as a cosponsor what will I be responsible for?

[manymorewishses 0]

my son is paraplegic and has some other medical issues that prevent him from working. we want to cosponsor his soon to be wife. i have read my responsibilities are to pay for the person so they do not use assistance from our country. but what about past that? as a father I am nervous about what exactly this entails. with his future wife to be here if we sign, are we also responsible for anything she needs such as food, clothing, household monthly payment and things of this nature? as it stands we barley can afford our son and he receives no help from the government. though we plan on putting him on social security for the disabled if he qualifies. in other words if she works can we charge her for food, rent and other cost of living. what about when she first gets here and cannot work. can we keep a tab and expect payment later from her when she does work? i realize this sounds like we don't care about her, but we do care. we just do not have money to support two people in the house unless one of them works or in the case of my son, if he is approved for social security for the disabled in the future. i have asked in another internet site but all i received was angry responses about that i should not be a cosponsor then. it is easy to say that of course. if it was your child and they were in love would you tell them they could never be together or would you do what you could even if it meant it might put you in some debt at first? i do not wish to break his or her heart by denying them to be together and live in the states.

[aleful 1,905]

hi

nothing of that issue, it is only in case she uses means tested benefits from the government, if the government decides tor her to pay it back

they would go after the sponsor first, if the sponsor can't repay, then the joint sponsor would have to repay the government

but you aren't responsible for anything else

he should have waited in that case to be in a better situation, like him having social security benefits and to be able to take care of his wife, at least until she got a job

[NikLR 13,234]

Maybe they should wait until he has some sort of income.

She could get a job quickly or slowly depending on a lot of factors but to bring her over here, then back charge her rent etc, seems pretty cold. I get that you can't afford two people living off you, but maybe he should move there or they should wait?

Being an adult means accepting your own responsibilities, including providing for a spouse if you have one. Your parents shouldn't have to do this for you, even if you're disabled.

Edited March 28, 2016 by NLR

[Boiler 48,036]

Which country is she from?

Have they met?

[Penguin_ie 6,002]

If she comes here in a CR-1 spousal visa, she can work immediately (assuming she can find work... not an easy task!). You can absolutely charge them rent, but that is not an immigration issue, that would be a private contract between you and your son and his wife.

[Anh map 2,098]

Read the sponsor's contract on the I-864 form. That outlines the obligations. You would be second in line after your son. They would sue him first as primary sponsor.

This situation sounds awful for the immigrant.

Have the son and the caregiver/fiancee met in person yet?

[Lemonslice 5,331]

If ever you plan to ask for rent and food money, I strongly suggest you tell her exactly how much you're expecting to receive before she comes and not surprise her with a tab after a couple weeks.

Maybe meet with a social worker and see how being married, or not, might affect his disability payments, it's only fair you all have a clear idea of what's to come.