Hi there,

Have had a bit of a delay sending the I-864 form off to the NVC, we were going to use a US Citizen friend of ours as the co-sponsor, but unfortunately he's been taking a while to get his paperwork together, so we're just going to use my father-in-law (as mom-in-law is super organised and has all his tax returns etc for every year sorted out). Basically they're going to mail us the completed I-864A, so my wife can sign and complete her relevant parts on it here, and then we'll forward it to the NVC (although she is living with me in the UK atm, she is still considered a US resident as we are using her parent's address for her paperwork, and she is still registered as living there, so her father is considered a household member).

I have two questions:

1) Do we need to send off an I-864 for my wife together with the I-864A for my Father-in-law, or is just the I-864A sufficient?

2) I realised that on all of the forms, she is listed under my family name, and everything she's done in the UK has been in my family name as well, however her passport, State ID etc is still in her family name - we've got to the NVC so far with no problems, however I was wondering if we should officially change her name on her passport etc (Which she can do through the US Embassy in London) before the interview, in case it causes a problem?

Thanks for any help given! Hopefully will get the I-864/I-864A sent off this week and the DS-230, and get the ball rolling again with the NVC!

FutureAmerican,

1) I-864A is not a stand-alone form. It allows a Sponsor to treat a Household Member's income and assets as their own. That aside, the petitioner must be the Sponsor and a Sponsor's got yo do what a Sponsor's got to do. And that aside, look at an I-864A. What information does it provide?

2) This should not be a problem.

Yodrak

Future American,

Your wife should fill out an I-864 and as a join sponsor, your father in law should fill one out as well. The I-864A is for those who are going to use a house hold members income/assets along with thier income/assets to meet the required income guidelines. A joint sponsor and a sponsor have to fill out the I-864 form.

Dont forget that when sending in these forms to NVC your father in law must include proof of US citizenship by sending his birth cert or bigraphical pages of passport etc.

On the second question, it shouldnt be an issue. I have not had my name changed on my passport, ID etc. and have not had any problems with NVC.

Good luck on your journey and I hope it goes quickly and smoothly for you.

Sherry

Okay, having read the replies and re-read the forms, I think I've figured it out:

- My wife is the sponsor, however she is still listed as being resident with my father-in-law (Although she is currently visiting me in England), and it is the same address as we have used on all correspondance with the immigration authorities, and plan to live at when we move to the US
- My wife will fill out I-864 as the sponsor, however will use my father-in-law's income as he is another household member (filling it in the correct section).
- My father-in-law will fill out I-864A, and send it off to us with the relevant tax returns (should I include a couple of bank statements/bills etc to prove he lives in the same address, and do I have to do this for my wife as well?)
- I send back the completed I-864, and I-864A forms together with the supporting documents to NVC in one package.

Please let me know if I've figured this one out correctly, or am completely on the wrong track!

Finally, the way I see it we have two options:

- Father-in-law fills out I-864 as a joint sponsor, and wife fills out I-864 as sponsor
- Wife fills out I-864, uses Father-in-laws income to supplement her own as he is a household member, father-in-law fills out I-864A

The second one appears to be the slightly easier option, but please correct me if I'm mistaken with any of this!

FA, sounds like you've got it mate.

The choice of which option to use is up to you.