leeen21

Ah you’re right. Appreciate that advice. Oh well, it’s already uploaded. Even with just my W2 employment, the income clears the household size threshold. If they have any issues with the self-employment, we’ll address it then.

How I calculated my current income for the I-864 is 1) my annual salary as stated in my employment letter + 2) my one contracted freelance client (weekly income x 52) as seen in pay stubs + 3) my income so far in 2023 from other freelance. That figure only differs from the "Total Income" on my 2022 tax return by about $3,000. Both figures are above 185% of the threshold for my household size of 5 (that 125% number on the HHS table, so 200%+ of the poverty leve). I have included the complete 17-page tax return (the complete package sent to the IRS) for each applicant and uploaded to CEAC.

I'm finalizing all the prep on my end for my husband and stepdaughters' CR-1/IR-2 interviews in two weeks. I've uploaded updated I-864s for each case to CEAC, as well as updated supporting financial docs. The only document that I don't have is my 2022 tax transcript because it is not yet available from the IRS. I sent the return, signed by both my husband and me, along with a check for the tax payment on June 14. Because I filed an extension on my 2022 taxes, and my husband/stepdaughters submitted W-7 ITIN applications with it, everything has been delayed. Just yesterday, my husband was finally assigned an ITIN, and my stepdaughters' applications were rejected, so right now, my return is kind of in a holding pattern until we either re-apply for their ITINs, get their SSNs (assuming their visas are approved), or amend the tax return to remove my stepdaughters as dependents. TLDR: no 2022 tax transcript, extension was filed, tax return was sent and payment was made in June In lieu of the tax transcript, I have included the following documents to take to the interview (4 packets - one for each applicant): For 2022 tax year: 1040 tax return for 2022 1040-V payment voucher with copy of check and proof of deposit (from bank statement) W2 from my primary employer Schedule C from my self-employment freelance income 1099s from freelance clients Additional paid invoices and earnings reports from clients for whom I didn't get a 1099 My husband's income/tax report (as it was included in our 2022 taxes) 2021 tax transcript & W2 2020 tax transcript & W2 For proof of current income, I have included: Updated letter from my employer with my annual salary Letter signed by me verifying my self-employment 3 recent paystubs from my employer 3 recent paystubs from one of my freelance clients (independent contractor) Paid invoices and earning reports from clients to show self-employment income so far in 2023 All proof of current income, plus my 2022 tax return/W2/Schedule C, have been upload to CEAC. Am I missing any other document that I could help the fact that I can't yet get my tax transcript?

I was in the same boat as you, though I live in the U.S. on the border, and my (now) husband lives in Mexico on the border. We got married last year in Mexico; there is no advantage/disadvantage legally to what country you get married, and it doesn't have an impact on your visa process. Keep in mind that as a U.S. citizen marrying a Mexican citizen, you will need to have certain documents to get married - one of those being your U.S. birth certified apostilled by the state you were born in. You also need to have it translated into Spanish by a certified translator (aka you can't do it yourself).

I am petitioning for my husband and three stepdaughters (ages 18, 16, and 14); each are principal applicants. Originally, the consulate gave my husband and two of my stepdaughters (18 and 16) an interview appointment for September 26. My other stepdaughter (14) was delayed one month at the NVC, so we didn't receive an email for her interview appointment like we did for the others. I immediately sent an NVC expedite, and she was assigned an interview for September 15. I called the consulate to see if they could reschedule her appointment, and they said she could just go to her dad's. When I explained to them that she couldn't because her appointment is BEFORE her dad's, they sent an escalation to request the change. This routine of me calling and them escalating continued for a few weeks. Last week, they finally responded aaand..... they rescheduled my husband's appointment for September 15. So, now there are two appointments -- one for my husband and stepdaughter (14) on 9/15 and the other for my stepdaughters (18 and 16) on 9/26. I again requested that they be changed to all the same, but the consulate refused. What we're thinking is that we could take everyone to CDJ for the first appointment and at least do their medical/biometrics -- how long do the medical results last before they expire? We could try to get them to be seen all together, and if that can't happen, we'll just go back for the 26th appointment. Does that seem feasible? Anything you would do in our situation?

