Mand

Good Luck.

Obilove, I wouldn't say they are easy at all. They are extremely strict about paperwork and the day we were up, 3 people were being told they hadn't enough information with them

Mand, so in case of a joint sponsor who files taxes jointly it's best either to have a I864A signed by the spouse OR the joint sponsor's W2's indicating his individual income. That's what I got from your post.

Yep, that's exactly what the lady in the US Embassy told me, Sorry for the late reply!

viol8tr, for her earnings our joint sponsor's wife put $0 and she put the full total of her husband's earnings since they filed jointly. From them, we brought with us (all just stapled together) - the form for each of them, a copy of their passport bio page and a copy of their tax return. We didn't include any pay stubs at all and weren't asked for any. The tax return in itself is proof of income, but I supopse if you have pay stubs there's no harm bringing them with you!

We had our IR1 interview a week ago and we brought our joint sponsor's 1-864 with us incase my husband's US job offer letter wasn't sufficient financial proof. Because our joint sponsor filed taxes with his wife, we also brought an 1-864a with us that she filled out. The lady looking through our documents didn't see the I-864a and said that we needed our joint sponsors W2's or the I-864a.

I think it's better to be over prepared for whatever they might look for, rather than risk delaying getting the visa.

viol8tor, my husband's Irish job is also continuing here, but he also went from a full time employee to a consultant role with a set retainer fee. We didn't include that financial info in our own Affidavit of Support as he hadn't the details of it finalised, but if we had we would most certainly have brought it with it - and the joint sponsor info too, then just let the CO decide.

I probably shouldn't reply as we went through Dublin not Italy, but we just got an international bank draft from our bank here in Ireland and that was acceptable.

Since I can't seem to post a review in the Embassy review section, I'll write a piece here and hopefully if someone searches Dublin or Irish Embassy this will pop up for them.

We got there early as we knew from previous visits that it's a first come first seen type of way. My husand and our two girls were with us, we had brought a Zen player for our oldest girl to watch some cartoons as she had surgery on her foot the day before and we thought this would be nice for her. Unfortunately as it was electronic, it was kept at the entrance - luckily we brought a drawing pad for her too

We were called around 1:15 and a lady went through our documents very carefully. I had copies of my birth cert, marriage cert and a few other bits too and she took them aswell. I figured anything that would help them get through our case fast had to be a good thing! We brought info from a joint sponsor as we didn't know if we would need it or not and she took those too. She didn't see the I-864a and was trying to tell me that I needed this as the joint sponsor filed taxes jointly. I replied that it was behind the joint sponsors I-864 form, she smiled and said "Oh you're well prepared so".

I then paid the visa bill $400 or €280 as it worked out that day. It has to be the exact amount of money or they won't accept it.

I was called around 2:30 for the interview itself. She went through the documents, gave me back my birth cert and marriage cert and said that they would need the joint sponsor info so we going to hold onto that also. She asked for my previous greencard (we had previously done the K1 visa in 2005, but returned to Ireland in 2006 to have our kids near my family). I told her I had formally handed it back to the Embassy here and she was happy with that.

She asked when we met, where we met, when did my husband move back to the US, when did I move over, when did we get married and when we moved back to Ireland. She took my fingerprints and said they would probably have them on file from our previous K1 visa, then I swore an oath that all info was correct. She said I would get my passport back in the S.A.E. I brought with me and the sealed brown envelope would be in there too. She asked where we were moving to and did I have any questions and that was it.

The main piece of advice is to make sure your documents are all in order and that you have every single thing you need. I heard 2 other people being told that they needed further info from the lady collecting the documents. And if you bring your kids with you, bring lots of snacks and little toys with you as the time does drag there and kids get bored easily

Well it's great that he's walking into a job, mine just had his first and only interview and he's been looking for a couple of months. He thinks he has a good shot at getting it though!

You're so right, it's a great plus and I should focus on that! Tell your husband good luck

Thanks hxxrmonkey, we're cutting it fine so as DH starts work a few days after the interview!! Funny how it's always such a rush for everything at the last lap

Assuming all paperwork is in order, how long does it take for Dublin to post out your passport with the visa in it?

Hmm.

Apparently, yes you'll have to. With your spouse. But what's below 80K won't be taxed.

you have to declare your worldwide income on your tax returning, including money earned from your British employer. I think the amount that is exempt from tax (the earned income exclusion) is now a little higher - $86,600

The foreign income earned exclusion only applies to US citizens (green card holders I'm not 100% sure of) working outside of the US and requires you to file form 2555-EZ or 2555, but you do have to show that you were actually residing abroad.

Are you referring to the ESTA application? This does confirm your "ok-ness" to travel, but ultimately it's up to the person you meet going through immigration.

