JeffreyAF

@Boiler, yes I've asked my sister if she would be a joint sponsor. I'm sure she would but I would like to avoid it if it's not necessary. My wife also has 2 siblings in the USA under permanent resident visa's. They are both gainfully employed for many years. Does the joint sponsor need to be a US citizen?

Thank you @Boiler for responding with a point for clarification. I am currently employed by the Philippine branch of my global company. My plan is to resign from this position and transition to a role within the US branch of the same company. To facilitate this transition, I intend to secure my employment with the US legal entity 4-6 weeks prior to resigning from my position in the Philippines. This approach mirrors my previous experience when I moved to the Philippines, where I resigned from the US branch and was subsequently hired by the Philippine branch. Regarding remote work, I am unable to work remotely from the Philippines for the US entity due to company policy. Although our company has a "work from anywhere" policy, it restricts remote work outside of one's home country to a maximum of four weeks per year.

Greetings Everyone, I'm reaching out for guidance as I navigate "Step 4 - Affidavit of Support" in the visa process. Please ask me any questions that will assist you in helping me navigate this step. To provide some context, I moved to the Philippines 7 years ago with no plans of returning to the US. However, my family (wife + 2 children with US passports) and I are now excited about the prospect of moving to the US. I have been employed by the same company since 2018 in the Philippines and use my sister’s US address for mailing purposes, as I currently don't have a US residence. In total, I have been with the parent company for 15 years, having worked both in the US and the Philippines. Here’s a detailed look at my situation: Income: I earn approximately $75,000 USD annually in the Philippines. Tax Filing: I’ve consistently filed Federal tax returns every year since 2006 and have been filing joint returns with my wife since 2019. Assets: While I lack savings, I have a retirement plan worth about $25,000, which I plan to cash out upon resignation. Additionally, I will liquidate assets in the Philippines valued around $20,000. I don't have any assets in the US. Family: My wife is a homemaker, has no income, and does not plan to work upon moving to the US. Additionally, my wife currently holds a B1 visa for travel to the US. I am unsure how this might impact or assist with our current immigration process. Here are my questions: Form Selection: Given my circumstances, is it more appropriate to file the I-864 instead of the I-864EZ? If I will file the I-864EZ. Condition 3 specifies that income must be shown on IRS Form W-2s, which I do not have due to my employment in the Philippines. I do possess the BIR Form 2316, the standard tax document here. Financial Sufficiency: Does my financial situation meet the sponsorship requirements, or should I consider having my sister or another family member complete a separate I-864 as a joint sponsor? Employment Contingency: My transfer back to a US-based position hinges on my wife's visa approval. I am not willing to move to the US without my family. How might this affect the affidavit process? Potential Issues: Are there any pitfalls or delays I should anticipate if I am the sole financial sponsor for my wife? Experiences and Advice: Has anyone else faced a similar situation? What steps did you take to ensure a smooth process? I am looking forward to learn from those who have been through this or have expertise in visa-related matters. Thank you in advance for your assistance! Jeff.

Thank you Ontarkie, the intent is not to enter and apply for AOS. I'm just asking if my wife, while visiting on B-2, decides for some reason, maybe due to a family emergency or my health is failing or other legitimate reasons to remain in the US, can she file an AOS.

Hello everyone, My apologies ahead of time if my post is a bit all over the place, I am trying to learn as I go here. I am seeking advice regarding my wife’s immigration process from the Philippines to the US. Here are the details of our situation: My wife currently holds a B-2 Visa. Pending I-130 and I-129f petition in process. Children, ages 1 and 5, have US passports. I have been living in the Philippines since 2018, married in 2018, I haven't left the Philippines since I entered. I plan to accept a new position with my current company in the US in 2025. I intend to relocate myself and our children to the US in 2025 with no return flight. My wife will visit the US shortly after we settle with the intent to return to the Philippines within 6 months. Return flight would be booked for < 6 months after arrival. I have a few questions and would greatly appreciate any advice or experiences you could share: Duration of Stay on B-2 Visa: If my wife visits the US on her B-2 Visa, with the intention of returning in 6 months, what are the concerns and potential complications if we need to apply for an extension after the initial six months? Extension of Stay with Pending I-130: Are there potential complications if we apply for an extension of stay on her B-2 visa while the I-130 petition is pending? What evidence would we need to provide to demonstrate nonimmigrant intent? My wife will be living with her relatives in the Philippines. She is a homemaker and does not have employment nor will she seek employment in the Philippines or the US. NOA2 for I-130 while in the US: What if my wife is visiting and the NOA2 is received\approved for interview? Will there be any additional red flags if she applies for travel extension while waiting for the interview? Change of Status (AOS😞 We know that my wife can apply for AOS while she is in the US on her B-2 Visa. I've read that if an AOS is filed, it should be done after 90 days of entry. Are there any concerns with the timing of the filing of the AOS after arrival to the US? What should we expect during the AOS process? What are the potential risks and complications, especially concerning the intent of her entry on a B-2 visa? Would it be better to not file AOS and have her exist the US before the initial 6 months and then return at a later date for another 6 months duration? Consular Processing: If an AOS is filed, will this negate the need for consular processing and an interview at the US Embassy? Form I-131: If we do file an AOS, my wife may need to travel back to the Philippines while the AOS is processing, I don't know the timeline for AOS. It's my understanding that she should file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document while her AOS is pending. Family Unity: My goal is to keep our family together as much as possible in the US until my wife's I-130\AOS is approved. What are the best strategies to achieve this, considering both AOS and avoiding consular processing? Any advice or insights you can provide will be immensely helpful as we start making decisions. Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Thanks for the reply, I can take the bad news, it will help in making a decision on staying in the Philippines in my current position vs. accepting a new position in the US in 2025. For clarity, my wife does have a US B-2 Visa. My I-130 application was received in May 2024, so I am expecting the USCIS portion to take about 12 months (May 2025). I didn't realize that the Philippine Embassy was in such bad shape that it would take 1 year for an interview. We've been married 6 years and have 2 children, we decided that any decisions we make will always have our family together 100% of the time. We could manage apart for a short time but we don't want to risk any unforeseen events that would keep us apart for an extended period. I've been working in the Philippines with a 13(a) Visa\permanent resident status since 2018. Thankfully I have a US based wage or we would have applied a years ago for her US IR1 Visa. Any more comments are appreciated to help set expectations on the process time.

I applied for my Filipino wife's I-130 in May 2024, the USCIS site indicates today that it will take 10 months estimated time for processing. I received an official receipt notice for the I-129F on August 21, 2024. In my case, I have been living abroad in the Philippines since 2018, married in the Philippines in 2018 and I have not left the country yet. I was anticipating a family vacation to the US in 2025 so my wife has a B-2 Visa. We have 2 children with US passports. In a perfect scenario, I would accept a US based position with my current company (I've worked at for 15 years) and move to the US in May 2025. I was upset to see the decline in the approvals of Non-Immigrant Visa's as I thought this would be a sure path to my hopeful timeline to relocate my family to the US in May 2025. I'll provide an update as I go through the process. This site was helpful to understand expectations, so I hope that my feedback will helpful to someone. Take care, Jeff.