AndrewChou

Hello everyone from visa journey. 
I have a family of five and recently received immigrants visas from us embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and we have paid for all the green card and everything. 
but I have some problems and questions needed to clarify. Maybe someone here might be able to help me out. 
the problem is basically about personal assets that my family owns in Cambodia. We have quite a huge amount of asset here in Cambodia including house, personal savings account and cash. And we need to bring almost all of them to the United States. But I heard there is tax to everything in the US. I don’t know if all of our assets needed to be taxed as well or not? I did some research that in order to bring those assets to the United States, we must declare all of those assets to the government right after receiving the green card. What I do not understand is how do we declare all of those assets to the government? Is there any specific form for that? And after declaration, is it true that we are not needed to pay for the tax of those assets anymore? And later on in the upcoming year of our staying, if we receive more income from Cambodia (we rent our house), do all those income need to be taxed? 

Above are my questions and problems. Hopefully, someone can help me out. Thanks in advance :) 

On 10/17/2019 at 10:16 PM, SusieQQQ said:

 

Other than booking your air ticket, no  

oh - remember if you get an actual envelope, to carry it with you on your person and not go in checked luggage, it has to be handed in at entry 

Thanks for your advice. I have received the passport with visa stamped. And we don't receive any actual envelope; instead, we only have a note stapled on one page of the passport. And they advise us not to tear it.

And I have also paid for the green card fee. Now, I'm ready to travel to the US.

Again, Thank you for all of your advice. I really appreciate it.  

10 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Congratulations. 

You may be given a sealed envelope, or it may be in electronic form (some embassies do this). Yes, one per person if it is an actual envelope.

You will need to pay the immigrant fee (“green card fee”) for each person for your physical green cards to be issued. Ideally you should pay these before you enter the US, but it’s ok to pay afterwards if you have some kind of payment issue. See https://my.uscis.gov/uscis-immigrant-fee/

Given that it is 4 months since your interview, and presumably longer since your medicals, you may have a pretty short expiry date on the visas, be sure to check that and make arrangements to travel at least a few days before the expiry date in case of travel disruption etc that may delay you.

 

(one last piece of advice, if you have any derivatives who will be going to school or college, make sure you keep the copies of the vaccination worksheets the doctor prepared as you will need them.)

 

Thank you very much for your response! That explained a lots. Are those the only required step that I must take? Nothing else other than that right?

Hello, everyone from Visajourney.

I have a F4, family-based immigration case. We had our interview in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, since July 16, 2019. Recently, the CEAC status just changed from AP to Issued. We are planning to pick up the visa by Friday of this week (In Phnom Penh, Visa is only allowed to be picked up on every Friday). So, my question here is just to know, besides passport with visa stamp, what else should I be receiving along with the passport? I heard there is a sealed package thing, and we have a family of five, should each of us receive one sealed package (Total of five packages)? And is there anything else that we should be receiving? What else should I be expecting?

Another question is, after receiving the visa, what is the next step? Is there anything else to do just before leaving to the US?

Please help and share your experience. Your help and assistance is greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!  

The US embassy has just replied to my email, and set up an appointment on Tuesday in the afternoon. I guess this would mean the visa is likely to be approved? I heard that appointment in the afternoon are normally for collecting passport and issuing a visa. Am I right?

3 hours ago, vince88 said:

from what I know if it changed to ready means they're on the final process to issue the visa and all the main admin processing has been done. At least that's what the officer told me on my interview last time that they'll need at least a couple more days to print the visa after  approval.

 

So I guess just wait couple more days and hopefully it'll change to issued soon!!

But the thing is the consulate hasn’t asked for our passport yet since the first interview... and now it just changed to ready unexpectedly. This has scared me a lots....

PS: and before this change, the consulate has been asking for a joint sponsor, but we failed to provide it.. until recently we have found a suitable one, but the status has already changed to READY... wondering what does it actually mean and imply?

3 hours ago, Mamuu said:

Mine too changed from Ap to ready...🤔maybe we will get an answer here.

Hopefully, someone will help us clarifying it here!!

