Terrified of signing I-864 Affidavit of Support

[davidvs 320]

If you are that terrified about your wonderful wife ruining your life, maybe you should not have gotten married.

[MarJhi 925]

14 hours ago, KhailTowers said:

I just got married last year to a wonderful woman from my parents home country.

She had no interest in coming to the US. However, now we need to move here, and I've had to convince her to move to the US with me and leave her family.

She has accepted moving here, but after finding out about the I-864 Affidavit of Support, I am now terrified of signing it and sponsoring her to come here.

Anything could happen with the marriage in the future, and I could be on the hook for a lifetime of financial support if we get divorced (It doesn't end after 10 years as most possible think).

It seems this form also incentivizes sponsored immigrants to not work & not get their citizenship (As you'd have to keep supporting them financially)

Has anybody also struggled with signing this form and ended up just moving to a different country with their spouse as a result of it?

I think the average American taxpayer would advise you to NOT bring your wife to the US if you want them to pay the price instead of yourself if the marriage fails. I think it is 100% reasonable for the petitioner to sign the affidavit of support.

Edited March 1, 2023 by MarJhi

[Bob in Boston 630]

2 hours ago, BLC said:

Not too easy if you’re lower middle class, so it would be a valid concern. Covering a family on an employer sponsored health plan can easily wipe out someone’s entire paycheck. Most employers only partially cover the premiums for their employees, not their families, that comes at the employees expense.

Well being divorced more times than I like to admit here in Mass its usualy part of the divorce agreement. If the Judge orders you pay.... and that was the point of my post. Divorce court is much worse than I864

[JeanneAdil 6,251]

so,  IF u don't sign the form and bring her to the US,  then what?

divorce in the US if she agrees to sign 

OR 

divorce in her country and then what would u owe?

 

u r married,  support your wife

[powerpuff 5,977]

27 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

so,  IF u don't sign the form and bring her to the US,  then what?

Just would like to briefly note that he will not be able to bring her to the US without first signing the I-864. 

[beloved_dingo 1,939]

4 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

Red flag #1 imho. Seems like she’s not ready to start a new life with you. 
The I-864 is not much compared to always having to convince your spouse to put you first. I’d trust my instinct.

I don't know if this really frames the situation correctly...it makes it sound like his wife is somehow in the wrong for not wanting to uproot her current life to move to a foreign country away from her support system that exists outside of her marriage - a marriage of only ~1 year as well. OP has given us no information about why they seemingly have no choice but to move to the U.S., and it seems he knew before marriage that she didn't want to move. If I were her, I would see it as a red flag that my spouse is basically forcing me to leave my home but is "terrified" of having to sign a document pledging to support me. 

[Rocio0010 5,573]

26 minutes ago, beloved_dingo said:

.it makes it sound like his wife is somehow in the wrong for not wanting to uproot her current life to move to a foreign country away from her support system that exists outside of her marriage - a marriage of only ~1 year as well. OP has given us no information about why they seemingly have no choice but to move to the U.S.

I see what you're saying and partially agree... But if any of the two parties in a long distance relationship does not want to move for the other person, it is a red flag to me. 

On the other hand, I think OP comes from the idea of "she doesn't want to leave her family behind, and with the I-864 I am TERRIFIED that I will be financially responsible for her and her family". Only OP knows!

[JeanneAdil 6,251]

2 hours ago, powerpuff said:

Just would like to briefly note that he will not be able to bring herof  to the US without first signing the I-864. 

of course 

maybe he wants to go there to live with her

[beloved_dingo 1,939]

37 minutes ago, Rocio0010 said:

I see what you're saying and partially agree... But if any of the two parties in a long distance relationship does not want to move for the other person, it is a red flag to me. 

On the other hand, I think OP comes from the idea of "she doesn't want to leave her family behind, and with the I-864 I am TERRIFIED that I will be financially responsible for her and her family". Only OP knows!

Perhaps I am wrong, but the way I read the original post is that they are both outside the U.S. right now together ("I've had to convince her to move to the US with me"), and not long distance. Unless OP decides to clarify any of this though, it's anyone's guess. 

[davidvs 320]

4 minutes ago, beloved_dingo said:

Perhaps I am wrong, but the way I read the original post is that they are both outside the U.S. right now together ("I've had to convince her to move to the US with me"), and not long distance. Unless OP decides to clarify any of this though, it's anyone's guess. 

Agreed, the way I read it was that her expectation in the relationship was that they would be living in her home country and that a move to the US came up after the marriage occured.

[TBoneTX 43,422]

The OP has been reading this thread, which is good.

However, he needs to come back to clarify what we're conjecturing about.

[Redro 4,601]

18 hours ago, KhailTowers said:

I just got married last year to a wonderful woman from my parents home country.

She had no interest in coming to the US. However, now we need to move here, and I've had to convince her to move to the US with me and leave her family.

She has accepted moving here, but after finding out about the I-864 Affidavit of Support, I am now terrified of signing it and sponsoring her to come here.

Anything could happen with the marriage in the future, and I could be on the hook for a lifetime of financial support if we get divorced (It doesn't end after 10 years as most possible think).

It seems this form also incentivizes sponsored immigrants to not work & not get their citizenship (As you'd have to keep supporting them financially)

Has anybody also struggled with signing this form and ended up just moving to a different country with their spouse as a result of it?

OP what is the situation now? Does your wife work in her home country? Do you support her or does she support you?

What is your visa status in your parents’ home country? Are you a citizen or a resident or on a spousal visa?

why do you think life in the US will be radically different from the life you live now? 
if you divorce in her country will you have any obligations to her or will she have any obligations to you? 
 

 

[Scandi 3,977]

As an immigrant myself, I would be terrified if my USC husband was terrified of signing the form.

[pushbrk 12,234]

21 hours ago, KhailTowers said:

 

Has anybody also struggled with signing this form and ended up just moving to a different country with their spouse as a result of it?

This is the last line of the original post, and the only question he actually asked.  I didn't answer it, and I don't see that anybody else has.  In the 17 years I've been a member here, I haven't seen such a story, but it may have happened.  This forum does not exist to support folks moving anywhere but the USA, so somebody in that situation wouldn't really be posting here.

 

As is very clear from many posts, the actual contract is rarely enforced by USCIS.  The real danger is in divorce court.  One member actually posted an add from a divorce lawyer promoting his ability at enforcing the affidavit of support in divorce court.

 

A discussion that might be helpful to the OP is one about WHY suddenly they need to move to the USA.  If a third country is an option, maybe the problem is they need to LEAVE the current country.  If the problem is understood, there may well be a third country solution.

 

Either way, we can all assure the OP, that each and every member here that petitioned their spouse to come to the USA, signed the affidavit of support.

[Boiler 43,726]

A few have other options, Cuban Adjustment Act comes to mind. And in rare cases they do not need sponsoring.

 

I have always thought that the I 864 should work both ways.