out in 8.5 x 11 paper. thanks!