Curious. Have any of you been Documentarily Qualified even when...

[BeefedRamen 0]

Curious. Have any of you been Documentarily Qualified for spouses even when...

1. Your total income (according to the 1040) for all three years is only barely half of the i864 Poverty Guideline.

2. You have no joint sponsors.

3. Your annual income is around $10,000 above the Poverty Guideline (ie. $35000), and you have sufficient proof of this?

4. Your assets are insufficient.

[Lil bear 4,536]

2 hours ago, BeefedRamen said:

Curious. Have any of you been Documentarily Qualified for spouses even when...

1. Your total income (according to the 1040) for all three years is only barely half of the i864 Poverty Guideline.

2. You have no joint sponsors.

3. Your annual income is around $10,000 above the Poverty Guideline (ie. $35000), and you have sufficient proof of this?

4. Your assets are insufficient.

Possibly. But i wouldn’t think it was a good chance of being approved at interview.  Depends  on the total circumstances such as why  the previous years income was low.  Better to get a second job and boost income and /or get a joint sponsor

[appleblossom 4,491]

14 hours ago, BeefedRamen said:

Curious. Have any of you been Documentarily Qualified for spouses even when...

1. Your total income (according to the 1040) for all three years is only barely half of the i864 Poverty Guideline.

2. You have no joint sponsors.

3. Your annual income is around $10,000 above the Poverty Guideline (ie. $35000), and you have sufficient proof of this?

4. Your assets are insufficient.

If you meet the criteria at the time then you can be DQ’ed as that’s a box ticking exercise. But as @Lil bear said, it’s the interview that may be an issue. That’s when there is discretion involved and the officer looks at a totality of circumstances, and if there is any doubt that you’ll be able to support the immigrant, may err on the side of caution. 

[pushbrk 13,629]

On 7/26/2025 at 4:04 AM, BeefedRamen said:

Curious. Have any of you been Documentarily Qualified for spouses even when...

1. Your total income (according to the 1040) for all three years is only barely half of the i864 Poverty Guideline.

2. You have no joint sponsors.

3. Your annual income is around $10,000 above the Poverty Guideline (ie. $35000), and you have sufficient proof of this?

4. Your assets are insufficient.

Not enough detail.  How is your annual income 10k above the required amount if your total income from your last 1040, is only have the required amount?  There are two ways I can think of.  One is that you have non-taxable income, such as military retirement, and the other is you now have a new job and the evidence is pay stubs, showing current income that qualifies.  Either will work.  Details matter.  Please clarify.

[BeefedRamen 0]

 

3 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Not enough detail.  How is your annual income 10k above the required amount if your total income from your last 1040, is only have the required amount?  There are two ways I can think of.  One is that you have non-taxable income, such as military retirement, and the other is you now have a new job and the evidence is pay stubs, showing current income that qualifies.  Either will work.  Details matter.  Please clarify.

I did a lot of tax write offs in business expenses for all three years. I'm self-employed. 

[pushbrk 13,629]

2 hours ago, BeefedRamen said:

 

I did a lot of tax write offs in business expenses for all three years. I'm self-employed. 

Then your "current income" is exactly the number showing as "Total Income" on your latest 1040.  That's how it works for a self employed person.  You do not state your "revenue" or expected revenue.  For the self employed, (in the context of the I-864 to sponsor an immigrant) it is not "income" until it shows on the total income line of your latest 1040.

 

Employed people can project their income based on the next twelve months of employment.  The self employed cannot.  Based on what you are saying, you'll need a qualified joint sponsor.

[BeefedRamen 0]

3 hours ago, pushbrk said:

Then your "current income" is exactly the number showing as "Total Income" on your latest 1040.  That's how it works for a self employed person.  You do not state your "revenue" or expected revenue.  For the self employed, (in the context of the I-864 to sponsor an immigrant) it is not "income" until it shows on the total income line of your latest 1040.

 

Employed people can project their income based on the next twelve months of employment.  The self employed cannot.  Based on what you are saying, you'll need a qualified joint sponsor.

Oof. Looks like I'll be looking for a joint sponsor then. 😅

Thank you @pushbrk and thanks the rest of you, too.