Joint Sponsors etc

Help, help, help, some issues for expert "re-pats" to get their heads around- if you can help me?!

Time is finally here  to begin the process, we were holding on, saving as much as poss and trying to time it right - except, I face a potential redundancy in early 2005 now, which could throw a big spanner in the works.

MIL's partner- has offered us money to start the process sooner( pay for the Immigration paperwork costs/flight for hubby etc) and they plan to get a larger 2 bed apartment for us to move into, clearning the way for us to start the process now, rather than as planned in the next couple of months.

Problem is.........does this mean, that the household size for I-864 is considered to be 4, as he might be a joint sponsor with my husband (we are not sure of this yet, it seemed too rude to clarify this when he sweetly thought the financial angle would solve it all for us - and that BOTH my he & my husband need to meet the income level set for 2004 (2003 is still on the website).

The plan was to send hubby out in a few more mths of earning money, keep paying the bills etc, however, if I do find myself redundant, this could have an adverse reaction on our application, as we would not then have my current income as an asset to count?? ( pay out if any will be low, I have only been there 4 yrs) and if that happened when applic. pending, I wouldn't be able to apply for any benefit assistance also - can see a big black hole looming here and yet also a solution!

I hope this makes sense, I am SO confused, we had a plan and redundancy didn't come into that ( the only thing that didn't!) and so now worried about the timing of everything and if we are not ready, when Immigration is and vice versa.

Can anyone offer any insight or advice? We are so desperate to get back, my husband really is terribly unhappy here, but we are so worried about him going and then having problems getting a job ans timing my leaving just right as I have a flat and notice to give in order to move into somewhere smaller (read cheaper) on my own etc and what position that would leave us in.

thanks
Sheril.

(So far, have sent off for PC and requested Immunization record/necessary shots).

The joint sponsor needs to be an American Citizen, as they are saying to the US government "Yes, if these people go on welfare I'm a USC who is willing to keep them so they don't become a charge." - so your FIL can't be a sponsor.

As far as the household size goes... I'm not really sure about that... but I do know that they expect you to have a lot of money and/or assets to do this. We didn't. We have precisely squat. So my brother in the US was (is) our joint sponsor. He found it pretty pain-free to do the paperwork. I don't know if the 4 of you are living together, if they would even care about your in-laws assets etc - despite the fact that you live with them - because that doesn't really affect your life in the US - you can't take their money with you sort of thing. I think I'm unclear about your situation - are you living with them? Or are you just talking as if you were going to use FiL as a joint sponsor?

Also - the route of you going to the US and filing from there takes a lot longer than you staying in the UK and doing it through the DCF process. The DCF process is the quickest way, and most people are finding that it takes 3 months if you file your I-130 and his DS-230 stuff together (as described in the COmprehensive DCF TImeline thread).

my post was clear as mud - sorry!

We are both here in the UK, the USC & myself and plan to file DCF, then send him over to USA to set up domicile (like you, we have diddly squat, next few mths are for saving money/paying bills)- I was planning to line up the mother in law's partner as a joint sponsor, in the event that my Husband does not get a job quickly and does not meet the income level necessary.

I guess I am terrified that if my Husband goes over (leaving his job here behind that counted in the first part of the petition) but then he cannot find a job for some reason that this will be a huge problem in him being my only Sponsor as I will have little in the way of assets, particularly if I am laid off early 2005.

I then wondered as we would be living in my MIL's apartment and that would make us 4 adults, does that then mean with the partner being a joint-sponsor- that the household size is 4 and thus higher.

I presume it depends on how long can pass between filing the I-130 and then the Aff of Support?

I had it straight in my head, until yesterday when he offered to lend us the money to get going with it all NOW rather than later and we would both like to strike now before I am really in the creek without a paddle, with no income at all and no recourse to public funds I have contributed to since I was 15 yrs old- purely because it would make me look bad to the US government!

I think!


Sheril

So you are the UK Citizen, your husband is American. ?
And you Mother in Law, who is an American Citizen living in the US, has offered to be a joint sponsor?
And the 2 of you will be living with her when you first get to the States?

Sorry if I'm being daft, I just want to make sure I unsderstand! This stuff gets confusing!

Definately not you being daft MY head being scrambled and not translating well on forums!

You are correct, except, his Mum's "partner" has offered as he has more income than her ( but they are not married), at this point though, not sure what his income is, but he is a veteran and I understand his pension alone is decent on top of his salary.

If my husband goes back after filing the I-130 here and getting a job that meets the criteria, then we will not need a joint sponsor, I am thinking in terms of if that doesn't happen easily/quickly there ( hearing conflicting reports on the job markets there right now) and aware that early in the year may not be the best time for looking for a new job............

Everytime I get this straight in my head, I relax, forget about it and then read something else that applies and it all starts all over again - however - didn't mean to do the same to you

Forgive me!

Cool! Facts sorted then! 

Don't worry about it - my brain is 75% mush at the moment anyway!

Enter my opinion - - I still think your best bet is for him to stay in the UK, and to not go to the US hoping to snag a job that would make a joint-sponsor unnecessary. Only because there is always the risk of him not finding a job and you being separated for months on end. And if you've already got someone willing to sponsor - then it seems the easiest way to go.

Look up the story of Laurie and Bruinbrooke - they separated (I think in similar circumstances?) and said that they'd have done it differently because they ended up being separated a lot longer than they thought.

