Qilin

Hi again.

Sorry I asked a question and disappeared. Life got busy! But it was great to come back and see that my thread turned into a nice discussion (and possibly a future VJ meetup in Tampa for the Florida folks!).

Your stories raised a lot of good information and food for thought.

I think we have made our decision, as of yesterday. We've been looking into several things I've learned through questions I asked elsewhere on VJ, but what brought us to a decision point was actually the attacks on Paris that happened Friday night. Graham lives in an English city that has seen several young people go off to the Middle East to join ISIL and is also a likely target for terror attacks in the future. He's half Indian, and as a result of his mixed heritage, he actually looks like he could be from the Middle East himself, and he's been running into some discrimination/prejudice from strangers lately. In light of Paris, he's ready to get out of the UK. I don't blame him.

So the U.S. it is.

Ooooh! What are the new rules about coming to the UK? I haven't looked into that at all. I thought it used to be really quite simple.

We didn't have any debate - well, she did mention not liking the cold... But for me, moving to the USA is all part of this amazing journey - I feel lucky to be presented with this new enormous country to live in and discover - and she is very happy to stay at home. (She also has two dogs who wouldn't like to emigrate)

I really wanted to move to England for an "amazing journey" of my own, but I'm happy to share my husband's with him instead. It will still be pretty amazing for me, too.

He has mentioned the size of the U.S. quite a lot. He likes the idea of having so much room to roam, and so many possibilities for places to settle for the long-term.

Do you two plan to do a lot of U.S. travel? So many Americans never see much of their own country. It would be so much fun to not only see places we haven't already, but also to see familiar places through our non-native partners' eyes. It adds a whole new dimension to traveling our own homeland. I hope you guys get to see and do a lot!

My husband doesn't have pets, but I have an elderly dog and a parrot. Neither one would do well in quarantine so I had planned to leave them with friends. The decision for Graham to come here will allow me to keep my pets, which does make me very happy. I've had both of the for a very long time.

We definitely back-and-forthed for a while, and at one point actually decided on the UK. There are pros and cons either way, but in the end it was the easier system to get into the US and there's the size issue.... in the US, once you're inside you can go anywhere in a giant country. The UK, by contrast, is less than half the size of Colorado.

Also there were climate and family considerations... it was a difficult decision and we still sometimes wonder about it. Definitely pros and cons either way.

It's so interesting to read comments about U.S. immigration being easier. It seems the very opposite to me. The UK process looks (?) so much shorter and less labor-intensive. The financial requirement for sponsorship is greater, and I do understand that it can be harder to meet on many UK incomes. It makes me realize how lucky my husband and I are that he has sufficient income for us to have a choice.

Climate was never a consideration for us, as the climate in upstate New York is pretty similar to the general climate in the UK. Dark, cloudy, and chilly.

As for family, that was the one factor that leaned entirely towards him coming here. He has no living family in the UK. My family adores him, and will be a fantastic support to us. That's especially important because we're older adults and Graham's health isn't great. As long as it looks like we can work out the healthcare issues (and after doing some research, I'm confident that we will), life in the U.S. really does seem like the way to go.

Hi Lauren, welcome to VJ!

Hope some of that is helpful

Oh my goodness, Elf -- thanks so much for the welcome, and for taking the time to give me such a thoughtful and detailed response! Yes, a lot of this was very helpful, and all of it was interesting.

I've bookmarked the links you kindly provided and taken a look at the associated material. I know you said there's no telling how an individual medical will go, but I definitely feel like we'll be much more prepared when the time comes, thanks in no small part to your wonderful post.

Since you said you have not started filing yet...it could take anywhere from 3-10 months just to get thru the first part of the filing process. That should be enough to establish income from your new job.

See this link for the poverty guidelines; the minimum you or anyone else needs to make in order to sponsor.

http://www.uscis.gov/i-864p

If your parents are going to co-sponsor, check out this link

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Step_4_Collect_Financial_Documents.html

But you won't really have to urgently have an idea on your income until you reach the NVC stage.

