klester

I think you're right. I did a little bit of research. If self-employed use line 22. Do you have joint sponsor or you're using assets to qualify?

Well, I'm back in the US now with a good job which I started this year, so I submitted paycheck stubs and a letter of employment for that. But, just in case (due to past 2 years income being mostly foreign earned), I did use my father as a joint sponsor.

I'll wait to see what it says, but the overwhelming response I've seen through search is to actually use line 22 on a regular 1040, not line 37. Line 22 would have been 5,000 on mine, instead of the 4,500 I put (line 37), which might be the issue. Some people (as above) say line 37 worked for them, but maybe it just depends on the person reviewing your case.

Anyway, it seems like line 22 is my best bet, but I'll wait to see what the email says. Hopefully it comes tomorrow.

Sorry, it's not letting me edit my previous post. Here's what I wanted to say:

Sorry to hear you got checklisted. Yes, it's basically mean "start over." They'll gonna say wait another 20 business days before it get reviewed again. But with the new forms, NVC is kinda quick in reviewing them. I got checklisted 2x on my AOS. My bad! You need to wait for their email. You need to redo your 9-page AOS. Don't leave any blanks this time. You won't get a copy of your original AOS. Did you not save a soft copy of it? Regarding Part 6 13 a.1 double check coz what they want is the adjusted gross income and not the total annual income. I hope you get the checklist email asap. Good luck.

That's the thing... I'm pretty positive I used the AGI and they said it is incorrect, so I'm not sure what to do... (I forgot to take a copy of my I-864 before I sent it out, realized the next day )

So can you guys help me? Which number do I use??

In my case, my 1040 looks like this... (note: the numbers are made up. It's a regular 1040, NOT a 1040EZ)

Wages: 45,000

Business Income: 5,000

Other Income: -45,000 (NOTE: I worked overseas, so the 45,000 was able to be TAX FREE. That's why it shows this -45,000 here. The 5,000 business income was US income)

Total Income: 5,000

Deductable Self Employment Tax: 500

Student Loan Interest Deduction: 500

Adjustable Gross Income: 4,500

Now I can't remember exactly which one I used, but I could swear I used the AGI. The I-864 says "Total Income (Adjusted Gross Income on 1040EZ)" Do I use the one above that says TOTAL INCOME or do I use the one that says ADJUSTABLE GROSS INCOME (as it isn't a 1040EZ)? I think I used the AGI before, but maybe I actually need to use the TOTAL INCOME?

Help! ;_;

Sorry to hear you got checklisted. Yes, it's basically mean "start over." They'll gonna say wait another 20 business days before it get reviewed again. But with the new forms, NVC is kinda quick in reviewing them. I got checklisted 2x on my AOS. My bad! You need to wait for their email. You need to redo your 9-page AOS. Don't leave any blanks this time. You won't get a copy of your original AOS. Did you not save a soft copy of it? Regarding Part 6 13 a.1 double check coz what they want is the adjusted gross income and not the total annual income. I hope you get the checklist email asap. Good luck.

That's the thing... I used the AGI and they said it is incorrect, so I'm not sure what to do...

In my case, my 1040 looks like this... (note: the numbers are made up)

Wages: 45,000

Business Income: 5,000

Other Income: -45,000 (NOTE: I worked overseas, so the 45,000 was able to be TAX FREE. That's why it shows this -45,000 here. The 5,000 business income was US income)

AGI: 5,000

But, on my I-864, I PUT that 5,000, and now they are saying I put the incorrect thing there Should I put 50,000???

Thanks for the response. Did they make you send all of the supporting documentation/etc again, or strictly the form I-864?

I called today to find out that my I-864 (sent May 15th, new version) had been processed but they are sending me back a checklist and that I need to re-do the I-864 because...

1: I "put the wrong information" into Part 3 Item 7 (total number of immigrants this petition is for). I must have left it blank on accident, because I know the answer wouldn't be anything other than ONE!!!

2: I "put the wrong amount" into Part 6 Item 13 a.1 (total income from previous year). This is BULL, because I got them right off of the tax returns themselves which I also sent in! UGH.

Does getting a checklist basically mean "start over" as in re-do the WHOLE I-864 PETITION, or will they only request certain exact things to send back? I should hear from them by email in 1-4 days but I'd like to know... Also, completing the checklist and sending the stuff back, is it processed quickly or will it take another 20 business days??? Also, do they send me back a copy of what I sent in so I can see exactly what I did wrong???

I called today to find out that my I-864 (sent May 15th, new version) had been processed but they are sending me back a checklist and that I need to re-do the I-864 because...

1: I "put the wrong information" into Part 3 Item 7 (total number of immigrants this petition is for). I must have left it blank on accident, because I know the answer wouldn't be anything other than ONE!!!

