Preparing for I-864

[Bouhaliya 0]

Hi everyone,

I'm a US citizen and I just sent off the I-130. My husband and I are trying to make this process go as quickly as possible because I'm hoping to start a job in September, and we'd like to avoid being separated for too long. In anticipation for the steps to come, we're getting as much of the supporting documents together as possible. So far so good, except that pesky I-864. I'm hoping someone can give me a bit more information about what will and will not be accepted for the I-864 so I can make the appropriate plans accordingly.

Back story: I'm a grad student here in Canada. I make very little money (less than $9,000/year). My husband is also a student here, but he's paid for his research, and has been the primary provider for our household. Off-topic, but relevant to the I-864, I've also not filed US taxes since I've been abroad (since 2009). I know this is irresponsible of me, but frankly, I haven't make enough to owe anything for state OR federal. Question 1: How badly is this going to complicate things for us? Should I go ahead and file back taxes, or are there other ways to "prove" that my income is negligible?

Anyways, in spite of the fact that I don't make anything, my husband is currently in a job that pays $34k/year, and furthermore, we have nearly $17k in various savings. Also, I just recently inherited property in the US that was appraised in 2008 at $188,000. I own half, so effectively, I have $94k. The paperwork hasn't gone through on it yet, but if needed, I can expedite this process and have the necessary proofs to show that this portion of the house is in my name. Question 2: At this point, could this be enough to satisfy that I can "support" us?

Finally, I know that if there is doubt as to whether or not there is sufficient evidence that I can support him that I can always find a co-sponsor. Unfortunately, I'm concerned that my parents can't fill this role for us, as they both work in non-profit jobs and are only paid enough to cover their basic expenses. I do have extended family that may qualify to help us, but I'd rather not involve them if it's not absolutely necessary. With that being said, Question 3 is: If the aforementioned assets that I own are not sufficient to show that I can support my husband, would it be possible for my husband's family to "lend" us money to go in a US savings account (thereby establishing further sources of savings) until all of our paperwork is through? My husband's family is considerably more well-off than anyone in my family, and they'd be happy to help us with the immigration process. Of course, this may not be the most truthful way to handle things, but the fact of the matter is that should we ever fall on hard times while living in the US, they would be able to help us financially.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your comments.