mfa

Can you make an infopass appointment and try to get an extension letter that way?

Seems to be at the discretion of the lender whether or not they play ball.

This may help with general info:

https://www.totalmortgage.com/total-path/can-non-us-citizen-get-home-loan/

What/where is an infopass appt?

Wife's 2-yr green card doesnt expire for 2 more weeks. Paperwork for removal of conditions (and the stinking $500+) was sent in. As of today, no renewed card nor "in-progress" extension letter.

Supposed to have closed on a house. Lender claims they require the new green card. Obviously, thats impossible. Furthermore, to try rewriting the loan without my wife on it would take too long.

So we might lose this house.

Any thoughts or experience on this situation?

Sorry for the confusing question, After a day of research I will explain my error that got me started down the path of a K-3.

I need a co-sponsor, i-864, for my IR-1 but family was saying it's too risky and i should fly to US without her and setup a job 1st. They are correct, but I don't want to go without her. So I started looking at options and I read about the K-3. It said that she could come to the US with me while the i-130 was being processed. THIS is where my confusion started, because I was not understanding that the i-130 use to take a long time to process, which is when a K-3 could be pursued. Mine has already been approved and thus the K-3 option is CLOSED.

I sure appreciate your responses. Maybe this will come in handy for some other traveler.

I now must try to alleviate the fears of an i-864. I'm researching the cases where claims have been made to require the sponsor to start coughing up money to give the beneficiary. All of which I know would never happen with my situation. But worse case scenarios are what's being discussed.

Miko

An I-864 wasn't even a question for my family members. "Whatever we can do in order to bring the two of you back home to the states is what we will do," was their mentality. Granted, I visited my future wife, moved to my spouse's country, got married, found work, lived with her family etc. and then got her a visa through a Direct Consular Filing. I suppose, perhaps, my family (or any other I-864 candidate I choose) may have seen things differently if I simply said "I met a girl on the internet and need you to sign these papers in order for her to come here."

I don't know everyone's situation and won't try to speculate. However, in general, I wouldn't be too happy if my family hemmed and hawed over the possibility of my wife somehow financially screwing them in the future. That sounds almost akin to considering a prenuptual agreement. But, as I said, everyone has different family dynamics.

It shouldn't interfere at all, before getting her visa nor after. If the US embassy approves her visa, she's good to go to the US without any issues.

Diana

Thank you, Diana.

I think she is more worried for MY sake.

She seems to think there could always be a way for my job to contact someone at someplace and then I run into trouble at the airport when I try to leave...as if I were a criminal who "broke a contract" in Peru.

My Peruvian wife is concerned that if I were to quit my contracted job here in Lima that we could encounter trouble leaving when we move to the US (after obtaining her visa, of course) .

Now, I know not all Peruvians are the same, however, I have met many that seem to hear "stories" about things happening to people, and then accept it as Gospel truth and live in eternal fear of it happening to them (like drinking cold beverages, ha!).

Anyway, I'd like to ask if anyone here has any thoughts on my wife's concerns about breaking a contract early and moving to the US.

Surely, nobody in this world can stop you from traveling simply because you quit your job, right?!

(and no, my job is not connected to my support of I-864 info)

The foreign job won't count for affidavit of support reasons, so it has no effect really, unless you intended to stay working for the same company in the USA and then quit, so need to find another sponsor. My USC husband was unemployed when he sponsored me (on assets), and they didn't care.

Yeah, that's what I figured too.

I think what really got me thinking was my wife's fear of "if you quit your job or get fired before the contract ends...will they revoke my visa???" what if your job gets mad and calls the embassy to say you broke your contract...will they find us in the USA and tell me to leave???"

She's worried more about ramifications that could pop up due to legal/contractual issues, not monetary/I-864 issues.

What would you tell her to calm her fears?

You were the guys with red hoods? Then yeah I was wondering why not everybody was with the big white envelope. Congrats too man

Nope, no red hoods. In fact, I don't think either of us were wearing anything very interesting. i remember a man with his four school children, a few single women, one with a little boy. anyone else i dont really remember. but no red hoods.

I do remember, however, that one Peruvian man went to window 9 right before us. He started sobbing and then walked away crying.