I apologize for that. That was not my intention at all to create confusion, and I will not repeat that in the future.

Thanks for this! Good to know that entering by land can be easier.

Thanks for your detailed response! Re: paperwork + fees, understood - par for the course with U.S. immigration. I did just read that if dependent children enter with the parent (who is the spouse of the USC petitioner), they can be included on the same I-751 and pay one fee. We have four cases total, each being their own principal applicant - my husband, 18yo stepchild, 16yo stepchild, and 14yo stepchild. Any idea if those would be one I-751 and one fee? Would 18yo be on her own I-751 because she is an adult? The major issue I'm getting is that the extension letters are not universally "recognized" in the way that they should be (re: DLs, air travel, etc.). We do live on the border and will be frequently making trips into Mexico (no farther than 10-15 miles in) to see family, so a potential worry every time my husband/stepkids re-enter. It seems like it's not so much a fear of getting denied, but a constant worry that something won't work out or go through correctly because it's conditional and reliant on an extension letter and USCIS not being at all helpful in those situations. Appreciate your input - you've certainly given us a lot to think about!

I am the USC petitioner. The medical is scheduled for September 21, prior to the interview. Can you expand on what tragedies happen with kids are involved in I-751?

Of course I don't. But from reading that thread, it does not seem like a very common occurrence, and all the replies of the very knowledgeable VJ community have indicated that she is still in status, and there's been some error in the system OR the I-751 was denied. Are I-751 denials common?

Context: My husband and stepkids are currently scheduled for their interviews at CDJ in Mexico on September 26, and our plan is to have them cross as soon as they get their visas (hopefully a week or two after - early-ish October). Our second wedding anniversary is March 11. We are (like many of us here on VJ) dying to finally live together; plus, getting my stepdaughters enrolled in school and having my husband get a U.S. job sooner rather than later is a major advantage. Could you expand a little on why ROC should be avoided if possible? I've read through this thread and others that it is expensive ($595 x 4 for us - goodie!) and is extremely delayed. I guess my initial reaction is - well, sure, it may be a lot more waiting, but at least we'd be waiting together, living together. It's been hell doing all of this paperwork and paying all of this money, plus the waiting and waiting and waiting, all while living apart. Is the ROC process particularly nerve-wracking? Is there a chance of losing status? Are the chances of getting denied high? All that to say, this thread has me rethinking our plan a little bit. To wait until March would break my heart and crush me, but I'm curious of ROC is bad enough that it would be worth it to wait.

Thank you!

Just echoing that you do need four separate I-864s! They end up being similar because it's a lot of your information, but do pay attention to Part 5 (the calculation of your household). Your household size should be the same on all four forms, but the way you calculate it will be different on your husband's vs. your stepkids'. I'm in the same boat as you - petitioning my husband and three stepkids - and my advice is make sure that for each of their cases on CEAC, you upload the same financial documents! Even though we as the petitioners see them as "one case," NVC does not while they are reviewing. I forgot to upload one document to my third stepkid's case on CEAC, and the rest got DQ'd, and hers didn't. I had to resubmit and wait for hers to be DQ'd a month later. When their interviews were scheduled, the three who were originally DQ'd first got assigned interviews, and the third stepkid did not. She got approved an expedite, and then was scheduled an interview 2 weeks before the others 🤦🏻‍♀️. So now I'm having to hassle the consulate to move her interview to the same day. All that to say, double and triple check each case before submitting! PS. Happy to see someone else in my situation on here. I haven't come across many people with four cases going on at the same time!

My husband has his interview in September at CDJ in Mexico, and it is required that I (the petitioner) bring my long form birth certificate. Vital records of the county I was born in does not provide short and long form - it's just one kind of certificate. It includes: My full name, DOB, time of birth Hospital name and city/county where I was born Both parents' full names, ages, places of birth, SSNs, and address at the time of my birth Full name, mailing address, and signature of the attendant/doctor Signature of the registrar Is this considered "long form"? I think the words long and short trip me up because I expect the long form certificate to be a full page, and mine is only half a page.