ItsComplicated

I think zero is correct.

Use total income

Nope don't bother.

Thanks NLR! I think I'm just going to save time from now on and message you directly.

I am the sponsor and have been living and working in Canada for over 17 years. I used my Canadian residence on the i864 which matches my wifes (beneficiary). My AOS was recently approved with this arrangement.

One thing I have going for me is that I work as a contractor for an American company and they gave me a contract stating they would employ me once I move there so I included that with my i864. Before our interview, I plan on getting a Cali drivers license, flipping over to the US payroll and getting an apartment so that I don't have problems during the interview in Montreal.

Thanks for the reply. I am using our Canadian address as my mailing address and residence in that section, but, there is another item labeled country of domicile that I am still pondering over. Did you put Canada for that?

I won't have a job carrying over, but, I will have a job offer from another employer and I can also go down and get a driver's license if need be.

Plz help.one week but still ds 261 not in system..is there any problem if i click on the completed button just to check is everything ok.plz help

I was told DO NOT reopen the DS261 after you have submitted it because it will reset your waiting time for IV invoice.

Perhaps I just stink at searching, but, I can't find a similar scenario on the forums and I've read the form instructions and can't find a clear answer either.

I'm having a terrible time with Part 6 on the I-864 (Sponsors Income and Employment). My issues being at...

Item 5. My current individual income is:

Right now I have "0" listed. It says in the instructions, "Enter your current individual earned or retirement annual income that you are using to meet the requirements of this form and indicate the total on this line."

Given that we are using a 1)using a joint sponsor, 2) my income is earned in a foreign country and will not carry over once we move, and 3) the underlined portion of the quote above I think I am correct in putting "0" under item 5. Yes? No?

Next issue.....

My total income (adjusted gross income on IRS Form 1040EZ) as reported on my Federal tax returns for the most recent 3 years was:

Tax Year Total Income

Item 13.a 2013 Item 13.a.1.

Item 13.b 2012 Item 13.b.1.

Item 13.c 2011 Item 13.c.1.

There is nothing in the instructions about this that I can find. I do have tax transcripts from the last 3 years, but, I do not have copies of the original returns that I sent in (I think I did 1040, not 1040 EZ). The transcript, after factoring in Foreign Earned Income Exclsusion, lists my Total Income for 2013 as $497. It lists my AGI as $240.

Which number should I put in?

Final question...actually pertains to Part 7 (Use of Assets)

We are using a joint sponsor whose income exceeds the Federal Poverty Guidelines. I do have a mutual fund account in excess of 25,000 USD. That money does is not enough for me to sponsor alone, but, should I even bother putting it on the form? I plan on bringing it to the interview as supplemental information, but, I don't think it's really necessary to right it down on the 864 is it?

This may be a long winded post and these may sound like silly questions to many, but, I think I'm beginning to crack under the stress of this whole process. Any help is greatly appreciated. I would even pay to get a conference call going and run through my case with a "round table" of VJ experts.

Mr. Indecisive here...

I'm still on the fence on the dreaded Country of Domicile question in Part 4, Item 5 under the Information on the Sponsor portion of form I-864.

I am a USC with PR status in Canada. I have lived here 8 years with my wife (she's Canadian citizen).

I have always kept ties back home (voter reg, mutual fund account, credit card, visit family annually) but I'm not sure if this means I am still domiciled in the US or not. I don't have any insurance there, no drivers license there, etc. I have recently went back and opened up a bank account, deposited money. I am caught up on my federal taxes in the US and have transcripts for the last 3 years.

Even though I think I will have sufficient evidence to prove that I am re-establishing domicile, I think I should put Canada in that section as that is where I am currently domiciled, in my humble opinion. Yay? Nay? I just don't want to put the US and have it come up as an issue during application process/interview stage.

Are you using the EZ form? That has less information to fill in and prob less chance of error.

No, I don't think I qualify to fill out that one. I am using a joint sponsor and the form says that I must be using my own earned income and/or assets to qualify to submit an EZ.