We handed back my greencard to the Embassy here when we returned to Ireland. I didn't want to have that worried feeling any time we went over on holidays though, so I applied for a 10 year holiday visa. There's a note on that visa that I officially handed back my greencard.

I imagine you'll be fine, just bring above and beyond what you think you'll be asked for.

That's how I see it txladykat.

The way we're explaining it (in basic terms) is that it's like they are a guarantor on a loan with my husband. The Govt need to know that I will not claim benefits in the US and be a burden to them and if I somehow do, that my sponsor and joint sponsor are both required to pay that money back.

Thanks PK and PK!

Hi

Can a joint sponsor (husband's Grandfather) just show assets if they have no income? And has this to amount to 5 x 125% of the poverty level for our household size which is 4 (my husband, myself and our 2 girls) or would it be for 6? (Grandfather, Grandmother, my husband, myself and our 2 girls)

I just also thought, is there an age limit on the person who can be a joint sponsor?

Thanks

Not a red flag, they have the option to put you through special processing at the airport. I have never heard of a spouse travelling with family who has been given a hard time though.

You have now!!

We left the US when I had my 2 year green card. We returned to the US for a visit less than 1 year later and I used my GC. I was taken into a small room and questioned by immigration. I was told unless we stayed in the US I needed to return my greencard, that it cannot be used as a tourist visa. At the time we were discussing a move back to the US, but we ended up staying here in Ireland. So I made an appointment with the Embassy here to formally hand back my greencard.

We are now doing DCF through the Irish Embassy and hoping that it works out ok for us.

I would just file directly to be honest. And the affidavit of support isn't needed until the actual interview itself so that gives you time to get your taxes filed

Hi

I didn't realise the Embassy here processes K1 visas too, but if they said drop in your documents then they must do!

1. You'll need a US address for filing, when we went through the K1 (both living here in Ireland) we used my husband's (my then fiance) mother's address as that's where he filed taxes and retained a US domicile etc.

2. As a US citizen you are legally required to file US taxes, even if you live and work outside the country. You'll need to look into filing a foreign income earned exclusion too, to avoid double taxation. You won't have a penalty for late filing if you don't earn above the amount specified in the EZ-2555 (foreign income earned exclusion). It used to be approx $60,000 but is now around $85,000. Rent and some utilities can be taken on board too, but a mortgage cannot.

3. I actually cannot remember how the Affidavit of Support for the K1 works, so not sure of assets v income. Rental income wise, they might want to see what the monthly rent intake v monthly mortgage payment is. And remember that rental income is dropping here. If you have a co-sponsor (must be a US citizen), you don't need to worry about your income or assets.

4. I would go with what the Embassy tells you!

Good Luck

Congrats, that's great news! Pity about your Irish income not being allowed - am I right in thinking that that this was going to continue in the US or did I mix you up?

From my very limited knowledge or joint v co sponsor, I thought they were pretty much the same thing. So if your father (just randomly picking someone) sponsored your wife, he would fill out the I-864 and be the joint sponsor, joint because you also have to fill out the 1-864. If he filed taxes jointly with someone, he/she would have to fill out the I-864A as a co-sponsor. Now, I could have this completely mixed up, but that's my interpretation of it all.

We did the K1 in 2005 and went through AOS successfully. We then decided to move back to Ireland in 2006 to have our kids. I handed back my greencard officially to the Embassy in 2007. At this appointment I also had an interview aranged for a 10 year holiday visa to make sure I had no worries on any holidays we took, this was granted on the day with a note on it that I had officially handed back my greencard.

We are now going through DCF so I can only imagine how crazy they must think we are, but at least we've done everything correctly!

I was told

you have one year from the filing date to take action on your case before termination begins

Thanks penguin, that's great

Hi

We've previously gone through the K1 visa and onto AOS. For each interview (Dublin Embassy and over in the US) we had print outs of emails, cards, photos, utility bills etc. Do we need all this for DCF?

* Just to explain, we did the K1 visa and AOS in 2005, but moved back to Ireland in 2006 and are now doing DCF through Dublin

We haven't got an interview date, but I like to be prepared and am wondering what to gather together. We obviously have our wedding cert, the girls Irish and American passports which we both had to witness, their Irish birth certs and US reports of birth abroad. Should I also gather Irish utility bills, Irish bank info etc?

Do I need more American sized passport pics? For proof of domicile, DH was registered to vote with his US address by absentee ballot so we have that, his bank account, credit card and driver's licence. I don't think we have anything more on that front, so should that be ok?

Some people pronounce it Kolm, some Kulm and other Kulum!! It all depends on where you're from in Ireland

family guy, that's a good lesson in Irish

Sorcha is actually pronounced Sor-aka

I would pronounce Caoimhín as Kwee-veen, others say Kee-veen though. Even here we can't agree And Saoirse is Seer-sha. I really like that name and didn't realise it's thought of as a strong political name!!