DCF FILING: from those who have gone through it recently

Great news WebyJ!  Good luck to you!!   

Just an update from me on our DCF application.
We sent our paperwork to the embassy at the end of June and were given a filing date of July 2.  As of Sep 28 they had reached our date.  I received a letter from USCIS on Oct 1 asking for more information concerning when/how/where my spouse and I met and married. 
They also asked for 3 affidavits sworn to by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of your relationship with the beneficiary.  I'm not sure if that means they must sign the letter I am sending to the embassy or if they must write one of their own.  I think I will ask them to do both, just in case.
Feeling a bit depressed about the extra step but oh well.

Just an update from me on our DCF application.
We sent our paperwork to the embassy at the end of June and were given a filing date of July 2.  As of Sep 28 they had reached our date.  I received a letter from USCIS on Oct 1 asking for more information concerning when/how/where my spouse and I met and married. 
They also asked for 3 affidavits sworn to by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of your relationship with the beneficiary.  I'm not sure if that means they must sign the letter I am sending to the embassy or if they must write one of their own.  I think I will ask them to do both, just in case.
Feeling a bit depressed about the extra step but oh well.

We received the same RFE, and had to do the 3 sworn affadavits. There is a format (look at visajourney.com) you can follow, but have them write it so it is coming from them, not a letter you have written. They must be notarized as well.

At the bottom of the letter it says "Affidavits do not need to be notarized; the affidavit only requires the bold statement listed above "I declare etc.""   Maybe that's a recent change.

At the bottom of the letter it says "Affidavits do not need to be notarized; the affidavit only requires the bold statement listed above "I declare etc.""   Maybe that's a recent change.

Interesting, ours 2 years ago had to be, but this makes it easier for you guys!

Hi we are fixing to start this process and are reading some similar situations. Can anyone tell me what's required of the sponser or what the 125% poverty line amount is for a family of 4. We have to sell our house to free up the liquid assests or both cars might get close. From what I have read it actually seems  a lot easier than what I went through to get my indefinite leave to remain.
Also, we have been married 7 years and have had 2 children here, what do they require in regards to the 3 signed affidavits?
Thanks to anyone who has recent info.

I was never asked for 3 signed affidavits. Not everyone is. We'd been married just over 2 years and we had a 2 year old when we applied.

Here's the link to the Q&A on the I-864 (Affidavit of Support).

And the Poverty Level Guidelines: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864p.pdf for a family of 4 looks like it would be $27,562.

Thanks Weby I was scared it was going to be 4x that!

Thanks Weby I was scared it was going to be 4x that!

Actually if you're doing it on assets alone it's 5 times that amount. That amount is if you have income that can be used to meet the requirement.

This is the poverty guideline for 2010.
http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864p.pdf
For a household of 4 the 125% line is $27,562.

This is the sponsor information.
http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864.pdf
It's alot to read and it's aimed at sponsors living in the US.  It can be a little confusing but just remember to "adjust" to a DCF way of thinking.     Does that make sense?

I believe we were asked to provide affidavits because we've been married less than 3 years.  You may not have to do that.

Actually if you're doing it on assets alone it's 5 times that amount. That amount is if you have income that can be used to meet the requirement.

Unless it is you sponsoring your spouse and children correct?  Then it is only three times.  That is what I thought from reading the application.

Unless it is you sponsoring your spouse and children correct?  Then it is only three times.  That is what I thought from reading the application.

That's what I thought as well but it said that if the income falls short of the poverty level then if the sponsored immigrant is the spouse or children of a US Citizen then you need assets totalling three times the difference between the income & the poverty level. So I am assuming since it specifically mentions that it's 'three times the difference' between income & poverty level that there needs to be some sort of income that is counted.

What Cash Value of Assets is Needed?

The total net value of assets, less liens and liabilities against them, must equal five times the difference between the sponsor's income and 125% of the poverty level for the household size

Sponsors of spouses and children of U.S. citizens must only prove assets valued at three times the difference between the poverty guideline and actual household income.

I could be wrong and trying to read too much into it. I'd love to be wrong. If I am, that's a bonus to me in a different way.

The whole asking for RFE seems to be random, we also have a child who was 8 months at the time, and had been married just short of 2 years, so there is no rule that says if you have kids you won't be asked for them.

When it states that your income has to exceed 125% of the poverty guidelines does that mean you can count the income from UK job (that is being given up when moving to the US) or can you only use income if you have a job you are going to after the move to the US?

You may include the net value of your home as an asset.  The net value of the home is the appraised value of the home,minus the sum of any and all loans secured by a mortgage,trust deed, or other lien on the home.

The move to the US for most people is predicated on sale of the house.  I notice this seems to suggest that you can include the net house value even if you haven't sold it.  Can you apply before you've sold your house with the intention of selling it after DCF is completed?

You may not include the net value an automobile unless you show that you have more than one automobile, and at least one automobile is not included as an asset.

Looks like you can only sell a second, third, etc car, the primary car can't be included in assets!

However,if you are a U.S. citizen and you are sponsoring your spouseor minor child, the total value of your assets must only beequal to at least three times the difference.

According to the example, they're sponsoring a parent so the 5x minimum is required.  However, a family unit of spouse and minors I took to mean 3x.  If you had no income then your income is $0 so you have to have 3 x 125% poverty guidelines in total assets - $0.  This is a hefty amount no matter what size your family so it'd be interesting to know whether the unsold house appraised value definitely counts as it seems to indicate.  Otherwise, for most people a job offer or even having started a job in the US seems like an absolute necessity.

I have spent a good amount of time looking into this now and Weby from what I have seen both on the Embassy page and on other message boards, if you are sponsoring your spouse and/or child/ren then it is only 3x even if you are just using all assests.

You can not use a UK job that will be ending. 

You can use your house, although I have heard that this is increasingly difficult and might not work given the fluctuation in the market.