Minimum Income Requirements

[amy83 0]

Hello,

I am Canadian going to be marrying an American, and we are going to go the CR-1 spouse visa route. I am having a bit of difficulty locating the income requirements other than 125% above poverty line for the state of PA. Does anyone know or have a link to the appropriate info regarding how much money my boyfriend has to make in order to be able to sponser me and our son (who was born in Canada but has blood right to american citizenship)??

Secondly, I read that the past 3 tax returns had to be submitted. What if he only has this year and last year (due to starting up a business right after school and not making any income prior to that). Does this mean we will have to get his dad or someone else to sign the support papers even if he is making enough money now?

Thanks in advance!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Hello,

I am Canadian going to be marrying an American, and we are going to go the CR-1 spouse visa route. I am having a bit of difficulty locating the income requirements other than 125% above poverty line for the state of PA. Does anyone know or have a link to the appropriate info regarding how much money my boyfriend has to make in order to be able to sponser me and our son (who was born in Canada but has blood right to american citizenship)??

Secondly, I read that the past 3 tax returns had to be submitted. What if he only has this year and last year (due to starting up a business right after school and not making any income prior to that). Does this mean we will have to get his dad or someone else to sign the support papers even if he is making enough money now?

Thanks in advance!

2009 Support Requirements - with a family of three - your looking for $22,887.

It's federal - not state.

Submit what you have. (2 years) - make note of why.

Edited March 9, 2009 by Bobby_Umit

[OBX 51]

Hello,

I am Canadian going to be marrying an American, and we are going to go the CR-1 spouse visa route. I am having a bit of difficulty locating the income requirements other than 125% above poverty line for the state of PA. Does anyone know or have a link to the appropriate info regarding how much money my boyfriend has to make in order to be able to sponser me and our son (who was born in Canada but has blood right to american citizenship)??

Secondly, I read that the past 3 tax returns had to be submitted. What if he only has this year and last year (due to starting up a business right after school and not making any income prior to that). Does this mean we will have to get his dad or someone else to sign the support papers even if he is making enough money now?

Thanks in advance!

Here's the link to the poverty guidelines.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1327.html

Technically when submitting the I-864 (Affidavit of Support) only the previous year is required. However, to be safe many people (ourselves included) submitted the past three years.

If you are just beginning the process now, by the time you are required to submit your support evidence your husband would have almost two full years to report (if I am understanding you correctly) so you will proably be okay. It may depend on how far above the $ limit you are, how stable his employment is etc. Best of luck on your journey.

Anyone else have any experience with this?

Edited March 9, 2009 by OBX

[YuAndDan 153]

Note: I-864 is NOT needed when you file the I-130, it will be needed later when NVC requests it.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=61182

[Mononoke28 137]

The Poverty Guidelines are for everybody regardless of which state the petitionary lives.

The I-864 actually only requires a copy of the tax return for the most recent year but most send in the tax returns of the last 3 years just in case. So if you only have last year's return, that's fine.

Diana

[trailmix 77]

Hi Amy,

The Poverty guidelines you should be using are on a form called the I-864P - you can view the 2009 guidelines here.

As for your Son, are you applying for a visa for him as well and will he be then claiming his citizenship upon admission on an immigrant visa or have you already registered his birth abroad?

If he is 'immigrating' and becomes eligible to claim his citizenship upon arrival with his visa, you can then use the I-864W for him. Basically that is the waiver for him having to be included on the I-864.

"Certain classes of immigrants are exempt from the I-864 requirement and therefore must file Form I-864W instead of Form I-864 or Form I-864EZ"

No you shouldn't need a joint sponsor. You just have to write a note stating why he did not file taxes that year.

[OBX 51]

Amy

OOPS. Disregard my link to the guidelines - they are for 2008 not the new ones. Sorry.