Also, the DCF process is pretty painless. If your mother in law makes hardly any money at all (the joint sponsor has to make surprisingly little money) - then they'll accept it and you'll both be on your way, together, in about 3 months time. And if he can't find a job right away - at least you are together, there, and sorted. I think it would be okay for your MIL's partner to be the joint-sponsor, I'm pretty sure the sponsor doesn't have to be related to you, though I can try to doible check on that later tonight when I've got some more research-time on my hands. (In other words, when the baby has gone to bed!)

Does that make sense?

It does make sense - except...........if we did wait to go together - then that's two jobless people that turn up without any income or anything to fall back on ( potentially couple thousand dollars, and isn't that precisely when we would need a joint sponsor ? ( as it happens they wouldn't make enough to support two of us if there was a prolonged period of unemployment for any reason) hence the reason I was going to stay here and keep my income 'til the last possible moment??

Where am I going wrong with what you're saying- I am being incredibly thick and not getting it???

I will re-visit Laurie & Brookes story again though, see what I am missing!

A short(ish) separation will be no biggie to us, married 8 years and this is for the *greater good* as it were, but I cannot afford to end up here jobless either!!!

ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!

Please don't put yourself out when young master marlspo is asleep! no great rush

many thanks ......
Sheril.

If you are fairly confident that your husband could find a job in the US by going ahead before you... then I think it would be worth it to wait 3 months and go together - because his chances of getting a job would be the exact same.

Basically, I see it like this:

He Goes Before You: He risks not getting a job and delaying the process.

He Goes With You: He still risks not getting a job, but at least your chances of income have doubled because you are there and could get a job.

We were in the same position. We thought we'd be moving over there with both of us jobless, but we were still going to go together. If he couldn't find anything, I could at least pick up something small & retailey to get us by (we'd have been living with parents as well) - which would have been a start, and would have been bettter than a (potentially very long) separation.

And no - the joint sponsor only comes into play if you'd be in the position of becoming a public charge. Things like Welfare & Unemployment.

Plus, I think there is real emotional benefit in just getting the process over and done with ASAP. You've got everything you need in line: you are two employable people with temporary housing waiting for you in the States and people willing to sponsor you. So it is a straight-forward application - which is a great position to be in. And having gone through the process myself, I'd try to avoid as many extra scenarios as possible. Financially, it doesn't seem like it would make that much of a difference for you guys to separate - but I don't konw how mcuh you earn. I'm not saying the way you were planning to do it is wrong, I just think it might be inviting a potential problem - and I'm paranoid and angsty enough with Immigration to just try to take the easiest route wherever and whenever possible.

Well, I have had some serious thinking to do about all of this and thank you very much for your considered input.  I still think that I ought to be here still earning for a while (we have two loan payments that must go out each month regardless and just in case we dont get jobs, that could be putting financial situation at risk).

BUT....since I posted, the MIL's partner has agreed to be joint-sponsor - he says whatever it takes, he is happy to do. Yesterday, they viewed a great apartment, which is twice the size of the one they have now in a decent area (employment wise, transport wise ( I dont drive!) and generally speaking).

I now need to work out what happens with the timing of filing the first part and then the second part with a gap in between.

I do absolutely agree with you about the emotional benefit though, that is a very valid point, for a moment after reading this I thought, gosh, she is so right, it would be good to just actually jump in together...........but sadly, some financial stuff always gets in the way.  Also, if we don't time it right, I could lose a potential £1000 deposit on this flat, if I don't follow the notice period properly and that will also be a big help.

If you have any further words of wisdom about the length of time between filing the I-130 and then one partner leaving to set up domicile and the other sending the next stage in, I would be very glad to hear it and

thank you again

Sheril.

Sara- just found this post of yours on Stock take...............


We've supplied all of our paperwork and are now just waiting for an interview date. I have to fill out my I-864 yet (need to make a call to the IRS because I didn't know that I had to file in the US even though I lived here all of 2003), but that's all. I'm heading to the US on holiday on the 30th with my son - husband isn't going since it jeopardizes the process. :/ Waiting to hear from his company about our official offer, like if they'll help with shipping, what his salary will be etc... just waiting waiting waiting!

and wondered roughly how long you waited in between the filing of the I-130 and the I-864 ? Is there a statute of limitations at that stage or anything? I understand it would delay the application, but I would feel more comfortable if the first bit was done ASAP but that I could hold off on the 1-864 to play a timing game where possible!

I know this is more complicated- but this could well be the answer for us ( said with a little feeling of cheer

Sheril

Funnily enough, I am still waiting for our tax returns to come back from the States - as we didn't realise we had to file there either 

Hiya Sheril,

Im so busy Im out of my mind - so I havent been able to dive into this thread and dig up some answers for you like I wish I could. I just wanted to throw in my best wishes and let you know my thoughts (what's left of them!) are with you and your hubby as you embark on your application process. As soon as my wordly goods are away at the end of the day on wednesday, I'll have a proper read and see if there's anything usefull I can contribute. Until then, take care and dont stress! Its the moving house thats the hardest part!!

*hugs*
Sarah

Hey Sarah

That was just the nicest message to come home to - thank you! No pressure at all though, with Sara and a baby and moving and you moving too and all that entails- good lord, I don't know you two gals do it AND moderate!!

Seriously - thank you, I know you will take a look when you are able and I am more than happy to wait I am just finally SO excited that there is a glimmer of action finally for us, so my mind is going all over the place, even when I have calmly bookmarked everything and so on

hugs to you too and hope all remains calm and serene - deep breath honey!

Sheril

You bring the I-864 with you on your interview date, you don't mail it, so I filled mine out about 2 weeks before our interview. For joint sponsors - they fill out the same paperwork and mail it to you. You bring their paperwork to the interview as well - again you don't mail it - they will ask for both separately. Nice, cause it buys a bit of time.