2: I "put the wrong amount" into Part 6 Item 13 a.1 (total income from previous year). This is BULL, because I got them right off of the tax returns themselves which I also sent in! UGH.

Does getting a checklist basically mean "start over" as in re-do the WHOLE I-864 PETITION, or will they only request certain exact things to send back? I should hear from them by email in 1-4 days but I'd like to know... Also, completing the checklist and sending the stuff back, is it processed quickly or will it take another 20 business days??? Also, do they send me back a copy of what I sent in so I can see exactly what I did wrong???

An official letter saying that you are an employee in good standing, your start date, and the annual salary is indispensable. You should also provide IRS transcripts of your US tax returns from 2010 and 2011, and a copy of your full return from 2012, including all forms and schedules and items you sent in support of it. That should be sufficient.

You did file US taxes for 2010, 2011, and 2012, didn't you?

Of course I did.

I was just wondering if lack of a US income in 2011-2012 and no paystubs yet (as I just started) were a deal breaker, or if I could get by no problem with the employment letter and tax info.

Hi guys,

I'm wondering if I should use a co-sponsor or not for my I-864.

My wife is in Japan, where we spent the last two years together. I made a steady income while I lived in Japan. I returned to the US in April of this year and didn't have a job until the beginning of May (this week). As a result, I currently make enough money to support my wife, but I don't have any paycheck stubs or anything. I want to send in the I-864 as soon as possible, of course.

I CAN get a letter from my manager showing my current salary, start date, etc on company letterhead. I (of course) have my tax returns from last year, but of course it will show the income I made in Japan.

If all I have is a letter from employer stating my start date and current salary (etc), and my tax returns showing my income last year (which was all earned in Japan), will this be enough to satisfy the I-864? Or should I use a co-sponsor?

Hi everyone,

We finally received our NOA2 email today (yay!)

The only "issue" is that we moved yesterday. Funny how the timing on these things usually works.

We are currently living in Japan, and I will actually be moving again in a couple of days to go back to the US while she waits here for approval. I was wondering what the best way to change our address is (mine to my new US address, and hers to her new Japanese address).

It sounds like she might not officially have to change her address at all as it isn't required throughout the I-130 NVC process and will just be updated automatically after we file the DS-230. Is this correct?

As for my case, should I update now with the Service Center, or should I wait a bit and update with the NVC? (To change to my US address) Obviously we have the physical NOA2 letter on the way, but that should be forwarded to our new Japanese address (we applied for mail forwarding). If I DO update my address with the service center tomorrow (to my US address), will that also automatically update it with the NVC?

Finally got my NOA2 e-mail today (Mar 26 2013) for my I-130 which had a priority date of Oct 1 2012.

Now for the fun NVC!

Hey guys,

I think it's my first time posting in this thread! I sent my I-130 in at the end of September, and it was received on October 1st. I filed from overseas (in Japan), where they unfortunately no longer offer direct consulate filing.

My case was last touched on October 11th, soon after it was received (I also received a transfer notice shortly after-- it was sent to USCIS-NBC).

I haven't heard anything since x.x

Are there a lot of people still playing the waiting game?

Hi guys, quick question about the G-325A.

I'm living abroad currently and have been here for 13 months.

However, in the middle of that, I moved one time. As such, I HAVE been abroad for more than one year, but I do not have a single address outside the US of more than one year.

How exactly should I answer this? Or should I say none?

Hey guys,

I've been through this process once before (a K-1 that time), but ended up moving to Japan for work. Now we are looking at going back to the US, so we get to do it all over again

Anyway, my question is about supporting evidence of a marriage for the initial IR-1/CR-1 application. NOTE: Even though we are both in Japan, we have to apply to Chicago as Japan no longer has direct consulate filing.

The guide states:

1. Documentation showing joint ownership or property; or

2. A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence; or

3. Documentation showing co-mingling of financialresources; or

4. Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to you, thepetitioner, and your spouse together; or

5. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties havingpersonal knowledge of the bona fides of the maritalrelationship (Each affidavit must contain the full nameand address, date and place of birth of the person makingthe affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner ofbeneficiary, if any, and complete information and detailsexplaining how the person acquired his or herknowledge of your marriage); or

6. Any other relevant documentation to establish that thereis an ongoing marital union.

The biggest problem for us is that in Japan (where we live now), most of these things are done under a single person's name.

1. Can't think of anything

2. Only my name is on our apartment lease

3. We have a few bank accounts, but each is only under one name or the other

4. No children

I was thinking about getting affidavits from one of her parents and one of my parents, and including ~6 pictures of us over the last 3 years.

Do you think this will be enough?

