red_onion

Had an interview this past Friday (20/20/2017), all went well initially with the first person who seems to be really pleasant and nice. Handed in all my documents and told to wait. Then called to a second window for an interview. After a few detailed questions the office told me that he is not approving my application today. Reason is

- Medical report has not been submitted to the embassy
- He did not accept my income as this would not indicate continued income and I would need a joint sponsor. (I had a letter from my company stating otherwise)
- I am required to submit previous photo ID documents from previous life (country) as my birth certificate is produced recently after losing the original

Question I have is

- My joint sponsor is an old friend of mine who lives with his wife and kids. Apart from completing I-864 form does he or his wife need to complete I-864A (contract Between Sponsor and Household Member)?
- What is the wait time between document submission and decision?
- I was not asked to pay for visa fee at the embassy and almost everyone has been asked straight after initial document check. Is this normal?

Thank you so much as ever.

Noorah101

1. Only if the wife's income is needed to meet the required income level. If he meets it alone, no I-864a needed.

2. Unknown. Most likely at least several weeks.

3. Whether it's normal or not, it's what happened to you, so you have to pay it later.

Rene

Twinkle0927

Previous life? I don't know what you mean by this. Are you a naturalized British citizen perhaps?

They don't have to accept the letter from your employer regarding income. Even people whose petitioners earn enough have occasionally been told they need a joint sponsor to make a more "robust" case. I know a girl from Sweden who inherited a property that she sold (she already had her own place). She had a few hundred thousand in the bank and they didn't like this. She also had a job to go to as the international company she worked for was happy to transfer her. The I-864 requirements can be tricky and vague.

From your past posts this is a CR-1 that went through the NVC. Such people (I was one too) don't pay anything at the embassy. You paid the visa fee to the NVC. After you receive the visa you will be invited to pay the $220 ELIS fee but this can be done before or after you move here.

red_onion

Hi Twinkle, yes I am a naturalised BC. You’re right I went through the NVC route, that could explain why I was not asked to pay.

Rete

As mentioned, continued employment with your current employer when you are resident in the US is arbitrary and solely up to the discretion of the interviewing officer. You can look at this way: The affidavit of support is to ensure that the beneficiary of the visa does not claim means tested benefits in the US without a financial sponsor that the government can go to for reimbursement of those funds. If your continued employment ends before you meet the continues that eliminates the need for the financial sponsor, the government has no one to seek reimbursement from. I know that Noorah101 and Ian had mentioned to previous posters to have another affidavit of support handy in case the officer declines your self-sponsoring.

Hopefully, you have retained photo identification from years past, i.e. old passports, driver's licenses, school identification, employer mandated identification tags, etc.

Is it safe to assume that the Embassy retained your passport? I don't see that you mentioned this in your original post. You haven't really been refused but you can look at it as the decision on your visa has been delayed due to the need for further evidence/documentation.

red_onion

Rete, yes the guy gave me the option at the end of the interview to retain or give it back and I said it’s ok you can keep it. I asked specifically how long it would take once I have provided all documents and he said we will write to you if we need anything else. I have all previous documents with photo IDs. Wish I had taken it to the embassy as I thought would not be needed, neither was it mentioned as one of the documents I should bring along.

Rete

They could not have said earlier that a document was needed because they had no way of knowing what you were bringing. If you had the original BC, then the other documents would not have been required.

Hindsight, I know, it doesn't help you but it might help others to bring everything that they feel is or will be needed, even if it is not.

viitav

Hey!

I tried to go via continued income as I am getting a transfer & have worked for the same employer for over 2 and a half years - they wouldn't take it so luckily I had my joint sponsor paperwork with me too.

It's not uncommon - he said it doesn't guarantee I have a job as I could get fired before I moved.

rpjs

Interesting. Mr Folinsky of this parish remarked the other day that things seem to be toughening up in general. Certainly when I immigrated seven years ago I got my company to transfer my employment from the London to the NYC office and the ConOff was perfectly happy with a basic letter-headed letter from HR stating what my salary in the US would be.

viitav

I took 12 months payslips, a letter of transfer and employment from my HR director and proof of salary in USD and they weren't satisfied. This was in July this year.

rpjs

Sounds like they blanket won't take a transfer as satisfactory continuing income any more then. TBH when we did it I did think it was too easy!

viitav

Its a shame lol luckily we had a plan b!

AndyMan74

Or go with plan C like we did and use assets. 65k (house hold size = 2) is a fair chunk but luckily my wife and I are super cheap wads and good at saving