My wife has her immigrant visa (IR-1) interview at a U.S. consulate in about two weeks, and I m getting anxious about how a sudden change in my employment might affect the Affidavit of Support (I-864).
Background
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Wife: 36 years old, Chinese citizen, unemployed for several years, still learning English. No children yet.
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Me: 33 years old, U.S. citizen. I ve been on a postdoc fellowship from an Israeli university for the past two years. My fellowship has been extended for the current academic year (Fall 2025), and I m applying for academic jobs in the U.S. for the following academic year (Fall 2026).
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Financials:
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U.S. bank account + short-term T-bills (6 weeks): ~$83K
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Israeli bank account: ~$10K
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Wife s Chinese bank account: ~$20K
Additional note on domicile
Even though my postdoc appointment is from Israel, I ve actually worked remotely for most of the past two years because of various extended visits. Over the last year, I spent roughly six months visiting a U.S. university, three months in Israel, and three months visiting my wife in China, and I filed and paid state taxes for the most recent tax year. Because of this ongoing presence and continued ties, I believe I still meet the U.S. domicile requirement for the Affidavit of Support. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
The issue
Due to the current risk of an Iran Israel conflict, I m considering not returning to Israel. However, due to stricter policy now, my university requires me to return in person soon; if I don t, my appointment will be terminated. They told me I have to make this decision within the next few days which is before my wife s visa interview.
If I lose the postdoc due to safety concerns, how will that affect my ability to meet the Affidavit of Support requirements?
My understanding so far
The official I-864 guidelines say that a sponsor needs income of at least 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household of two, which is $26,438 for 2025. If income is below that level, the sponsor can use assets equal to 3 the shortfall, up to $79,314 if income is zero. Based on that formula, my available assets should technically be sufficient.
My concern
I ve heard that under the current administration, consular officers may exercise more discretion regarding financial stability and the risk of the immigrant becoming a public charge. I m worried that a sudden job loss (even if caused by safety/political circumstances) could be interpreted negatively at the interview.
Has anyone been in a similar situation, or does anyone know how consular officers view substantial assets vs. interrupted employment? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.