In regards to your last two years, it won't matter as much in the end, because most embassies look at current year's income, however, you still need to show documentation (proof of unemployed payments, letter stating unemployment) once at NVC stage.

Thanks, Zaakirah! This was very helpful, especially the second link, which I bookmarked immediately. I really appreciate the friendly help and feedback I've been getting here.

I see that your interview is this week, on 18 November. Safe travels, and best wishes for a good appointment!

Thanks, Everyone!

Graham has other skills that are readily transferable to the U.S.. Things that he can do well into his 70s if he so chooses. We have contacts to get him set up for those, so working won't be a problem. Excellent advice and information on Medicare, etc. I'll definitely start looking into that immediately. Thank you for taking the time to post your feedback.

I am currently unemployed (I have a reliable Joint Sponsor if we need it), but if we do decide Graham will come to the States, I'll be relocating shortly with a job already lined up that will have good health insurance. So one way or another he will be covered for a while.

If I go to the UK, he does meet the financial requirement without a problem. He has additional income besides the AA, though that salary alone does cover what's needed. Changes at the AA are part of the reason why we are considering bringing him here. The AA is really going to heck, lately.

As I've posted elsewhere, my husband and I are still deciding who will move -- me to the UK, or him to the States.

Did any of you go through a similar "decision" phase, or did you always intend that the UK fiance/spouse would move to the U.S.?

For those of who considered both options, why did you choose the one you did?

Just curious about other couples' experiences and reasoning. It seems that there are good reasons to go with either choice.

Cheers,

Lauren

Labels matter.

Your stepfather would be a fantastic JOINT SPONSOR. A JS does not need to be related to anyone - just needs to be a USC or LPR, and be over 18.

(No such thing as a co-sponsor.)

Thank you. I'll be sure to start using the right terminology!

It looks like you've answered my next question, but I'm checking just in case. Does the Joint Sponsor have to live in the same household as the Sponsor?

I ask because of this passage from this document on the USCIS website:

I filed the I-130 immigrant petition for my relative, but I do not meet the minimum income requirement. Can anyone else be a financial sponsor?

If you do not meet the financial qualifications, the income of certain other household members can be added to your income level if they sign a contract on Form I-864A, Affidavit of Support Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member, agreeing to make their income or assets available for the support of the relative applying for permanent residence.

Hi, Everyone.

I'm Lauren from the U.S. My husband Graham and I are still weighing whether I should move to England or he should move to the States, and one of the major subjects of discussion is his health. He's 61 years old. He had polio as a child, and now has post-polio syndrome and COPD because of it. His lung function isn't great, but he holds a whole-time job that it fairly physical.

We are concerned about the possibility if spending so much time and money on bringing him here, just to have him rejected after the medical exam.

What sort of things do they do at the exam? Do they have access to NHS records?

Graham is a recovery driver for the AA so he has to have an annual medical to maintain his license/job. We were wondering if they would be able to see evidence of this, as it would make a convincing case that he is fairly fit despite his illnesses.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Hi Lauren,

You don't need to provide forms I-864 for your sponsors until your case is at NVC. From mailing your form I-130 until you get approval and your case is moved to NVC it will take at least 5 months, more likely 6-7. By that time you will probably be eligible to be the only sponsor for your husband since you wrote that you have a job lined up. Another question is - will you be making above 125% of poverty guidelines for your household size? Check out info on form I-864p to make sure.

You, as the USC petitioner, will always be the primary sponsor for your husband, regardless of whether you are making enough money or not. You always need to fill out form I-864.

Getting a joint sponsor doesn't change the whole process much. You just need to provide an extra I-864 form for the joint sponsor along with all the required supporting documents (joint sponsor's tax transcripts and/or W2s, recent pay stubs and/or employment letter).

Thanks, M&J. Yes, I will be making well over 125% of FPL.

A little personal history -- I sponsored my former husband (deceased) many years ago. Back then, a sponsor had to have been employed at the same place for 12 months to qualify without a joint sponsor. It's good to know this has apparently changed. A lot seems to have changed, actually. Mostly for the better, with the exception that the process was much shorter, time-wise. I wish there were legal shortcuts for industrious filers. Oh, well. :-/

Hello Qilin,

Relocating to another state should not cause any problem or delay in the visa process.

