EastMeetsWest2018

5 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

THIS WILL NOT AFFECT IMMEDIATE FAMILY IMMIGRATION AT ALL. STOP BELIEVING THE HYPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

All this is is hype and clickbait drivers for these website. If you actually read what was proposed and what has been talked about for a while now. Then you would see that it doesn't affect petitions for spouses or children but it would affect petitions for siblings or parents. 

Thank you for the reply. As I said I'm sure I'm being paranoid but I did my due diligence in trying to find a source or site explaining the proposal in a clear and direct manner (from fox news to Washpo and everywhere in between) and nothing was explicit. And I did see it mention siblings and parents and children and spouses for Green Card Holders but nothing explicit about USC immediate family.

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to post or not. However, my wife has her IR1 in hand (I am a USC) and we plan on returning to the USA in August, when our baby is a bit older for the flight. However, with Trump's new proposal and his use of EOs sometimes when he doesn't get what he wants, should I be buying the next plane ticket to the USA to get the green card activated to avoid any risk. What really concerned me was the passage in the article below stating that everyone in the green card process would be required to apply again under the new proposed system. 

I'm sure I'm being paranoid but I would appreciate other thoughts on the matter.

“Immigrants in the green card backlog would lose their place in line and would need to apply under the new point-based system,” according to an analysis from Berry Appleman & Leiden. “The White House has said people who are currently waiting for green cards will receive additional points, but no specifics have been released.” This was confirmed by Donald Trump’s May 16, 2019, speech, in which he stated that all current family and employment-based preference categories would be eliminated and replaced by new “Build America” visas awarded by points.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2019/05/16/trump-immigration-plan-may-throw-4-million-people-off-immigrant-waiting-lists/amp/

19 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Mom's current income is $0.  In the tax section, the numbers are the same for Mom and Dad.  The instructions are actually quite clear on this.  

 

I wouldn't trouble them if you have 10 times the the income requirement in liquid assets.  "Liquid" as defined in those same "instructions".

They are savings accounts, brokerage accounts, IRAs, and my wife's CPF which is an IRA/Social Security type of account she has as a Singapore PR that she will be taking to the USA with her tax-free anyway and setting up her own brokerage account in the USA. All of these accounts can be liquidated and the only tax/penalties that I would face upon liquidation is on my traditional IRA (10% penalty and capital gains tax on the Roth). I'm not bothering with including assets like her car.

Hello All,

My wife and I are planning on using our assets to satisfy the requirements for AOS since my employment in Singapore will end when we return to the USA. We have over 10 x the 125% of poverty level for our household, but just in case I am having my parents fill out forms to be co-sponsors in case the embassy wants one.

My father works, my mother does not as she was a SAHM. From my understanding, my father will fill out the i-864 and it is clear to me how to fill out his income and the total income in his taxes. However, for my mom who makes $0.00 and files her taxes jointly, for her i-864a Part 4, does she put the total income from their tax returns (e.g. what my dad's income is) or does she put her contributions to that of the tax returns (e.g. $0)? 

Does my mom even need to fill out a i-864a?

Thanks for any help/advice!

Anyone?

Hello All,

Quick question: if one was to use "Reestablishing Domicile.." for the I-864, what should one answer for Country of Domicile? USA or the current place that the petitioner is living. 

Thanks!

Thank you for the direct answer aleful! 😃

I am currently living in Singapore with my wife, and will be moving back in with my parents when we return back to the USA. I do not believe I will need any joint sponsor as our assets should put us well above the threshold. However, just in case, I would like to have my parents fill out the appropriate I-864 form to help meet the requirements, if needed, during the interview. Would they fill out an I-864A or I-864 form? We do not currently live with them now. It will only be when we move to the USA.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the answers. I would still like to know:

1. Do I need to include pay stubs or an employment letter in my packet to return to the NVC if I put my current income is $0.00?

2. For using assets, what is the best method of showing the value? X amount of months of monthly statements? If so, how many months? I will be using the value of cash savings, brokerage account, my IRAs, and my wife's Singapore CPF (which she will be eligible to take with her/cash out penalty/tax-free when she gives up her Singapore PR).

Thanks in advance for advice.

Hello Community Experts,

For Part 6, Question 7 about annual income, do I put $0.00 here as my income since my job will not continue when I move back to the USA and therefore this source of income will disappear? Or do I put my current annual salary converted to USD? Looking at the question at face value, I would lean towards putting my current salary. However, when looking at the instructions, it says the annual income that you are using to meet the requirement. Since my salary will expire when I move back to the USA, this leads me to believe that I should put $0.00. If it is the latter (putting $0.00), is there any need to include an Employment letter or 6 months of pay stubs?