Hi, I have a F4 case. And we had interview once Since July-16-2019 in US embassy based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The interview went well except the consulate requested for a joint sponsor for the case. We have submitted joint sponsors but they keep rejecting it due to low in income of the joint. And 2 weeks ago, I sent them an email stating that the main petitioner (My aunt), have a huge savings in bank account, and the saving amount is enough to petition for the case. And I asked them whether the savings can be used or not. And recently, I have just found another joint sponsor just in case; and I have submitted the document to CEAC platform before checking the CEAC status. While checking for the CEAC status, it's already changed from AP to Ready. What does this kind of situation mean? Does it mean the consulate doesn't need any joint sponsor anymore? And is my case going to be rejected? And do we need to have another interview? And the joint sponsor documents that are just newly-added, do I need to delete it from the CEAC when the status already shown READY?  Please help!!!

PS: The embassy hasn't responded to any email we sent two weeks ago, and I have sent another just to clarify the situation. But it might takes over a week just to wait for their response. So I posted it here instead. Help and assistance will be appreciated!

23 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

It’s super easy to get them off the irs website. 

I think I have taken the right form of tax transcript from the IRS now. But the problem right now is because the first joint sponsor's income for the most recent year (2018) is too low. (The reason for that is because he is moving the state and trying to find a new job in the new state, which lead to lower income). Fortunately, he found a new job now with a steady income now. Is it a good idea just to clarify to the embassy that he has a higher income now? I can try to submit the IRS form of 2016 and 2017 of his (Which is pretty high) plus the employment letter of his current employment in the CEAC. Is that a possible solution? 

21 minutes ago, geowrian said:

You submitted a copy from Turbotax. A tax transcript is a specific document from the IRS. You can get it online:

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

Ahh I see! I guess they won't accept anything coming from a non governmental website then! Thanks for such a fast response. Appreciated.

Just a short question regarding family-based immigration petition. For the joint sponsors, what kind of tax transcript is allowed? I have submitted a transcript received from the Turbotax, but the consulate still ask me for tax transcript. Does it have to be the 1040? Or the tax return transcript from IRS governmental website?

10 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

It also depends on the type of assets. If for example the money is her life savings and using it on your family if necessary would leave her no money for her old age...they would not accept it. From the I864 instructions:

Only assets that can be converted into cash within one year and without considerable hardship or financial loss to the owner may be included.

In that saving account of my aunt's, it is not her retirement saving account. She has a separate one for that. The money in the saving account I provided to the consular is coming from the benefit from her last company since she has been working there for more than 10 years. That is the source of the assets. And even it is in the saving account, I think all of it is possible to be transferred to cash just within one year. I do not know why the consular won't accept it.

12 hours ago, geowrian said:

Generally, yes.

 

The W-2 would show prior income, not current income.

Bank statements are not great to show income...the pay stubs are the norm. But it sounds liek that was provided as well, so you're good there. The employment letter is good, too.

 

Unfortunately, it sounds like sufficient documentation was provided. It just means the CO was not convinced that they would not become a public charge.

I was hoping for insufficient documentation, which automatically makes their income considered insufficient and therefore not be a suitable sponsor.

Ahh, I see what you mean. I guess the consular is just not convinced with the current documentations I provided. In the current time being, I think I will just try to find a better joint sponsor just to fulfill the consular's needs. Thanks so much for your response.

5 hours ago, geowrian said:

Documentation for the petitioner sounds fairly good (although a year of bank statements is generally preferred IMO...to show that the money is steady there and not due to a friend ro family member just putting money in there for immigration purposes).

 

What evidence of current income was provided for the joint sponsors? Are they self-employed? Or did they only use assets....and if so, what documentation of those assets was provided?

 

Yup, it's allowed. Although as noted, the CO still looks at the totality of the circumstances....no double-dipping. haha

The bank statement, we put bank statements for almost a whole year (From June 2018 until April 2019). I think this much bank statement should have proved that the money in the bank is pretty steady, and we did not borrow it from friends just for immigration purposes right?

And the evidence of current income, I'm not sure what is included in that category, but we put W2 for previous year, the deeds of two houses in the USA (For the domiciles requirement),  Bank statement for the employment's wage direct deposit, and also the payslip from the employer plus the employment letter issued by the company my aunt working for.

While for assets, we only include the bank statement of her saving account for the whole year only. I'm not sure if this is enough or not...

24 minutes ago, geowrian said:

What documentation was provided with each I-864 (from both the petitioner and each joint sponsor)? Full tax returns OR transcript? What evidence of current income was provided?

 

The CO makes a public charge decision based upon the totality of the circumstances. Under the minimum = no visa. Above the minimum = judgement call.

Some criteria used by the CO: https://fam.state.gov/FAM/09FAM/09FAM030208.html#M302_8_2_B_2

 

It is permitted.

