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Thank you! Trying to send away tomorrow and this saves me a headache!

Hi all. My joint sponsor's scanner crapped out and she only managed to get me one fairly low quality page, the signature page. The quality difference looks obvious to me. Does anyone think it will be a problem if I print the rest of it (I have it all saved electronically) and that one page with the signature is lower quality? Does it make it look like I prepared it, and should I fill out the preparing section if so? Do you think anybody minds this sort of thing given the electronic communications world we live in?

I'm finishing my petition for my new wife to stay with me in the U.S. I'm having a bit of trouble with employment history, and addresses, as my employment for the last few years has largely been world touring with a wild funky 6-person independent (music) band. I'm not sure whether to put that as my employer... and there is no address to list for it! 

Also, would you guys put the address you've maintained as your physical addresses while traveling, as address history, even though you haven't really spent much time "living" there? Will significant gaps of time between physical addresses and employment be cause for RFE's?

*Nomadic bohemian lifestyle, meet Bureaucracy!*

Thank you kindly...

Hi! My spouse beneficiary (love) has an official "Birth Certificate Extract" from the Swiss authorities that has all of her birth information on it in several languages including English, and we plan to use it as opposed to a translation of the original if possible. Anyone seen this before or think it's not gonna fly? It's called an official Birth Certificate Extract...

About to submit full AOS 4-form package in a week. I've seen a lot of various formats for cover letters here, and I'd love it if some of you would be willing to share your experiences or knowledge of the best way to format this package. My first instinct is to make one giant cover letter with a complete table of contents for everything... this would be very long, but complete... But I see some people making 4 cover letters, some 2 (including EAD and AP forms under the I-485)... thoughts?

35 minutes ago, Suss&Camm said:

You have to put in all the numbers for the three years, but you are only required to send supporting tax documents for the most recent year.

OK. This wording in the official instructions made me think otherwise... 

"NOTE: Do not leave the boxes for Item Number 19.a. blank. Print or type the most recent tax year and your total income for that most recent tax year. If the amount was zero, enter “zero” or if you were not required to file a Federal income tax return enter “N/A” for not applicable."

Thank you. Also, am I allowed to give tax returns for TWO most recent years, but not three? It seems the only options are one or three, but I've read people saying you can put whichever years show the strongest... in our case the last two years are strong but the third not as much.

Hi everyone. I'm filling out the support affidavit for my joint sponsor. Question 19 on form I-864 asks for Total Income as reported on tax returns. I have her tax transcripts, and can see total wages for two different jobs... do I just add them together and put the number there-- total gross income? Or is it asking for an adjusted number after tax was taken out? Thanks for the help!

Thankyou, @Angelica48. And everyone above! Stating so on the cover letter sounds like a good idea. Was the reason because of the one-year expiration thing? Thanks

We are adjusting status on surprise marriage from VWP...

Hi again! My love & I are wanting some clarity re. the medical examination form. I have read people saying that it's OK to get the examination later and bring I-693 to the GC Interview, and we have been going with that, but I'm reading the instructions for I-485 and it seems like it's required? We are working around the clock to get this out while she's in status, and we have roughly a week left! So we have to figure this out right away.... thanks!!

Thank you. So, to clarify, you are saying that only the sponsored immigrant need fill out G-325a with the I-485, not the petitioner? 

I know that the new I-130A Supplemental Information form replaces G-325A for the intending immigrant, but do I (the petitioner) still need to include G-325A with the I-130 package? Also, do I understand correctly that we both need to do a G-325A for the I-485 anyway? Thanks!

OK. I wasn't sure if it was such a black and white situation, because I read that the official will make a judgement call as to whether there is a high likelihood of the applicant becoming a public charge... If its as simple as meeting HHS poverty guidelines 125%, then we've got it. 

Great! So if we are reasonably sure now, we can proceed, and if we have to find another sponsor, not all will be lost!!

Hello again. My partner and I who are about to file for AOS make very little money, but we have a co-sponsor lined up who we believe to fit the requirements. If for some reason they decide that we are not showing enough collective income to be satisfied with our support, will they send us an RFE and ask for an additional or a higher-earning joint sponsor and allow us to continue the application process, or will they just deny our application? Thanks.

OK! Downloaded a 4506-T and here we go! Thanks.

OK. Technically speaking, would a written explanation suffice? Just because I am short on time. Thanks

Thanks everyone for your answers. I am still not clear as to whether I can submit a written explanation of my lack of tax returns, or if I must request an official "Letter of Non-Filing" from the IRS and submit that. Thank you.

