janicedean164

Ok So going through the instructions, says that we need to provide proof of residency in the household and relationship for a joint sponsor. Our joint sponsor is my dad and we both have driver's licenses with the same address but what would suffice as proof of relationship?

Probably a silly question but I'm finding nothing is as simple as I thought it would be.

Thanks in advance!

Janice

CAProgrammer

The joint sponsor doesn't need to be a relative. You must be reading the wrong instructions.

I've just looked at the I-864 instructions and on page 2 under the section "What is a Joint Sponsor?" it says:

"If the person who is seeking the immigration of one or more of his or her relatives cannot meet the income requirements, a "joint sponsor" who can meet the requirements may submit a Form I-864 to sponsor all or some of the family members. A joint sponsor can be any U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident who is at least 18 years old, domiciled in the United States, or its territories or possessions, and willing to be held jointly liable with the petitioner for the support of the intending immigrant. A joint sponsor does not have to be related to the petitioning sponsor or the intending immigrant."

janicedean164

This is what I'm reading on the last page of the instructions:


If you are using the income of persons in your household or dependents to qualify,
___
A separate Form I-864A for each person whose income you will use. However, an intending immigrant whose income is being used needs to complete Form I-864A only if his or her spouse and/or children are
immigrating with him or her.
___
Proof of their residency in your household and relationship to you if they are not the intending immigrants or are not listed as dependents on your Federal income tax return for the most recent tax year

It's that second part that has me a bit confused.

CAProgrammer

Those are the instructions for the I-864A which is a completely different form. The I-864A is filled in by a household member to give someone filing an I-864 permission to use their income on the I-864. A joint sponsor must fill in an I-864. The "A" at the end makes all the difference.

Noorah101

Well, are you using your dad as a Joint Sponsor, or are you using him as a Contributing Household Member?

Joint Sponsor fills out a separate I-864 and does not need to show proof of relationship or shared address.

Contributing Household member fills out an I-864A and provides proof of relationship and shared address.

Rene

jeffreyhy

This instruction seems to be with regard to a Household Member, not a Joint Sponsor. And it seems that your father might qualify as a Household Member.

What's uncertain is how the consular officer who handles the visa application looks at the situation - that CO might want to treat your father as a Household Member (you include his financials on your I-864 and you and he enter into an I-864A), or the CO might want to treat your father as a Joint Sponsor (you and he each submit separate I-864s). It's gone different ways for different people in similar circumstances.

Is your mother involved in any way, such as does she file a joint income tax return with your father?

Regards, JEff

janicedean164

See this is where I get confused. Does my father fill out a I-864 or an I-864a? He's acting as a joint sponsor and I'm just not sure which it is. ARGGGH!!!! lol

CAProgrammer

Joint Sponsor is I-864

Moxie

You and Dad live in same house> His income can be added to yours on your I-864. It all goes in one pot. He does an I-864A to agree to you listing his income and to accept responsibility for immigrant.

You and Dad don't live in same house> You do I-864 and he does I-864. The money is in separate pots and his pot has to be enough to cover his household + the immigrant.

Either way works. They seriously won't care despite what the doom and gloom crowd says.

I'd go with separate I-864s, even if you live in the same house. I'd do the other only if Dad didn't make enough on his own and you needed to pour all the income into one pot to qualify.

Noorah101

If you want your dad to be a Joint Sponsor, have him do an I-864. He will need to provide the following along with the I-864:

• Proof of his US citizenship (copy of birth certificate or copy of passport ID page)
• Proof of his current income (letter from employer and a few most recent paystubs
• His most recent 3 years of tax returns...either a photocopy of the entire tax return (which includes W-2 or 1099 forms), or an official IRS transcript of each year (these are free and can be obtained by calling the IRS 800 number).

Rene

janicedean164

Ok quick question then. What would he send that is proof of income if he's retired and receiving a pension and disability?

Noorah101

He should send whatever statements he receives showing the amount he receives from those sources. My dad was retired and received retirement pay and social security pay. He used the most recent year-end statement (or maybe it was a quarterly statement) plus copies of bank statements showing regular direct deposits from those sources.

Your dad can show something similar.

Rene

ian-mstm

Does your dad actually meet the income requirements for sponsorship for his household + your husband (3 = $23,162)? He'll need $115,810 in assets if he doesn't have sufficient income.

Ian

Noorah101

How much he needs in assets depends on how deficient his income is. He can use income + assets, but the assets have to be 5x the amount he's missing in income.

Rene

jeffreyhy

I just explained it to you!

Regards, JEff