Do need meet poverty guidelines. HELP!!!!

[xprecious32 50]

Filed I-130, received NOA1 and now just waiting for NOA2, in the meantime figured we get the I-864 ready and realized he doesn't meet the income poverty guidelines. He's $861.00 short of meeting them. We have no assets. So how picky are they? Will the application be denied for $861.00?? What are our options? Please help

[florida4life 29]

get yourself a co-sponsor

[xprecious32 50]

We don't know any people that would be able to co-sponsor

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Filed I-130, received NOA1 and now just waiting for NOA2, in the meantime figured we get the I-864 ready and realized he doesn't meet the income poverty guidelines. He's $861.00 short of meeting them. We have no assets. So how picky are they? Will the application be denied for $861.00?? What are our options? Please help

Yes they will deny for being under it, doesn't matter if it's just by $0.05. Rules are rules. They recently denied a citizenship application because it was filed 1 day early. That's how strict the are.

He will need to either get another job to bolster his earnings, or find a joint sponsor.

[xprecious32 50]

How does getting another job help, when they only go by your tax return, that would mean we'd have to wait till after he filed his 2013 taxes to prove his income met or exceeded the requirements. And as for a joint sponsor, don't they have to reside with him. He lives with his 3 minor children and no one else.

[slvrfx576 15]

Current 2013 income can be proved by paystubs, employment letter, etc. You do not have to wait to file taxes.

Joint sponsor does not have to reside with the petitioner.

[SarahBear 4]

I'm assuming you're husband and wife since you're filing IR/CR1. So basically, if you don't have a joint sponsor, you'd need to prove you have $2583.00 in assets if you can't hit the income requirement though actual income. By the way, that $2583 number comes from multiplying $861 (the amt you're short) by 3, which is what the instructions say to do if you're using assets to sponsor your spouse.

Do you have any money in your checking/savings accounts that you can pool together and use as assets? What about IRA/401K accounts? That is how my husband and I met the poverty guidelines. My US based job doesn't pay enough but we have assets we used to meet the financial requirements. We also don't have anyone who would be willing to be a joint sponsor so that was our only option.

Maybe you don't have "cash" assets, but do you have anything of value like gold or silver coins? What about any savings bonds you may have put away somewhere?

Do you guys have a 2nd car? As long as the value of that second car is greater than $2583.00 you can use the value of the 2nd car.

If you don't have any of that and need to come up with quick cash, is there anything around the house you could sell on ebay for money? If you can show the money in an account you'll be good.

Don't worry, you'll figure out a way to come up with the money somehow. You're really not even that far off from the number, you can do it! Hopefully my ideas helped. Good luck!

[xprecious32 50]

I'm assuming you're husband and wife since you're filing IR/CR1. So basically, if you don't have a joint sponsor, you'd need to prove you have $2583.00 in assets if you can't hit the income requirement though actual income. By the way, that $2583 number comes from multiplying $861 (the amt you're short) by 3, which is what the instructions say to do if you're using assets to sponsor your spouse.

Do you have any money in your checking/savings accounts that you can pool together and use as assets? What about IRA/401K accounts? That is how my husband and I met the poverty guidelines. My US based job doesn't pay enough but we have assets we used to meet the financial requirements. We also don't have anyone who would be willing to be a joint sponsor so that was our only option.

Maybe you don't have "cash" assets, but do you have anything of value like gold or silver coins? What about any savings bonds you may have put away somewhere?

Do you guys have a 2nd car? As long as the value of that second car is greater than $2583.00 you can use the value of the 2nd car.

If you don't have any of that and need to come up with quick cash, is there anything around the house you could sell on ebay for money? If you can show the money in an account you'll be good.

Don't worry, you'll figure out a way to come up with the money somehow. You're really not even that far off from the number, you can do it! Hopefully my ideas helped. Good luck!

