Affidavit of support: didn't earn enough last year but will this year

[Luna_ 2]

We received our NOA2 on 6/29. As of yesterday we found out the person who was supposed to be our co-sponsor backed out due personal reasons. There is absolutely no way of finding anyone else to co-sponsor us.

The reason why I am worried is that my fiancé didn't earn above the poverty line (a bit over $15k) last year but he will this year, even though he will make just barely over the poverty line (by $200). However, he has been working at the same place since 2012. For first couple of years he was working part time, so he didn't make that much and 2015 he only made 15k because his employer couldn't offer him work for couple of months. Anyway, this year he will earn over the poverty guidelines and will be a getting a raise (around 15 %) this month. I am really worried this will be an issue at the interview stage as they ask for the 2015 W2 which shows he didn't make enough. We could get a letter from his supervisor explaining the reason why he only made that much on 2015 and that he is going to get a raise plus that he is a permanent employee. He is also looking for a part-time job as of now. Will this result a problem at the interview (which is in Finland)? Do we have a chance of being approved as it is? I would appreciate any input.

[Penguin_ie 5,988]

Concentrate on what he is making now, not on why he made less last year. A letter from the employer stating he is permanent and his new salary would definitely help, as well as some paystubs.

Additionally if he has a 401k, or even a few thousands in savings, or a second car, show that to prove he has some assets to bolster the barely-over-the poverty line income.

[Luna_ 2]

Concentrate on what he is making now, not on why he made less last year. A letter from the employer stating he is permanent and his new salary would definitely help, as well as some paystubs.

Additionally if he has a 401k, or even a few thousands in savings, or a second car, show that to prove he has some assets to bolster the barely-over-the poverty line income.

Thank you so much for you reply! You are right, it will look better to concentrate on the rate increase and the fact that he is permanent. He will be mailing me copies of all the paystubs for this year so we will definitely be good on that.

He does have a 401k (even though hasn't had it for long) but we will include that plus the bank statement of his savings which are around $2k. Hopefully this will be enough to suffice. I am feeling more hopeful now.

[Lynkali 163]

The good news is that you're in Finland, which is relatively lax (or has been for most people) about financials. I was barely at the poverty line for the year we filed, and way below it for prior years, and therefore we had my parents prepare a whole joint-sponsorship package to bring to the interview in CASE the embassy didn't like my package. In the end, my husband said they barely even glanced at our paperwork, didn't ask or even care about financials at all, and we were approved without ever needing to mention our (held-in-reserve) joint sponsor stuff -- I'm not even sure they saw my total earnings and certainly didn't do more than flip past the page to see if it was filled out. Still, better safe than sorry and Penguin's advice about focusing on what his CURRENT earnings are is important.

Do beware though that the AOS once you're in the USA is probably a little more stringent, and you'll need to have a solid package when it comes to filing the I-864 things after you're married. Hopefully you'll have more solid paystubs by then!

[Luna_ 2]

The good news is that you're in Finland, which is relatively lax (or has been for most people) about financials. I was barely at the poverty line for the year we filed, and way below it for prior years, and therefore we had my parents prepare a whole joint-sponsorship package to bring to the interview in CASE the embassy didn't like my package. In the end, my husband said they barely even glanced at our paperwork, didn't ask or even care about financials at all, and we were approved without ever needing to mention our (held-in-reserve) joint sponsor stuff -- I'm not even sure they saw my total earnings and certainly didn't do more than flip past the page to see if it was filled out. Still, better safe than sorry and Penguin's advice about focusing on what his CURRENT earnings are is important.

Do beware though that the AOS once you're in the USA is probably a little more stringent, and you'll need to have a solid package when it comes to filing the I-864 things after you're married. Hopefully you'll have more solid paystubs by then!

Thank you for sharing your personal experience. Your successful experience does give me more confidence with the interview. May I ask if you used a joint-sponsor for AOS or did you successfully complete it with your own income?

[Lynkali 163]

May I ask if you used a joint-sponsor for AOS or did you successfully complete it with your own income?

Our K-1 process took almost a year -- they were much slower in 2012. So, by the time we were married and filed for AOS it was much longer, and thankfully I had a much more solid job with nice earnings, so we didn't even have a joint sponsor in reserve. I still was half-expecting to get RFE on the financials for the AOS, but it went through fine, since I was in a much more solid position.