Co-sponsor needing to use assets, advice?

[ammonia_jane 0]

Hi everyone, first post here so I’m so sorry if I’m posting in the wrong place!

Basic location info to narrow it down, I’m from Australia, and he’s obviously from America.

My partner and I are in the planning stages of doing the K1, I’m a huge overplanner when it comes to important things, so I’m looking into everything WAY in advance. We won’t be starting anything ‘til at least the end of this year.

 

So my boyfriend, US citizen, doesn’t make near enough to cover the costs of sponsoring me on his own, so his dad has happily offered to co-sponsor. Problem is, he doesn’t make enough either. We’re short on family options, since they don’t have much to do with the rest of the family.

We’re planning on saving up the 5 times cash we’d need to have as an asset to make up the rest of the missing income, but I’m worried this will be frowned upon.

 

I’ve been reading my ####### off about all of this, and there’s so much conflicting info out there! Has anyone else had to deal with this type of situation? 

We are planning to have a consult with an immigration lawyer in March on my next visit, to work out our plan of attack, but it’d be so helpful if anyone has any advice or anything?

 

thank you so much for any help/advice.

[beloved_dingo 1,932]

Co-sponsor does not have to be family, first of all. Is there anyone else that might be willing to sponsor that makes enough in a year to be 125% over the poverty line?

 

Secondly, if you aren't filing until the end of the year, your fiance also has time to get a better paying job (or a 2nd part time job) if that is possible. 

 

Third - immigration lawyer will be a waste of money. Your situation doesn't warrant needing one. The options you have are very straight forward, and since money is already an issue, why waste money on a lawyer? 

 

Lastly, if the gap in income isn't that large, I don't think making up the difference with assets would be an issue at the Sydney embassy. But the larger the gap, the higher the chance the CO sees a problem. 

 

It's also important to remember that they will scrutinize the situation harder at the AOS stage, so he has got to have his ducks in a row before that point. On top of that, on the K1 visa you will not be able to work for months. If there's nothing preventing him from pursuing a better paying job, now is the time to get serious about finding one. 

[Boiler 43,436]

He has nearly 2 years to meet the income requirements and they are not much above minimum wage.

[ammonia_jane 0]

Thanks for the info! That’s really helpful.

Another possibly dumb question, but I’ve been struggling to work it out/find it in my research. How far along the process do they look at the sponsors income? Is it at the start or towards the end?

[Boiler 43,436]

The end

[ammonia_jane 0]

Just now, Boiler said:

The end

Awesome, thank you!