Will student loans help re-establish domicile?

[MordecaiRigby 29]

Hello,

We are getting ready to mail our I-130 package (hopefully it'll happen next week), but I'm already thinking about the next step.

We live in Poland together, so we will be filing from abroad. My husband (US citizen) has students loans back in the US, which he is currently paying off with his Polish salary.

Can we use this as a fact to help him re-establish his domicile in USA? I mean, after all, if he is paying off his student loans that means that he considers USA to be his domicile, right?

Or will it not help us, because it will show that he is financially unstable (we will need a joint sponsor anyway)?

Does anybody have experience with student loans and re-establishing domicile?

Thanks in advance for any info and tips.

[canadian_wife 1,831]

Loans can be paid from anywhere in the world, as you see. Your husband is living in Poland and paying off his loans. He has been doing this since he moved to Poland. How does this reestablish domicile? It is just being a good, responsible person, not showing that he intends to live in the US

How strict is Poland for domicile issues? Montreal is very strict so I am looking at your case through that lens

good luck

[dwheels76 5,486]

Hello,

We are getting ready to mail our I-130 package (hopefully it'll happen next week), but I'm already thinking about the next step.

We live in Poland together, so we will be filing from abroad. My husband (US citizen) has students loans back in the US, which he is currently paying off with his Polish salary.

Can we use this as a fact to help him re-establish his domicile in USA? I mean, after all, if he is paying off his student loans that means that he considers USA to be his domicile, right?

Or will it not help us, because it will show that he is financially unstable (we will need a joint sponsor anyway)?

Does anybody have experience with student loans and re-establishing domicile?

Thanks in advance for any info and tips.

Here's a nice list to re-establish Domicile from the NVC Process wiki. Student Loan no. You need way more than that.

Domicile

Please note, if the petitioner lives with the beneficiary abroad, you'll need to provide proof of US domicile with the AOS package, as well as bring it with you to the interview. Please read the I-864 instructions (pages 3 and 4) for information about it. This is NOT needed if the petitioner is living in the US. Here is a sample cover letter to include in the package (it lists MANY possible documents, some may not be applicable, of course, to prove that you have, or will re-establish, domicile in the US):

NAME

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

Form I-864

Part 4, Question 5: Country of Domicile

I, XXXX, am currently residing in FOREIGN COUNTRY with my spouse, SPOUSE'S NAME. Below you will find a list of attached documents to show that my principal residence is in the US and the steps that I have taken to return to the US with my family.

Steps I have taken to maintain US Domicile:

• Maintained my XXXX voter registration

• Maintained my XXXX credit card registered in the US with a US PO box

• Maintained my bank account at the XXXX Credit Union

• Maintained my bank account at XXXX Bank

• Maintained my XXXX drivers license

• Maintained my US retirement fund through XXXX

• Maintained my US investment account with XXXX

• Maintained my US PO box

• Maintained licensure by the XXXX

• Maintained membership in the XXXX

• Maintained my automobile in care of my parents

Supporting Documents for the above steps I have taken:

• Voter registration card showing permanent US address

• XXXX credit card statement showing US billing address

• XXXX Credit Union statement showing permanent US address

• XXXX Bank statement showing permanent US address

• XXXX drivers license showing permanent US address

• Retirement fund statement showing permanent US address

• Mutual fund statement showing permanent US address

• XXXX license currently up to date

• Renewal of XXXX membership

• County tax bill showing I still own a vehicle

Steps I have taken to return to the US to take up residence:

• Made arrangements for us to have a house to live in

• Contacted schools for requirements of things to bring to register my children in school

• Contacted my auto insurance company to find out about re-instating my insurance on my car

• Contacted shipping company for estimate of costs to ship belongings

Supporting documents for the above steps I have taken:

• Lease agreement for our house

• Email from schools regarding registration requirements

• Email from my former auto insurance company regarding my inquiry

• Email from XXXX with estimate and correspondence regarding shipping our belongings

I declare that I intend in good faith to re-establish my domicile in the United States no later than the date of spouse's admission into the US.

I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the statements in this letter and all accompanying evidence are true and correct.

Signature: ____________________________________________________ Date: ______________________

[MordecaiRigby 29]

Thank you for your answers.

dwheels76's list looks pretty impressive, sure, but in our case most of these things are just not going to happen.

The only thing we do have from that list:

- drivers license (which expires next year )

- US bank account with credit card

No kids yet, so we will not be contacting any schools.

No car owned in the US (and we are not gonna get one while we still live abroad).

No house owned - we plan to live my mother-in-law for the first few years.

What I think we can do is register my husband to vote.

I have no idea how strict they will be. This whole "proving-your-domicile" thing seems quite absurd for me, and frankly I don't understand the purpose. Why would we do all the paperwork and pay the visa fees if we weren't gonna move?

[aaron2020 11,652]

Thank you for your answers.

dwheels76's list looks pretty impressive, sure, but in our case most of these things are just not going to happen.

The only thing we do have from that list:

- drivers license (which expires next year )

- US bank account with credit card

No kids yet, so we will not be contacting any schools.

No car owned in the US (and we are not gonna get one while we still live abroad).

No house owned - we plan to live my mother-in-law for the first few years.

What I think we can do is register my husband to vote.

I have no idea how strict they will be. This whole "proving-your-domicile" thing seems quite absurd for me, and frankly I don't understand the purpose. Why would we do all the paperwork and pay the visa fees if we weren't gonna move?

Hi,

It's best not to question the logics of things that we can not change. It only leads to frustration.

It's best to comply with what is required and be done with it.

Many couples have to endure some separation because of the domicile issue. Your husband may have to move to the U.S. before you.

Best of luck