Thank you, we have thought of these things as well. He does have a coin collection that we are going to get appraised, we each have 1 vehicle, we have a little money saved, but it's to pay for the paperwork. I just looked at his most recent pay stub, and it looks like we may be okay if it takes a while for I-130 to be approved. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the info.

So when we fill out the I-864, we fill it out as they require with his tax return info and then just include his most recent pay stubs and a letter from his employer and proof of any moneys in bank accounts, and we should be ok?

[SarahBear 4]

Thank you, we have thought of these things as well. He does have a coin collection that we are going to get appraised, we each have 1 vehicle, we have a little money saved, but it's to pay for the paperwork. I just looked at his most recent pay stub, and it looks like we may be okay if it takes a while for I-130 to be approved. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the info.

So when we fill out the I-864, we fill it out as they require with his tax return info and then just include his most recent pay stubs and a letter from his employer and proof of any moneys in bank accounts, and we should be ok?

If you each have 1 vehicle, I'm 99% sure you can use the value of 1 of those vehicles to meet the requirements so you should be good! There are details on that in the instructions for the I-864. I'd read over those instructions again to make sure you're doing it right if you use the value of the 2nd car as an asset.

I would submit his tax return, recent pay stubs, employment letter, bank statements (I sent all statements from the past 3 months), and just in case I'd send in details about the value of the 2nd car (I think KBB value should do) and maybe send the car's title/registration info with it. There may be specific instructions about that in the I-864 instructions. You'll want to check those out anyway.

Good luck! Honestly, your case sounds more likely to be approved than mine. We're relying heavily on assets in my IRA/401K and sadly there are no set in stone rules about whether or not those assets can be used to make the income guidelines. It depends on the officer looking at your petition, which is totally unfair IMHO.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

How does getting another job help, when they only go by your tax return, that would mean we'd have to wait till after he filed his 2013 taxes to prove his income met or exceeded the requirements. And as for a joint sponsor, don't they have to reside with him. He lives with his 3 minor children and no one else.

No they don't... they go by CURRENT income. Please re-read the instructions. You would prove "current income" with pay stubs and a letter from employer.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thank you, we have thought of these things as well. He does have a coin collection that we are going to get appraised, we each have 1 vehicle, we have a little money saved, but it's to pay for the paperwork. I just looked at his most recent pay stub, and it looks like we may be okay if it takes a while for I-130 to be approved. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the info.

So when we fill out the I-864, we fill it out as they require with his tax return info and then just include his most recent pay stubs and a letter from his employer and proof of any moneys in bank accounts, and we should be ok?

where it says "income" you put CURRENT income, not what the tax return says (there's a different section of the form for that). To calculate current income multiply his most recent pay stubs by whatever amount necessary to make it 12 months of income.

for a family of 2, you pretty much only need to make approximately $11.75 an hour . You can make $11.00 an hour at the mall ...

Not in my state you don't.

My husband worked full time and studied full time in order to meet the requirements. For students it's not always easy.

Please refrain from the judgmental comments. It is against the TOS.

[Ban Hammer 12,848]

one judgmental post removed, one post that adds nothing beneficial to the conversation removed, and one post removed for quoting removed content.

please provide helpful replies to the op and refrain from any snarky/judgmental postings

[Boiler 43,543]

Strongly recommend reading the actual requirements specified on the form.

[NikLR 13,220]

How does getting another job help, when they only go by your tax return, that would mean we'd have to wait till after he filed his 2013 taxes to prove his income met or exceeded the requirements. And as for a joint sponsor, don't they have to reside with him. He lives with his 3 minor children and no one else.

as per a joint sponsor, no a joint sponsor can be ANYONE, US citizen or US Legal Permanent Resident. They do not have to be related or living with the petitioner.

[Juliet and Steve 93]

Is that a $861 shortfall per year, or per month?

If it's a shortfall of $861 per year a 2nd job, perhaps a Saturday of 8 hours @$10/hour will do the trick.

After it's over--quit if it suits him.