Also, I was wondering, what about a copy of our US taxes? I know they are not needed at this point, but we've filed jointly for a few years now -- would that also count as evidence or would it just be confusing/detrimental to put it in at this point?

Also, is a copy of an affidavit good enough or does it have to be the original? It would be much easier if I could get my parents in the USA just to scan it over.

Thanks for your help.

Hello,

My wife came from Japan to the USA in 09/09 on a K-1 spousal visa. She obtained a 2-year greencard which I believe will expire around 01/12.

We are ready to move back to Japan together (for good), and I have secured employment over there. My question is about the I-407 (Abandoning Residency).

I have read around the forum and it seems like we should submit this I-407 AFTER we get to Japan, which is fine. My question is: Do we need to notify USCIS or anyone else before we leave? Or can we simply get to Japan and file I-407, turn over the greencard, and call it good?

There is always the possibility of coming back to the USA together many, many years from now (to live), so I don't want to do anything that will compromise her status with the USCIS; we simply want to abandon her greencard and live in Japan. We also don't want to compromise the ability to come back to the USA for short trips on a tourist visa (which is why you file I-407 and keep a copy in your passport, from what I hear).

Any insight on whether we need to notify USCIS or if the I-407 filing at her overseas embassy is enough?

Yesterday we got approved for greencard too after being transferred to CSC, so no interview. Woo!

Hey everyone! The USCIS website shows that our I-485 was updated with the following message

" On January 20, 2010, we received your response to our request for evidence. This case is being processed at our NATIONAL BENEFITS CENTER location. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or call our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283. We will notify you by mail when we make a decision or if we need something from you. You should expect to receive a written decision or written update within 60 days of the date we received your response unless fingerprint processing or an interview are standard parts of case processing and have not yet been completed, in which case you can use the processing time information on our website to estimate when this case will be done. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or call our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283."

Does this mean that our case will not be transferred to CSC?

No, I got this first after replying to the RFE, and then the CSC transfer came shortly after. It could still be transferred to the CSC, but it might not.

Case arrived at CSC today.

Just so everyone knows, I got the Medical RFE, even though I did the 3 parts of the form and had it all signed by a civil surgeon. (I didn't just toss the vaccination form in there).

When I got the RFE, I wanted to go with the quickest, least friction-inducing, least stressful method possible, so I just paid $120 and had the same civil surgeon do the full I-693 and re-sent that as the RFE reply. My case seems to have been moving swiftly since then.

The dates in my sig are the dates that the letters are dated, not the day I received them. The letters have usually come 4-7 days later. I just got the letter today about the case being transferred to the CSC.

Also, I got an e-mail today, and my wifes Employment Document got approved and is being created! So we should have that soon! Woo!

Hey guys,

Haven't posted in this thread yet, but I'm a December filer. Since me and my wife are together for this filing (unlike K-1), I haven't cared much about checking for touches everyday and being insane about it, but so far our progress has been (dates in sig):

Submit I-485 and I-765, NOA1

Biometrics appointment letter, and appointment

RFE for medical (and some supporting tax forms I forgot), got new medical and sent back in

Just today, case transferred to CSC. Hopefully no interview for us!

Good luck to everyone!

I'm in this special situation. I studied up on it, and this is what I'm going to do.

1: Claim my wife as a resident for tax purposes (any USC can do this for their significant other) by attaching a statement to the end of my tax return, as has been previously mentioned.

2: File "Married filing Jointly". This is by far and away the best way to get tax-breaks.

3: Declare my wife's overseas income for 2009, which was about 25,000 USD.

4: Get a waiver for the 25,000 USD earned overseas (no need to pay tax on this). You can write off most overseas income, unless they made a lot (something like 75k+).

5: File using Turbotax online (I've already tested and it seems to work), but at the end, elect to file by mail, print the whole thing out, and attach the statement previously mentioned.

Seems to cover all the bases.

Looking through threads here recently, this RFE has been received a ton in the last month. My wife had this problem as well.

I just went with the quickest route (for me and my wife) and just had her do a full medical here in the US with a civil surgeon, had a new, full I-693 filled out, and sent it back right away.

You can try to schedule and info-pass appointment and see where that will get you.

I had the CS complete the part 1,2,6 (something like that) originally, but I got the RFE. Went back to the CS on Monday and he told me that he has had people in the past who have come back for the full appointment on the same RFE, and said he thinks the government is starting to trust medicals done overseas less and less.

Anyway, we did biometrics today and picked up the fully completed, re-done I-693, and I'll send them in on the 26th.

Wonder if this is some new policy change? Pretty crazy that it has happened to so many people.

Yeah, as of December 2009, HPV is no longer required. After I spent about $150 on it in November...