IR1/CR1 sponsor income evidence for interview (London Consulate)

[ElGrandeDoodel 37]

Hi VJ folks

 

I (British citizen) have my IR1/CR1 spousal immigrant visa interview at the London Consulate coming up and wanted to confirm the requirements in terms of tax return and evidence of income.

Some background:

• US citizen and resident sponsor is spouse of intending immigrant.
• For the I-864, sponsor met the income threshold on two bases:
  • Current annual individual income over the threshold
  • Assets (balance of savings and checking accounts) over the threshold
• At the time the I-864 was filed (6 Feb 2023), federal tax return had not been filed so only transcripts for 2021, 2020, and 2019 were filed with I-864
• Due to complexity of sponsor's income, tax return was paper filed so no transcript for 2022 yet
• Vast majority of 2022 income is not on W-2s; income is "Scholarship and fellowship grants not reported on Form W-2" reported under line 8(r) of Schedule 1 to Form 1040.

I'd like some guidance on what evidence of 2022 income, and what evidence of current income, I should bring to the interview.

The State Dept pre-interview checklist for the London Consulate simply asks for:

Quote

The appropriate Form I-864 Affidavit of Support for each financial sponsor along with a photocopy of the sponsor’s IRS transcript or most recent U.S. federal income tax return, and any relevant W-2s.

Nice and simple - we have a photocopy of the federal income tax return as filed, and two W-2s that were filed with it.

However, most of the income for 2022 is not reflected on those W-2s - they account only for a few thousand.

The vast majority of income for 2022 was earned on a self-employed basis so no W-2s, and due to the way sponsor earns, there are no 1099s in respect of that income either.

 

So - my two questions:

1. As evidence of sponsor's 2022 income, given the circumstances I've outlined, is anything in addition to a photocopy of 2022 federal income tax return and relevant W-2s required? If so, what should that be?
2. Is anything required at all to evidence sponsor's current income?

 

Many thanks in advance!

[JeanneAdil 6,244]

copies of the letter u received for the various grant(s) and /or scholarship(s)

 

Self employment with schedule C and all pages of 1040 u included 

[ElGrandeDoodel 37]

Thanks @Jeanne Adil!

[pushbrk 12,230]

On 5/19/2023 at 10:28 PM, ElGrandeDoodel said:

Hi VJ folks

 

I (British citizen) have my IR1/CR1 spousal immigrant visa interview at the London Consulate coming up and wanted to confirm the requirements in terms of tax return and evidence of income.

Some background:

• US citizen and resident sponsor is spouse of intending immigrant.
• For the I-864, sponsor met the income threshold on two bases:
  • Current annual individual income over the threshold
  • Assets (balance of savings and checking accounts) over the threshold
• At the time the I-864 was filed (6 Feb 2023), federal tax return had not been filed so only transcripts for 2021, 2020, and 2019 were filed with I-864
• Due to complexity of sponsor's income, tax return was paper filed so no transcript for 2022 yet
• Vast majority of 2022 income is not on W-2s; income is "Scholarship and fellowship grants not reported on Form W-2" reported under line 8(r) of Schedule 1 to Form 1040.

I'd like some guidance on what evidence of 2022 income, and what evidence of current income, I should bring to the interview.

The State Dept pre-interview checklist for the London Consulate simply asks for:

Nice and simple - we have a photocopy of the federal income tax return as filed, and two W-2s that were filed with it.

However, most of the income for 2022 is not reflected on those W-2s - they account only for a few thousand.

The vast majority of income for 2022 was earned on a self-employed basis so no W-2s, and due to the way sponsor earns, there are no 1099s in respect of that income either.

 

So - my two questions:

1. As evidence of sponsor's 2022 income, given the circumstances I've outlined, is anything in addition to a photocopy of 2022 federal income tax return and relevant W-2s required? If so, what should that be?
2. Is anything required at all to evidence sponsor's current income?

 

Many thanks in advance!

That little word OR is the key.  The photocopy of the complete tax return, meaning everything that was in the stack that got mailed to the IRS is what you provide.  Just like when they say "cash OR charge" either is fine.

[Helene S 14]

Hi, it might not be fully relevant to your case but I can share what happened at my interview in London.

My husband (USC) income was from a UK company, paid in £ on a UK bank account.
Despite being well above the threshold, his income didn't meet the criteria to be a sponsor. The officer told me at the interview that income earnt in the UK can't be used for sponsor, only income from the US. We didn't have the assets so we had to have a joint sponsor.

Based on this and if your income is from the UK, you might be only assessed on your assets anyway, in which case your missing transcripts might not be an issue.
 

[ElGrandeDoodel 37]

Thanks @Helene S!

 

I had the interview today, and happily no issues on the income front and I was approved. 

 

My sole sponsor was my US citizen and resident spouse whose income is from the US so I guess a simple case from that perspective. 

 

Worth adding for posterity that I wasn't asked for any additional income evidence, not even the transcript or return for 2022 despite not having submitted that to BBC back in February. Affidavit of Support wasn't mentioned at all. 

Edited May 24, 2023 by ElGrandeDoodel