Huddy

Hi all

My wife (US Citizen) and I (UK Citizen) are currently living in London but are applying for my Green Card so we can move to the US. We have a very straightforward case but wanted some advice on the financial requirements.

As neither of us will have jobs when we move, my wife will have no "income" to state on her Affidavit of Support for me. Is she able to show the income for her current UK job?

If not, what amount of financial resources (savings) do we need to have to meet the requirement? I know based on the poverty line calculations we need $20,000 but I have also heard that for non-cash assets we need to divide their value by 5 or 3 (depending on where you look).

Can anyone shed some more light on this?

Thanks!

Huddy

Pulaski

You wife's income in the UK won't count unless it will continue when she relocates to the US.

You will need three times 125% of the federal poverty figure, which is a hair over $20k, so a little over $60k of assets. Assets includes the realizable value of anything which can be sold for cash within 12 months, so not only cash but also shares, unit trusts, real estate, vehicles, pension funds if accessible, etc. The valuation should be conservative (as should the exchange rate if applicable e.g. use a GBP/USD rate of 1.2), net of any fees, surrender penalties, and taxes.

BTW welcome to BE.

Huddy

Thanks Pulaski!

I assume that as you are mentioning exchange rates, it doesn't matter if those assets are in UK accounts/pension etc., rather than US?

Also, is it fine to be a combination of assets in my wife's name and my name?

ian-mstm

To clarify, you're not applying for a green card. You're applying for an immigrant visa. You won't get a green card until you enter the US. It's a subtle, but very important distinction.


It doesn't really depend on where you look... it depends on who you are. If you're the spouse of a petitioning US citizen, then assets are 3x the income amount. If you're anyone else, then assets are 5x the income amount.


Correct. Their location is irrelevant. All that's important is that they can be liquidated within a year.


Yes. US immigration considers them to be joint assets because you're married.

Ian

Pulaski

The assets can be anywhere so long as you can get the value out (so if the assets were subject to exchange controls, you'd have a problem), and yes all assets in your and/or your wife's name can be include.

When I got my visa, based on assets, technically most if not all of the assets were in my name, not in my wife's name or joint.

The beauty of the US system is that you only have to show assets that could be liquidated, not actually liquidate them.