We will qualify with assets, combined assets (including my IRAs and my wife's IRA-equivalent from Singapore that she can cash out and take with her penalty/tax-free) is over 10x 125% of poverty level for a household size of 3. Is an I-864A needed from my wife (the principal sponsored immigrant)? How many monthly statements do we need for each account to submit to the NVC? Or do we just take with us to the interview?

Bonus question: My wife is 6 months pregnant. For household calculation for the I-864 form, do include our unborn child as part of the number of members in the household calculation? Or do I somehow provide an update after the birth of our child (or indicate during the interview)?

Thank you for your help/advice!

2 minutes ago, geowrian said:

1. Pregnancy in itself is not a reason to expedite.
2. DCF in exceptional circumstances is possible. However, what is the exceptional circumstance here? A pregnancy may be exceptional to you as an individual (congrats!), but is not so for immigration purposes.
3. An expedite due to pregnancy may be possibly if there are considerable medical complications or risks due to the pregnancy...just like any medical expedite.
4. I have heard some embassies may let you inside or to the front of a line if you are visibly pregnant, so at least thta's something?

Thanks for a direct and non-insulting answer. 

14 minutes ago, ms_bobdog said:

President? I had to read twice to make sure I saw that right. C'mon, surely the time you spent in Singapore has not made you as kiasu as us born-and-bred Singaporeans...  

I hope that our kid has better career aspirations than President

1 minute ago, ms_bobdog said:

Prepare for a 12-14 month wait because that is the best likelihood and we certainly do not wish any kind of complications. By the way, I don't know how the baby's nationality is going to work out. Just wanted to let you know of a friend's cousin's case. Said cousin is Malaysian, and husband is also a foreigner (can't remember what nationality). They had the baby in Singapore but the baby was not eligible for Singapore, Malaysia nor the husband's citizenship. The child ended up stateless  I used to think that any baby born in Singapore would be eligible for Singapore citizenship but I think rules have changed somehow.

I'm American who spent all but the last 3 years of his life in the USA so the kid will be American. But yes, it will not be eligible for Singaporean citizenship. Only question would be if it is eligible for president. That is the Ted Cruz question as he ran but was born in Canada and got his citizenship through his American mother.

Just now, ms_bobdog said:

I didn't know Singapore offers DCF. But it is true that there is no expedite for pregnancies unless there are exceptional complications.

Singapore doesn't. Thailand does. Thailand can take up a Singapore DCF under exceptional circumstances and on they listed is medical and under that is pregnancy. You are probably right that it is probably in case of some sort of complication. My post is just to see if anyone out there reading had successfully been approved for DCF due to pregnancy. In reality, I think my wife would want to have her first pregnancy in Singapore. I'm just trying to get information so we know all options.

1 minute ago, Roel said:

It would be horribly unfair to expedite the process based on the pregnancy alone. Just saying.

The USCIS website I look at says nothing about the pregnancy, just emergency medical situation. Which pregnancy is not.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/2012/May/DOS-I130May1412.pdf

Again... I am not saying if it is, could, or should be considered a medical emergency or exceptional circumstance. I'm asking if anyone has been in this situation and was ruled eligible for DCF.

Just now, Roel said:

Pregnancies means nothing to the Immigration. If you got pregnant hopping it will expedite the process then it's your bad.

 

There is NO expedite based on the pregnancy or the baby. You have to wait 12 to 14 months just like everyone else.

My bad? We have been trying for a kid for almost a year. This isn't a scheme to cut the system. However, I am curious to know if someone has been in this situation and tried DCF as USCIS itself claims that pregnancy MAY be a possible reason for exceptional circumstance.

1 minute ago, Infidel said:

As far as I know, they don't expedite in any way for pregnancies 

The USCIS own webpage says that exceptional circumstances for DCF include medical issues including pregnancies.

So I finally submitted my I-130 to the Chicago lockbox via FedEx from Singapore and it is expected to arrive on Tuesday. Literally the next morning my wife learns she is pregnant (we had been trying so not a complete shock).

I'm curious to know if I could now claim an exceptional circumstance and be eligible for DCF? If so, do I ask USCIS to send my packet to Thailand or do I tell FedEx to stop shipment and apply directly myself? Or is there a way to let USCIS know and see if they are able to expedite? 