From reading NLR's and others responses, and searching on the forums a bit, I think I'm just going to put N/A where not applicable, and none where applicable. It will be tedious, but, better safe than sorry I guess.

This is really confusing. Some folks I have read where checklisted for leaving items blank on AOS. But the app says leave blank if it does not apply. I put N/A in the items that did not apply. I don't want to give wrong info.

The VJ Example Form on this site leaves many fields blank as well.

The form itself is fairly straightforward, but, there is conflicting information floating around that makes us freak out and over-analyze everything trying to avoid a dreaded checklist.

I mean, am I really supposed to put N/A under every box in the 6 slots reserved for Family Member 1, 2, etc?? None of those apply to us since I'm just sponsoring my wife. Only an idiot would read that form and think, well, maybe they forgot to fill in their family members, let's send them a checklist. lol

Thanks for your reply.

Don't leave blanks on the I-864. I know it says to, but you'll get a checklist.

Ugh, really?

LIke, part 3, listing immigrant information. I'm only sponsoring my wife, yet, there are 6 different places to fill in family members (address, name, dob, etc, etc). None of that applies to us. I'm supposed to write N/A in every single box for all 6?

She doesn't have an Alien Reg #...put None?

The example form listed at the top of this page has blanks all over it for the 864. Seemed like a pretty straight forward form, now it's becoming more complicated than it should be.

Yes the answer is 0 for previous income as well as current income if his job will not be continuing in the USA.

I'm in a similar boat, except my AGI for the last 3 years ranges from a couple hundred dollars to just over 1k. From what I can tell this is from investment dividends I earn in the US which do not fall under the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.

My job will not carry over into the US, so, put 0 in all 3 despite AGI being over 0? We're using a joint-sponsor.

So, I think I'll stick to this thread...the giant NVC filers thread in the other section is too fast paced for me lol.

I'm filling out, rough draft, the I-864 and the instructions clearly state If an item is not applicable or the answer is “none,” leave the space blank.

I was repeatedly warned NOT to do this for the I-130, I guess it's just ingrained in my brain. I feel I'm over thinking it and I should just Keep It Simple Stupid...instructions say leave blank, leave blank. lol

Another question about Part 4 (Information on the Sponsor) section 5 under Other information. Country of Domicile? Well I'm currently domiciled in Canada. But, since I am re-establishing domicile in the US should I put United States? Obviously I would attach proof of this as well with the package.

Thanks in advance!

Ohh no ?? may be i should call n ask them..but i dont have the patience to call and wait for an hour..can the beneficiary call and inquire about his case?

Yes. Just make sure he has all the relevant info available (case #, DOB's, etc)

Starting to fill out the I-864 form and am curious about leaving questions blank. Example...my wife has no middle name.

The form instructions clearly state If an item is not applicable or the answer is “none,” leave the space blank.

I had it ingrained in my brain to either use N/A or none, depending on the question, when filling out the I-130. I believe that i should just follow instructions on this form and leave them blank, but, I don't want to get checklisted. Tell me I'm over-complicating things and I should just leave them blank where applicable.

Thanks

You should look at Saylin NVC wiki guide about 10 times lol. Gather all supporting documents and get scanning.

Yes, definitely read Saylin's wiki and the NVC thread found here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/503660-nvc-filers-july-2014/

Read the first post repeatedly.

Do not, I repeat Do Not reopen the DS261 on the CEAC site after you've filled it in the first time, as it will completely reset your waiting time for the IV invoice.

Get that police certificate, as mine took several weeks from the Police Dept I went to, although some folks on this forum report being able to take it straight home I had mine in hand before I got the NOA2.

You should absolutely have the AOS forms printed out and filled out in draft format already, and the tax transcripts in hand. (Forms and instructions here:

Have all of your IV package information also ready.

You can practice your DS 260 information here: http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/DS-260%20Exemplar.pdf

So yes, you can complete all of this while you wait for the case number and you'll be ready in advance!

Thank you both! Excellent tip about the DS-261. I have some work to do lol.

Thanks guys, he meets all those requirements.