I felt sooooo bad...then I thought "ohhhhh great....now WE gotta to that window???? son of a...!"

the lady at window 9 was very nice to us though.

I am thinking they may have asked for the opposite reason you suspect. The petitioner (you) must return to the USA before or at the same time as the beneficiary. A visa is usually valid for 6 months- if your contracts runs, say, another year and you intend to fulfill it, your wife would not be elligible for a visa at this time as she cannot immigrate to the USA without you being in the USA also.

Ahhhhhhhh....ok. Thank you.

So they're not interested at all in whether or not a petitioner continues to work their job, in terms of breaking contracts or judicial reasons. They're simply concerned for traveling purposes.

That makes perfect sense. And yes, I'm glad that ask this question because we could have been under the wrong impression and inadvertently messed everything up. Luckily, we'll be ok.

Just playing devil's advocate though...do you think the situation of a petitioner's foreign job could ever have any bearing on a spouse's visa???

What if you weren't happy with your job?

What if you were fired?

I can't imagine anyone would be forced to stay at any job for the sake of a spouse's visa, right? That just sounds plain...illegal, no?

Anyone have any experience with leaving your contracted (foreign) job before moving to the US?

At my wife's interview (she's the beneficiary) they asked ME if I'd be staying until the end of the contract with my job.

So, although I understand what a job contract is, it later led me to some questions:

- i wasn't even required to be at the interview...why do they care about whether i continue working here or not?

- what if i wasnt at the interview, wold they have even asked such a thing?

- would/could a condition be placed on my wife's visa that i finish the contract at my job prior to us leaving for the US?

- if so, would such a condition be placed in writing somewhere within information we receive when the visa comes via DHL?

- suppose nothing is written anywhere...can me quitting my job have any ramifications on my wife's visa? can we be living in chicago and get a letter saying "we hear you quit your job early...your wife must return to her country?

Although I fully understand that the US would like me to make as much money and support wife, I find it strange that someone would be unable to quit their job for fear of a spouse's visa being in jeopardy.

Suppose I'm treated poorly, unfairly, etc...I'm not allowed to quit?

Maybe I'm just reading into this way too much. Perhaps I was only asked this in order for them to get an idea of what I did here.

Today, at the DCF interview in Peru said "we are prepared to approve your visa pending receipt of the receipt of the medical exam...congratulations!"

Doctors were all booked until late last week. So results aren't available until tomorrow.

Has anyone here ever had to obtain and then send their results via DHL?

I asked our interviewer if sending the results in had anything to do with the DHL account we created in order to get our documents returned to us. She said "No, just tell DHL what you are doing.They know the drill. You'll need to send your passport too."

So, if you have done this, do we simply take med results and passport and ask them send it to the embassy...with no mention of our pre-existing DHL account???

yay! congrats!

Us too!!!

(pending the medical exam, because the doctors were booked until late last week)

We must have been sitting right next to each other!

It was pretty late and awfully quiet in there by the time we got to the window though. Glad you got out at 9:45.

Congrats!

Enter your current income in dollars on your I-864 but have your co-sponsor packet ready. Saying you make $0 would be untrue. But the source of the income is foreign, which is why you would need a co-sponsor. The form itself doesn't specify this but it's generally determined when the consulate reviews the financial evidence.

Thank you!

This is what I was looking for - an explanation and reasoning.

You would not qualify as a sole sponsor without full residence and a job in th US..

Thats what I thought...so why would anyone care how much money I make HERE if I wont be making it THERE?

When you filed your US income tax returns did you enter the amount in Peruvian currency or convert it to US dollars?

Common sense dictates that information is converted as needed whether that is language, currency, or units of measure (feet:meters, etc.).

Furthermore, if I convert it and write down a number, then I have enough money to support my wife and all of the paperwork sent to me by co-sponsors is unnecessary. EVEN THOUGH, once we get onto the airplane I will have no job...no income...and no way (technically) of supporting my wife.

When you filed your US income tax returns did you enter the amount in Peruvian currency or convert it to US dollars?

Common sense dictates that information is converted as needed whether that is language, currency, or units of measure (feet:meters, etc.).

My taxes...for LAST year...were filed in US Dollars and earned in US Dollars.

The money I am making here, since March 1st, is in Peruvian Soles.

No taxes on this money will be filed until next year.

