Bluegrass Lass

Hey all, I know this is yet another I-134 question, but hope no one minds. I've read that it's the current salary one makes that is more important than what one made in the past. Is this true? In the past 6 years, I was a student and made on average, 10k-15k a year because I only worked part-time (this is below the Guidelines). Now I have a full time job that I've been at for a little over 6 months - I'm now making well over the Poverty Guidelines. Should I include a statement w/the I-134 stating the reason that I did not make over the required amt was because I was a student? Is there anything else, specific, that this letter should say? Anyone have a link to a example letter that would be good to use? I have the statement from my employer stating my position, salary and hire date, and I was just curious if this would be good enough for the Interview.

Thanks!
Jamie

lpdiver

A short reference to your latest paystub and the letter from your employer should go an awful long way.

jeffreyhy

Jamie,

The question of present v. past income being the more important has been debated. I'm generally of the opinion that present income is a better indicator of tomorrow's income (which is the item of concern) than is past income, but there are situations where I can agree with the opposite. Your situation is not one of them however. I think that most people, including the DoS and CIS, would agree that a recent graduate beginning her career is likely on an upward trajectory.

I would think that a short letter from you, explaining that you are now in a full-time position while your past income was from part-time work as a student, would be helpful.

I also agree with lp's suggestion to include your most recent 2 or 3 paystubs with the I-134 package to corroborate the employer's letter.

Regards, JEff

katina

This is just speaking from our own experience, but I would recommend that you get a co-sponsor for AOS, when you get to that point. In 2002, I was a grad student, and a college student before that, so I made less than the poverty line. In our AOS interview last month, the officer said we won't be approved until we get a co-sponsor. I have been making a salary over the poverty line for one year, and I proved that, and my husband has a job too, but that didn't matter. Before our AOS interview, someone with a similar situation had warned us to get a co-sponsor, but we thought we'd be okay since others were approved with no problem. Now they won't adjust his status til they get a co-sponsor's I-864 (which we sent last week).

For the I-134 it wasn't an issue, since London didn't ask for my tax transcripts.

kariml

Hi Jamie

I was in the same situation when I filed the I-134. I included 3 or 4 paystubs and attached a letter with my proof of employment letter. It was just a few sentences stating that I had just graduated and started my "real" job a few months earlier.

Someone had mentioned problems with the AOS application in a previous post, but this was not the case in our situation. You are in Louisville as well? The officer went over my affidavit of support when we filed and said everything was fine. She even told us there would be no interview needed, so I wouldn't worry about the co-sponsor issue. This was just our experience, though.

Bluegrass Lass

Thanks Kariml, that is exactly what I was thinking about doing. Who did you address it to, and did you put your case number information on there as well?

Jamie

kariml

I don't think I addressed to anyone- just "Dear Sir or Madam" and I don't think I put my case number on there either, but that is probably a good idea. It was very informal and my husband said they did not even look at it. They just looked at what I reported on the I-134 and that was it.