London K1 Self Sponsor

[craig_b1990 1]

Hey all, i have posted before getting information and understanding about the K1 visa previously, and got great responses and really appreciated everyones help and shared knowledge. This year is going to be the year for me and my girlfriend, we plan on taking the co-sponsor route as she will be in college, and so her mum will probably co-sponsor. However, i have recently come into a substantial amount of savings, and she will be recieving a bank account from her mum too, again with a sunstantial amount in it. Her money is irrelevant with regards to my question though.

I was just wanting to know as much as i can about London self sponsorship:

Is it still available to do?

What are the facts and figures i would need to meet to self sponsor?

Is self sponsoring any less complicated, quicker etc? (with relevance obviously as any K1 visa will never be easy haha!)

and generally is there anything i should know about this way of going about the process?

Thank you for any help! I am just really interested in learning about every way i could possibly be with my girlfriend, and i want to explore all the routes i need to consider, and obvioulsy if i could do without a co sponsor then its less people that are taking responsibilty for me, so to speak, and less people included generally will mean less people to keep pleased etc etc. SO obviously a self sponsor would let me take all of the responsibility if i had to, which i would prefer to be honest. I am fairly confident with my knowledge on the Co-sponsor way, and have only just thought about the self sponsor way. Thanks once again, and i cant wait to hear your replies

Edited January 26, 2012 by craig_b1990

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

However, i have recently come into a substantial amount of savings,

Sustantial is a vague word. Some people think $3000 is substantial. I might need $100,000 to call it substantial. It will depend on the officer in London and what he considers substantial.

I was just wanting to know as much as i can about London self sponsorship:

Is it still available to do?

What are the facts and figures i would need to meet to self sponsor?

Is self sponsoring any less complicated, quicker etc? (with relevance obviously as any K1 visa will never be easy haha!)

and generally is there anything i should know about this way of going about the process?

Yes you can self sponsor in London.

There are no facts and figures published. There was a thread going last year and someone said they self-sponsored in London with $40,000.

Not really quicker--at the interview you present an I-134 or self-sponsor documents. The officer says yay or nay on the spot. Both require some documents of proof of the money.

London discusses it on this page http://london.usembassy.gov/faffidavit.html

But wait.....there's more--

Your K1 visa is just the stepping stone to enter the US. You will have to apply for the greencard and provide an I-864 affidavit of support after you get here. That has stricter requirements. If you and your fiance/spouse joined money and could show 3 times the poverty level in cash, savings,etc then that would satisfy the requirements. It's roughly a minimum of $55,000 for 2 people. Poverty level is found here and will be updated for 2012 shortly. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864p.pdf

See more about the assets in the I-864 instructions on page 9 http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864instr.pdf

[craig_b1990 1]

Thanks for that info. I will have around $30000 hopefully by the time we come to doing the visa, and a possible $20000 from her (although i wasnt planning on including her money), i guess that the self sponsor probably isnt as achievable as i thought at first glance. However i will keep on researching and reading into it. I understand about the greencard etc, i just was unsure about the figures (roughly) needed, and a few other things. But again thank you for your help, and i will keep an eye on self sponsoring, but i think its most sensible to be more optimistic about a co-sponsor instead.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Thanks for that info. I will have around $30000 hopefully by the time we come to doing the visa, and a possible $20000 from her (although i wasnt planning on including her money), i guess that the self sponsor probably isnt as achievable as i thought at first glance. However i will keep on researching and reading into it. I understand about the greencard etc, i just was unsure about the figures (roughly) needed, and a few other things. But again thank you for your help, and i will keep an eye on self sponsoring, but i think its most sensible to be more optimistic about a co-sponsor instead.

Go with proof of your $30K and don't turn in the sponsor's I-134 unless they say you need one. It may be very possible depending on who interviews you. There are no set numbers. It's a subjective thing. The task at the embassy level is to convince the guy doing the interview that you won't become a public charge. It's very possible he will think $30K will get you by for a few months until you get work authorization and a job. He may base his subjective opinion on work experience and skills too. If two people walked in, each with $30K and one was a doctor and the other had never had a job or any skills----well the outcome could be different.

You will likely need a joint sponsor for AOS because it's got defined guidelines.

[craig_b1990 1]

Okay then, well thank you again, it is really helpful finding all this out. I thought that would be the case, to prove i wont become a liabilty etc etc. I will bare all of this in mind, the co sponsor way (i was originally doing anyway), looks the most likely still, and then i will use my own savings to look after myself between entering the USA on the K1 and finding myself a job. Either way i choose i plan on taking enough money to back me up for a good while incase i dont find a job so quick. Anyway, thank you again! You have been super helpful.

[Boiler 43,393]

Only a few K to self sponsor.