Many couples (like myself and my husband) live in a foreign country when they start the process and then the USC moves to USA in the meantime to "re-establish" the domicile. So if changing the country doesn't complicate the process, then surely relocating from state to state won't complicate it either.

You just need to keep USCIS informed about any address changes. AFter you submitted the I-130 form, you can change your mailing address online.

On the other hand, having lived with my USC husband here in EU, I must say that it is much easier to bring US spouse to European Union, than to bring EU spouse to USA. Faster, smoother, fewer problems. I highly recommend it

Thanks for your kind response. It's very helpful.

You're right -- the process for me to move to the UK is much simpler, much faster and much cheaper by comparison. It was originally our plan to go that route.

Since we're older (he's 61 and I'm 45), we liked the idea of having the NHS to rely on for medical care in the UK, but the more we've thought about it, the less sure we are that's the only consideration that matters with regard to health. He has no family in the UK (no children or siblings, and parents deceased), whereas I have a large and supportive family here in the U.S. That sort of thing matters as people get older. We we to live in the UK and he fell seriously ill, there would be no reliable social support. So, we're weighing that against the relative cost of medical care in the States. There is no good answer, sadly.

Thanks for your response, Mallafri76. It's a shame the medical has to come so late in the process, though of course it makes sense. I feel sorry for anyone who fails it after investing so much time and money. Hoping we wouldn't be one of those cases. Your input makes us a bit more hopeful.

Hello.

At the moment, my husband and I are deciding if I should move to live with him in the UK or if he should come here to the States. I have been getting my feet wet here today, looking through the more recent archives, asking a few questions, and reviewing the various forms and instructions for the CR1.

I've been looking for an answer to the following question but haven't run across one. The question pertains to the plan we have in mind if we will be petitioning for him to come here.

Over the next six months, I would be moving from my current state of residence to the state where my husband and I would intend to live (NY).

Will it delay/cause a problem with our process if I relocate to another state after the I-130 is filed and our "journey" has begun?

The more I think about the length of time it takes from I-130 filing to final interview, the more I think we should start our process as soon as possible, even before I have moved to NY. I just want to make sure that doing this won't drag things out even further.

Thanks in advance for your response(s), and for your patience with the other questions I have asked here today. Once I get these early queries settled, I won't be so darn needy!

Peace,

Lauren

I have started a timeline and added a Signature to indicate our current status. Thanks for the nudge, Boiler.

If you had been in your new job just a few weeks by the time of the interview. A year for the process, when you will need to show sponsorship.

I 864 can be downloaded form USCIS and has all the information you need. There are notes that go with it.

You have not completed your time line so difficult to make specific comments.

Sorry, my mistake. I don't have anything to add to a timeline yet. We haven't made any move whatsoever towards starting the actual process. I'm only seeking preliminary information so we can decide if I should move to the UK (a process we already understand fully) or if he should move here to the States.

Thanks for pointing me to the I-864. I had been looking at the I-134. Confusing for a newbie that they are both called "Affidavit of Support".

I appreciate your patience.

Hi, Aaron.

Thanks for the fantastic answers! You helped a lot. I'll leave question #2 alone. I understand about the TOS. It should have occurred to me. Sorry.

As for question #1:

Later, you will need to file an I-864 Affidavit of Support; you are the primary Sponsor. Since you do not meet the financial requirements, you can have a Joint Sponsor who can meet the requirements. One of your parent can be the Joint Sponsor using his/her assets; filing his/her own I-864 for your husband. The other parent can file an I-864a to combine assets with the Joint Sponsor to meet the financial requirements.

Be careful how you label people. You will be the Petitioner/primary Sponsor. Your parent would be the Joint Sponsor. The other parent would be the Household Member of the Joint Sponsor.