For the petitioner, we submitted I-864, tax returns for 2016, 2017 and 2018, Bank statement (Which has five times the lacking income gaps), naturalization certificate, birth certificate and other optional documents such as pay slip, employment letter...etc

While for the joint sponsors, we submitted I-864 with tax return for 2018 for both sponsors (The reason for only one year tax return is because the embassy did specifically say it's okay to just include one most recent years for each).

4 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

They do not have to consider assets.  In considering the totality of your family's situation, the CO evidently has concluded that there is a high risk of becoming a public charge.

 

If you want the visas, there really is no option but to comply with the requirements they have given you.

Oh, I guess that is why they would ask for a joint sponsor for my case. 

So here comes another question, normally, we can a maximum number of 2 joint sponsor. In my case, a family of 5, can one joint sponsor sponsor for 3 and second sponsor for 2? But we are intending to travel to the US at the same time. Can the first joint sponsor just fulfill the 125% annual income requirement of household size of 4 and the second one fulfill for household size of 3?

15 hours ago, designguy said:

Is it possible to even split up the joint sponsors to allocate them to specific beneficiaries as you are saying in CEAC if they are under the same case number?'

 

Keep in mind that the 125% poverty guideline is a minimum requirement to be met in order to be considered it does not mean once you cross the threshold you are guaranteed an approval. It might be the large family size is a concern for the CO and they want to see more substantial income from the sponsor(s). Also note the at the COs are not required to accept asset, its at their discretion. If you are getting a rejection that their income is not high enough then you will need to find a new sponsor to replace one of the current joint sponsors as you can use a maximum of 2 join sponsors

For splitting up, I’m not sure if this would work. But I have asked a local attorney about this method, they said it’s not commonly used but it is POSSIBLE. And if splitting up wouldn’t work, so what is the point of having two joint sponsors? To have more assurance? 

What I’m not sure about splitting up is does each joint sponsor have to fulfill the income requirement of total household size (6) or only the income requirement of only the family members they are including in their i864?

9 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Just checking, your aunt and the joint sponsors have no other family members in their households?

 

 

 

Yes, my aunt, she doesn’t have any family members. Same for the joint sponsors. 

16 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Not sure what type of help you’re looking for here, but the CO has discretion when determining an immigrant’s risk of becoming a public charge within the laws governing that.  

 

So, if they’re saying you need a joint sponsor, then you need one.  There is no waiver or way around that.

I’m just wondering why would the consular asked our family for a joint sponsor while my aunt’s money is over five times the lacking income gap...! I read the requirement on income and how to use assets to substitute the gap. However, the consular still ask for it anyway. And another thing to mention is during the interview, the consular didn’t even mention anything about my aunt’s money, and they only mention that her income is too low. Normally, when they see a petition with low income, are they going to assume that he or she doesn’t have enough assets to substitute? Is this the reason that a joint sponsor is needed? 

Hello everyone on Visa Journey.

My name is Andrew. I have a family of 5. My family has a family based immigrating case to the USA. In 2006, my aunt (My mom's sister) has filed a petition to the USCIS and was received. By the beginning of 2019, the NVC notifies us that they received the case from the USCIS, and we can begin submitting the required document to them. We have submitted everything including i-864, income tax of petitioner...etc. However, my aunt's annual income is not enough to sponsor a total household size of 6 (My family and her). But my aunt did have assets (Savings account bank balance) of over five times the difference between requirement 125% poverty guideline for 6 household members and her current annual income. All of that wasn't much of a problem. By May 2019,  the NVC received and approved all the documents submitted, and they send the case to the US embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to schedule an appointment. We were being scheduled for an interview on July 16th 2019. We attended the interview. Everything seems to be fine at first until the consular requested for a joint sponsor in order to proceed to any further step. We have tried to convince the consular that we have a lot of assets; however, the consular still request for it anyway. I don't know why the consular won't accept the assets that my aunt has and still need the joint sponsor. Can anyone please provide me with any solution to this kind of situation?

PS: I have tried to submit the i-864 for joint sponsor into the CEAC platform. We have found 2 joint sponsor. The first sponsor is responsible for sponsoring my mom, my older brother and me. While the second is responsible for my dad and my younger brother. Even the joint sponsors' income is over the 125% poverty guideline for household size of 4 (First joint sponsor + my mom+ my older brother+ me) and 3 (Second joint sponsor + my dad + my younger brother), the CEAC platform keeps rejecting the documents stating their income is not enough. Need help!!!

Thanks in advance!