Use a conservative conversion to US dollars and use that figure.

Do you REALLY want the USCIS to figure out what Soles are and what their exchange rate is on their own?!?!

So just write the number is US Dollars...thats it? No footnotes or anything?

Then, simply wait and see if the interviewer asks me for details? Thinking, perhaps, he won't even ask me about co-sponsors?

And, if thats the case, do I withhold my mother's paperwork for co-sponsoring until/unless asked for it???

If you do a DCF then you're living in a foreign country, right?

So, in many cases, if you have an annual income it is not coming to you in US Dollars.

On form I-864 it asks for my annual income and it gives me a "$" sign (quite an assumption, I think).

I won't have a job when we arrive in the US (using co-sponsor for financial purposes). So the income they are truly asking about (money I'll support my wife with) doesn't exist yet. However, the TRUTH is that I do make money right now.

So what would you do???

- Use an online currency converter and just write down the amount I make now (in Peruvian Soles) in US Dollars

or

- Write zero for everything

The form isn't stupid. I would bet that you can easily find the conversion rates to change any world currency into dollars.

You as the petitioning US citizen are the primary sponsor regardless of income. That means that you will be sued first if any money needs to be recovered.

Entering zero would not be the smart thing to do if you have an income that happens to be paid in a currency other than US dollars.

that income will cease the second we get my wife's visa get the hell outta here. haha

so, i wont have any a job when i board the plane.

why would they want to know how much money the could have sued me for had they done so while i lived in peru?

I'm assuming I simply write ZERO everywhere.

I live with my wife here in Peru.

We are doing a DCF.

Even though I am using my mother or sister as co-sponsors (i dont have a US job/income), I must fill out an I-864 also.

So what do I do about all of the entries on the I-864 that indicate US Dollars???

It seems to me that either the form is stupid for assuming I make US money...or the fact that someone filing DCF (living in foreign country) must fill out one at all.

Anyway, I dont make US money. So what do I do about these entries?

so, in most cases affidavits aren't something to get all worked up about.

kinda help. but thats it.

got it.

question answered.

thanks.

USCIS asks for A LOT of "optional" things.....for example the list of optional items to prove bonafide relationship. Tons of people get RFE´s later asking for those "optional" items (like previous years tax transcripts for example).

For the court docs...no not everyone needs court docs. Why? because not all of us have been to court. It´s like a divorce...all divorcees must include divorce paperwork period. but those of us who haven´t been divorced don´t need that. Depending on your local police, sometimes the police record serves as a court record (or lack of one for example if you don´t have antecedentes). Maybe in Peru it is different?

Check out this reciprocity page from the Dept. of State..scroll down for further info on the docs - http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_5455.html?cid=9718

thanks, jessicarulzw!

Question for those of you who have experience with Peru.

Like me, were you told that you must get Penal, Police, and Court records?

If so, what if you do not have never been to court/jail/etc? Did the appropriate offices give you some report that says "there is nothing to report...he/she's clean?"

I am asking because several sources here suggest such records are only required if applicable, that is, only if you have a court/penal record. Which, naturally, makes sense.

However, forms from embassy in Peru do not mention "if applicable," rather they just say "all persons over 16 are required to do this."

They use words "if applicable" for military records. But when they don't say "if applicable" for other records it gets confusing. Naturally, I don't want to assume anything.

So, if you've never been arrested, in jail, or gone to court, what is there for these offices to even give you???

Only if applicable obviously means you bring penal and court documents only if applicable. If there is no police record, there are no court docs or penal records. Read carefully. Interpret literally. The I-864 doesn't use the word "needed". It says "required" and "optional". Literal!

Clarifying email from embassy about penal/court docs says "All the applicants older than 16 years old need court and penal records (antecedente penal y judicial)."

Is this is something "unique" to my situation in Peru, then I understand.

If not, then I think the Guide's wording about "If applicable" is misleading.

The USCIS requirement is 1 year's tax records. The guide suggests 3 based on members' experiences. How is this confusing?

Guide says The I-864 is the Affidavit of Support form that requires copies of the petitioners past 3 U.S tax returns

And as I say, the I-864 I am reading (the one mailed they mailed to me) says 1 year...or 2nd and 3rd years (optional).

Thats why its confusing.