Harriett H

Hello. I have started the K1 Visa process and am currently waiting on my NOA2. I'm a student and have no income yet since I'm finishing university. I knew when I started this process, I would definitely need a joint sponsor. My cousin is willing to do it and we've established that she meets the requirements for doing a joint sponsorship. My question now is, can someone please explain to me in normal, everyday words what it means to be a joint sponsor, like what responsibilities this person has and how that may effect them in the future. I've read about it through the USCIS website but they use a lot of verbiage that goes over my head, so a simple explanation would be greatly appreciated! I guess my biggest concern is if my fiancé will somehow effect how my joint sponsor files her taxes in the future or something like that? That part is really unclear to me and would like more information from anyone that has dealt with this!! Also, will it negatively effect my case since on my side of the financial aspect, I am providing practically no income, since I'm a student and have been a student the past three years... (I am getting all the financial support to do this K1 Visa through my mother, but she can't file as my joint sponsor since she doesn't meet the minimum income requirement. Either way, I am graduating in June and will be working immediately.. this whole visa and financial thing just caught me at a weird time but I preferred to try to do it asap since I, obviously, would like to have my partner by my side ) 
Thank you in advance for the help 

The responsibility of the Joint Sponsor (JS) is mainly to pledge (not literally but way of their submitting their financial documents) to the embassy that they will be responsible for you financially so you do not become a public charge. A PC is where one who does not have the means to support themselves or that they are a low income earner and rely on the government for housing, food stamps or utility payments. These are just a few but not all. Your sponsor does not claim you on their taxes but you will submit your own taxes when the time comes.
 
The income is tricky here. Some embassy's understand about being a student and having no income. The normally would look at how soon you will graduate and what is your income potential. Now with the new regulations we have no idea what a specific embassy will or will not do. The regulations are a bit more black and white when you reach the AOS stage after marriage. That has not been tested so we have little or no history from which to draw from to answer any questions.
 
Here is a list of what is needed to produce the financial documents for the interview.
 
EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT: You must submit any evidence which will show that you and members of your family who will accompany you are not likely to become public charges while in the United States. Visa petitioner (US Citizen) will have to complete form I-134. If the petitioner does not qualify as a sponsor, a Joint-Sponsor should ALSO be presented (any US Citizen living in the US or Legal Permanent Resident), who will also have to complete form I-134. Both, the Sponsor (Petitioner) as well as the Joint-Sponsor, will have to present last year's income tax return transcripts. W2 form and proof of current and sustainable income (e.g letter of employment on letterhead including salary and start date, most recent salary receipts, bank accounts, the value of properties, etc.). You may download the I-134 affidavit at https://www.uscis.gov/i-134 Get the IRS transcript in place of the actual 1040 here: https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript Use this link to determine the income levels needed https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p. Also, the new requirement from most embassies is to complete the DS-5540. https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5540.PDF
 
I hope this helped you in your understanding of the financials of this process.