I think I should be OK reestablishing domicile in the state I was born, was just skeptical about using my brother as a joint sponsor since he lives so far away from our potential home in the US. Cheers.

We are both currently living abroad and will continue to do so throughout the process.

I have my parents who we could use as a co-sponsor (I haven't officially asked them yet), but, we have their permission to stay with them and I have already begun taking steps to re-establish domicile. I know they would do it assuming they meet the financial requirements.

My brother has told me he would be happy to joint sponsor for us. My only concern with this is that he lives on the West coast (my parents live in the East). I know it's OK for a joint sponsor to live somewhere else. But, I'm curious if it's looked down upon given the sheer distance between us on the map? Does this matter to the interviewer or anyone along the process?

I would prefer to use my brother as a joint as I know he easily exceeds the monetary requirements and I'm just more comfortable with him than I am inquiring about my parents financial situation and trying to walk them through the paperwork process, etc.

Does anyone have an opinion on this, or similar experiences they would share? Thanks in advance.

I have been told they auto-expedite petitions for couples who are living together abroad. So, if you meet that, you should get faster results. If you don't, it might take a while. We both reside in Canada and our I-130 was approved in 22 days. I've seen a few get done around that same time frame (20-40 days).

I have not been around this site long and am by no means an expert so please don't take my advice too seriously, there are many other members here who are much more intelligent and versed in this process than I am. I am just sharing what our experience was with the California center.

Still waiting for case number...

Should we be doing anything else until then? Going to have the wife go get her police certificate sometime this week since I read it is good for a year. We cant' see the DS-261 until we get a case number, etc.

Can we fill out the IV and AOS packages while we wait? It sounds like some of you had done this already while you were waiting. I can see the I-864 forms but I don't see any links to an IV package. We have been extremely busy the last couple weeks with work and life in general, but, I feel like we should be doing something during this downtime.

No, they didn't contact me. They gave me that usual "30 business days" bs. Smh.

lol...that's what I thought, thanks!

Because you feel like you're finally getting there, and then the carpet gets pulled out from under you. :-(

I said the same thing to my husband this morning. Lol!

The man did say they would contact us when a case number was assigned. Did they contact you? I think I remember reading that that's just a bunch of bologna and you need to stay on top of it ..

Finally got my case number today!!! NVC received my case on June 13th, 2014, and my case number was generated today! Yay!!

Awesome, congrats.

I just called and they finally received my case, was told by Mel to wait 25 business days for a case number. But, of course, I'll be calling back in a couple weeks to see. On hold for 41 minutes just to talk to someone for 60 seconds.

The reason yours was done so fast is because California auto-expedites couples who live abroad together.

I found Wyoming to be absolutely more boring than Montana... Granted we went in June.... but wow, I can see why it's the least populated state.

That's interesting about California auto-expediting...I guess it's just luck of the draw that we got sent to them?

Are you both in Canada? Was the service center California?

Yes to both questions (for me).

I was actually wondering this same thing...sorta. I always see people post that it takes 6 months to a year to complete this whole process. I'm a little bit on the fast track as well, but assume it's about to slow down. Does anyone have a good estimate of how much longer it will take me to finish. I was hoping for an interview at the end of September, but that's with no checklists of course. Thoughts anyone? am I dreaming??? Say it ain't so!!

I remember looking at quite a few timelines one day last week and I noticed a few that were done in about 6 months start to finish. September is probably not going to happen, but, hey, who knows right? From all my reading I was under the impression the I-130 approval was the longest stage of the process and we're both ahead of the game in that respect, so, hopefully we continue to be lucky and stay on that path.

Is it really taking 30 days JUST to get a case number??

Hey, at least they received your case. I think we are on similar timelines (I got my NOA2 on June 10th). I just called to check and see if they had received my case and they said no, it could take 4-5 weeks the man said (which I know is just what they are told to say). Our phone call got cut off when we were in mid-sentence...I hope he doesn't think I hung up on him lol.

Edit...congrats Raven and Kat.

Checking in with the others - My Content is gone for me as well.