Trying to marry a french citizen, don't understand times

[bostonparis 0]

>>

Nope, they need original signatures in ink. A photocopied signature will lead to a RFE (see next paragraph). Can she afford the money to ship it by a faster method? I ended up having to DHL stuff to France at one point.<<

Yeah, we can do that. It just sucks that I can't mail off the stuff tomorrow.

>>Look at it this way. The employment situation in France is horrible and France is being loaded with immigrants. They want as many people out of the country as possible. If they're going to deny a person from leaving, they're gonna have a dayum good reason for it. <<

Heh, she told me to move their because immigration is so easy.

>>Does your sponsor make 125% of the poverty guidelines for their household plus 1 more?<<

I don't know what the poverty guidelines are, but my grandmother makes about 500k plus her assets (but she REFUSES to tell the government what she has). She lives with my grandfather who supports himself. I only say the number because I read a case in one of the guides where the person was denied because they were on disability (I'm on SSI).

>>

They asked my fiance 4 questions: what's her name, how did you meet, what does she do for a living, and what do you plan on doing once you're in the States. They didn't look at a single shred of proof of ongoing relationship. He was in the embassy for an hour and a half and most of that time was spent waiting to be called in.

<<

Should she have a job or is stating she plans to work as well as going to university enough?

Hi - good luck with this process. Sounds like you have a lot of questions that can really be answered by reading not only the guides, but also reading through a lot of the posts on here. Reading through peoples' experiences really helped me a lot, and getting one persons' answers, while very helpful, does not give you a true picture.

Best of luck! My fiance has his interview in Paris next week, and the process for us has been pretty easy. We started in October when we mailed in our I-129F, got one RFE, and it was approved at the end of December in Vermont.

[RosaMystica7 0]

Yeah, we can do that. It just sucks that I can't mail off the stuff tomorrow.

Better to wait a week for the required forms than to have the case delayed for a month because of a RFE.

Heh, she told me to move their because immigration is so easy.

My fiance said he met a few US citizens living in France and they had told him immigration isn't all that simple. We never looked into it further because I don't speak French, unemployment is high and it's even higher for foreigners, I don't like most French food, etc. He's lived in the States before, he's fluent in English, he wants to go to an American college, etc. It just worked out for him to move here.

I don't know what the poverty guidelines are

Here you go. So if your grandma's household is herself and her husband, she'll have to be making 125% of the poverty guidelines for a household of 3 - $20,750/year.

I only say the number because I read a case in one of the guides where the person was denied because they were on disability (I'm on SSI).

They're only concerned with making sure the immigrant won't become a public charge. If your sponsor meets the requirement, you shouldn't have a problem.

Should she have a job or is stating she plans to work as well as going to university enough?

My fiance's response to that interview question was, "Marry my fiance, take the first job I can get once I have working papers, and live happily ever after!" to which the interviewer laughed.

Best of luck! My fiance has his interview in Paris next week, and the process for us has been pretty easy. We started in October when we mailed in our I-129F, got one RFE, and it was approved at the end of December in Vermont.

Woohoo it's getting close! Good luck to you both!

[Ephesus 0]

Should I even state I have a job in the G-325a form? I put Social Security, but I think that could harm the application?

Thanks for your responses; they've been most helpful.

[rebeccajo 14]

Regarding the G325A -

Each form contains the same information but if you look at the bottom, you will see they have different numbers in one of the corners.

DO NOT PHOTOCOPY the top one, make 3 more copies and sign them.

Print out all four and sign all four.

Should I even state I have a job in the G-325a form? I put Social Security, but I think that could harm the application?

Please clarify this question.

[RosaMystica7 0]

If you have a job and you're not getting paid off the books, yes, state it in the G-325a.

[Ephesus 0]

I am on social security benefits (SSI) and put down "Social Security" and under position "Disabled". I am thinking I should forget writing that in since A) could look unfavourably on me and B) my grandmother will be my sponsor for my fiance who makes well above the 125% minimum.

Also, will they care if I moved around a lot?

If you have a job and you're not getting paid off the books, yes, state it in the G-325a.

Well, it's not a job: I just get a disability check each month deposited into my account to live off of. It is an amount below the poverty line but I still am never in the red and only in debt with student loans.

[rebeccajo 14]

SSI is not a means tested benefit so it will not harm your filing.

If you are below the income requirements you will need a co-sponsor. However, this is not required at your present phase of the process. It will be required at the consulate phase.

List your prior addresses. I doubt it will affect your petition.

Edited March 11, 2007 by rebeccajo

[RosaMystica7 0]

Rebeccajo - if he writes "unemployed - disabled" (or just "unemployed") in that section will that affect if he gets approved or not? Or no because it's not their job to judge that at this point in the process?

Edited March 11, 2007 by Angilla

[Ephesus 0]

Okey, thank you. I'll report it. And yes, I know I need a sponsor, my grandmother is doing that.

Rebeccajo - if he writes "unemployed - disabled" (or just "unemployed") in that section will that affect if he gets approved or not? Or no because it's not their job to judge that at this point in the process?

Can I just make it easy and not put in anything there since it isn't officially a job I'm not lying?

[RosaMystica7 0]

No, if you're unemployed you have to state that. Even if you're writing past jobs and you were unemployed for a few months between two jobs you need to state that unemployment. There can't be any gaps in the 5 year record you have to put there.

[bostonparis 0]

Okey, thank you. I'll report it. And yes, I know I need a sponsor, my grandmother is doing that.

Rebeccajo - if he writes "unemployed - disabled" (or just "unemployed") in that section will that affect if he gets approved or not? Or no because it's not their job to judge that at this point in the process?

Can I just make it easy and not put in anything there since it isn't officially a job I'm not lying?

Since you do not work, I would put "NONE". This is not the stage where you are verifying your income.

[Ephesus 0]

Okey, thank you. I'll report it. And yes, I know I need a sponsor, my grandmother is doing that.

Rebeccajo - if he writes "unemployed - disabled" (or just "unemployed") in that section will that affect if he gets approved or not? Or no because it's not their job to judge that at this point in the process?

Can I just make it easy and not put in anything there since it isn't officially a job I'm not lying?

Works for me, thanks.

Since you do not work, I would put "NONE". This is not the stage where you are verifying your income.

[rebeccajo 14]

Rebeccajo - if he writes "unemployed - disabled" (or just "unemployed") in that section will that affect if he gets approved or not? Or no because it's not their job to judge that at this point in the process?

Good question.

The petitioner needs to disclose the honest facts in the best light.

I doubt that 'unemployed' is the best way to describe the petitioners situation.

Perhaps an honest description in the box, with reference to an attachment describing the situation?

[RosaMystica7 0]

Yeah, an attachment with a letter explaining the situation sounds like the safest route to me. Ephesus, if you do decide to attach an explaination, just remember to print FOUR copies, and sign and date all four.

[meauxna 15]

Rebeccajo - if he writes "unemployed - disabled" (or just "unemployed") in that section will that affect if he gets approved or not? Or no because it's not their job to judge that at this point in the process?

Good question.

The petitioner needs to disclose the honest facts in the best light.

I doubt that 'unemployed' is the best way to describe the petitioners situation.

Perhaps an honest description in the box, with reference to an attachment describing the situation?

Hey! Nothing wrong with being unemployed!

If he has no employment, he's unemployed. Some of us get income from other-than-j-o-b-s.

Additionally, the G-325s are merely biographical forms (and little used according to some sources). Financial support potential is not evaluated at the petition phase.