Nice, yes it definitely seems from that link as if they are noting the date of receipt specifically. It seems like everyone sends their application to Chicago Lockbox facility... I notice there is also one in Phoenix, and I'm in California... but do all of these go to Chicago anyway? Thanks for your help!

Excellent, thank you! 

Last question-- Do we need to have NOA before her visa expires in order to avoid overstay? Or can we just have dated and sent the paperwork before that day? In a tight time crunch 10 days or so could make a big difference for us.... Thanks.

Thank you so much!

A couple more questions/answers regarding your answers, @geowrian :

4) Why do you so highly suggested filing while still in status? Does that streamline our process?

5) I have just been reading that it can be risky to do it that way. But it seems like it won't be a problem! 

6) Have you any idea what officially constitutes "living?" It's a fuzzy line when doing 1-3 month stints at various places...

@millefleur that sounds re-assuring, thank you! 

Greetings all! Celebrating my first post here on the VJ community! Thank you in advance for your support! 

I am a USC who has just surprised my girlfriend and traveling partner of nearly two years by popping the question! (She said YES...  ) She entered two months ago on the VWP, and at the time we both intended to travel on to Switzerland (her home country) at the end of her 90 days. She was honest with CBP that she was with her American boyfriend and planning to spend time together with my friends and family. She was briefly pulled into secondary and extra notes were taken before they admitted her into the U.S.

Now, with the surprise engagement, we intend to get married within the next month and begin the full AOS process. I have a few questions that have come up during my research and preparation.

1) I am a traveling musician, artist and world wanderer who has been a nomad on the move for 7 out of the last 8 years (since I was 18). I have made very little official income in that time, and so I have not filed taxes, ever. Do I need to provide letters of non-filing? Do I need to explain my life and my situation and why I don't have tax returns? (I am now working at a low level "actual" job and can show pay stubs and proof of a modest "official" income since the beginning of April.)

2) I have a co-sponsor lined up who now makes an income that will amount to about $40,000/yr. but has not always made that much during the last few years, as she spent half of the time working on a smaller stipend as a Doctors Without Borders nurse. Also, she does not keep much of it in the bank as she is paying a mortgage and paying off student loans. Is there any necessity that the co-sponsor has savings, as long as they can prove their income? 

3) We have been traveling together for almost two years. She has maintained a Swiss address (her father's place) and bank account, but has not actually been there much... and now we are living in California together at the same address, which we will be at through the entirety of this process. We have been at this address since arriving in the country. Should she provide her Swiss address or our U.S. address throughout the forms? Will the U.S. address raise suspicion that we may have intended upon entry to stay and get married, since it has been fixed since the beginning of her VWP trip?

4) Now, it seems we can do a very small "legal" wedding right away, with a few friends or at the courthouse... or we could wait (with her in Overstay status) and do a bigger thing that looks more "bona-fide-y." In our case, it actually seems to make more sense to do a small thing as it was a surprise on a VWP visa... am I right? If so, what about sending our proof of bona fide marriage? Because, we don't have much at this point in the way of joint bills, bank accounts, or anything...we do rent together at the moment (without any official lease) and I could add her to my US bank account as soon as we're legally married. Do I surmise correctly that USCIS would be understanding of a lack of this kind of documentation because of the situation and the surprise?

5) Obviously, there is some risk involved in VWP --> AOS process. We are able to be honest about being clear in terms of intentions upon arrival, and will likely marry and apply in the 60-90 day window. Do we need to be prepared with proof that she meant to travel onward? She had a plane ticket out upon entry but immediately canceled it as it was a really bad route and she still wanted to decide on exact timing. Should we book her another ticket now (refundable) and then set the engagement date after it, then cancel again? That seems silly. The best we can do in terms of proof of her going back would be letters from her family and friends stating they were expecting to see her, and a couple facebook posts she made asking ahead for places to stay and jobs in Switzerland.

6) Every address in the last five years would be sooooo many addresses for me to list on my I-130. Can I just provide the U.S. mailing addresses I've maintained during my travels?

7) LAST ONE, THANKS!!! Is USCIS going to be prodding much into whether either of us worked outside of home countries, and basing any decisions on that? We have lived on incredibly shoe string budgets as well as done lots of playing in the streets, which is a gray area for "work." Basically, does our situation raise red flags?

In hope and gratitude...

lovestruck2!