My stepfather holds all of the assets. He's a recently retired physician -- my mother hasn't worked in over twenty years, and I believe everything is in my stepfather's name. She has no assets of her own to add to the mix.

Will it matter that the co-sponsor is a stepfather rather than a biological or adoptive father?

Well if it had just been a few weeks, but sounds like you have just started so will have a year or so.

I'm sorry, but I'm not following you. Being so new to this, I need pretty specific answers. If what had just been a few weeks? A year or so for what?

If you're familiar with a location where I can view the requirements for sponsorship, a link would be appreciated (and would save you the trouble of giving me a more detailed answer!). The USCIS website is confusing to navigate -- I haven't been able to find the information. I can find forms, but nothing in the way of actual requirements.

Less than obvious to me why you could not sponsor him.

Don't I have to be able to demonstrate that I have had a stable income for a certain length of time before filing? Especially if I don't have a significant savings?

Hi, Everyone.

I have joined up today to ask some preliminary questions that will determine whether I will move to the UK to live with my husband, or if he will move to the States.

One major concern that we need answers for straight away pertains to the medical exam/my husband's health status.

My husband is 61 years old. He had polio as a child, and though he is not considered officially disabled and does hold a full-time job in the UK, he suffers from post-polio syndrome and COPD. He takes medications for symptoms of both.

Would these health problems jeopardize his petition for immigration? As I said, he does work full-time, but his lung function in particular isn't spectacular.

What does the medical exam for immigration include? Do people fail it very often?

What illnesses/health problems are known to prevent immigration to the U.S.?

Thanks in advance for your replies. I realize that some of these questions have probably been answered elsewhere, so links to other threads are appreciated, as long as they are up-to-date with current requirements.

Cheers,

Lauren

Hello, VJ Members.

I am a U.S.-born citizen/resident looking to bring my UK-born citizen/resident husband to the U.S. on a CR1 visa (we were married in the U.S. this July). We had originally intended that I would move over there, but have recently reconsidered and are investigating the alternative.

Here's the catch: I am unemployed and have been so for the past two years. I will soon be moving back to my home state of NY, where my parents live, and they are willing to co-sponsor my husband to come here. I have a job lined up in NY, but will obviously not have sufficient recent employment/income history to sponsor my husband myself.

In light of this situation, I have a couple of questions.

1. Is it even possible for me to sponsor my husband if I have to rely on my co-sponsor for 100% of the income/assets requirement? If not, what do I have to be able to demonstrate before we can do this?

2. How does the process differ if I have a co-sponsor? Is there an up-to-date guide on this site for how a co-sponsored CR1 actually works, step-by-step from the first form onwards?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,

Lauren

So, the gist of the family sponsor situation seems to be that I do in fact have to apply as his primary sponsor, but can have my parents as co-sponsors.

This being the case, does it matter what my own income/job status is, as long as my parents can demonstrate the necessary means? Or do I have to meet the income requirements myself, even if they are co-sponsoring?

I ask because I have been unemployed for over two years (thus why we originally intended for me to move to the UK, as my husband has a long-term job). I am not currently living in NY, where my parents are, but will be moving back there soon and have a job lined up. The trouble is, I obviously will not have had a sufficient income/employment history to sponsor my husband independently. Thus my parents' offer to help.

[Edit: I had asked other questions here, but realize they belong on the CR1 forum}

Greetings!

I am a new member (U.S.-born citizen) looking for a place to start with my husband's (UK resident-citizen) immigration process. We married in NY this summer, and he is currently back in the UK while we make some decisions about where to settle.

I am posting this in the Family section for a reason -- please read on before directing me to the CR1-IR1 forum.

I had originally intended to move to the UK after my husband and I got married, but we are now leaning towards him coming here, as he has decided he would like us to be close to my family.

I have two major questions right now, to start this investigation process:

1. My parents are retired but financially very well off, and we would be living with them when my husband arrives in the States. Can they sponsor him instead of me? (They have offered.)

2. Is there any way we can apply for his visa while he is already here (as a visitor)?

Thanks for your help with these first questions. I look forward to being part of this community!

Cheers,

Lauren