I guess worst case we have the kid here and due to processing times it'll probably be born before approval.

You can use a G-1450 form and  add it on top of your application. It is for credit card authorizations. It can be only used for submissions to the Lockbox (not field offices). I confirmed with my embassy in Singapore that I can use this and that is what I intend to use when I submit my package tomorrow.

16 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

What "worked for me" and what is "best practice" are not the same thing.  Take your pick.

Well considering that the instructions aren't consistent with the form attributes, reputable sites with example I-130 forms have conflicting ways of being filled out with each other and the I-130 instructions (including this site), and the questions themselves are subjective if they are applicable or not.... I would say it pretty much is "Take your pick".

On 25/04/2018 at 11:34 AM, pushbrk said:

Sure.  But if you only enter family name and no first or last name or other information, NONE will not be misunderstood.  Right????

Wouldn't spouse #2 and onward be N/A due to answering "1" in  question 16: "How many times have you been married"?

Also,  for questions that are prefaced with: "... if any", is it safe to leave those blank? Or is N/A the more appropriate response?

2 hours ago, pushbrk said:

An evolution of relationship letter is a nice touch but really not necessary for people already living together abroad.

 

Also understand that just because an answer is "NONE" does not mean the question is not applicable.  "No Middle Name" is what you type when there is no middle name because the word NONE actually is a name in more than one language.

 

Second, once you've answered "NONE" to say the family name of a former spouse, (for example) indicating there are no former spouses, all other questions about former spouse or spouses are rendered not applicable and can simply be left blank.  The new forms don't allow some spaces to be filled out at all once certain boxes are checked.  USCIS just hasn't bothered to conform their instructions to the updated versions of the forms that actually don't allow those instructions to be followed.  Use common sense.

But if I put NONE for spouse family name... NONE could be a name :). 

I know you say to use common sense but common sense would have me leave fields like middle name blank.  The example from visajourney itself does this:

http://www.visajourney.com/content/examples/

Is it acceptable to leave blank boxes where the instructions say: "if any"? E.g. other names used.

Okay, last question I have before I submit my I-130.

Is a short story/summary of how we met, how I proposed, what we enjoy to do in our day to day life and our future plans in the USA and why we want to move from Singapore to USA worthwhile? I believe something similar is needed or suggested for K1s.

Also, maybe a stupid question and I've read many people who have asked this with conflicting responses. Is it okay to leave questions blank on the I-130 form itself? I know the instructions encourage answering all questions or putting N/A (often you can't use a '/' so either handwritten or just NA I guess?). However, I see example forms (even sponsored by this site) leaving questions blank.

Examples:

-My wife has no middle name. Should we leave it blank or place N/A?

-We have no A-Number, should I place N/A? Or since it has the caveat of "if any", do I leave it blank?

-We both have had only one spouse and we are currently married. Do we leave "Date Marriage Ended" empty? Do I place N/A for Spouses 2 when I noted that I was married once? Do I put N/A for each field related to spouse 2?

-Persons 1 through 5 for Beneficiary's spouse and children: Obviously I am Person 1, do I put N/A or leave blank the spaces for Persons 2 through 5?

Thanks for your help. Looking forward to finally submitting!

6 hours ago, geowrian said:

Affidavits provide very little to no benefit in themselves. However, if they provide detailed accounts of specific circumstances to back up other evidence, they can be helpful. For instance, "X is a great person and they are such a great couple and I have known them for X years." is basically useless. The CO cannot determine the validity of those types of statements. However, "X, Y, and myself went on a trip to xyz on mm/dd/yyyy where we all enjoyed seeing Z, Z, and adventuring up ZZZ mountain together." That combined with photos of the group and receipts and such at those events provides a better view of the relationship IMO. It's no longer just somebody's word about their character or the relationship, but about the interactions and time spent together.

Do you think it would be helpful providing a summary of why we do not have joint accounts or will that just draw more attention to it?

Is it worth writing an explanation of why we have not commingled our finances together? E.g. State that we have just kept our accounts as before marriage because that is what works for us and that I pay my wife my portion of the rent monthly and we divide up the remainder of the bills and attach the bills as evidence? Or is this not worth mentioning or only drawing attention to a non-issue? I'm trying to balance preemptively answering any questions they may have and putting too much information that may not be necessary and may actually provide more focus on issues they wouldn't have looked at before.

Any thoughts?