Hellojulie

Yes, I know I am overthinking it. I am overthinking all of it...

I think overall we are in good shape, so my brain gets caught up on the little fiddly details instead of any real problems.

Many thanks for the input.

meauxna

Julie, I did it exactly as you want to, that's why I asnwer with such confidence. I was in fact called up to the window and interviewed about my I-864. The CO approved me, but it was marginal and she started in about how it could still be denied at the POE and I was nervous, so I asked the question I wrote above; 'would this help'. The CO grinned and said, definitely, and added it to the packet. My Joint Sponsor's docs were in a sealed envelope & I never saw them.

Hellojulie

ok, good to know, thank you.

Thing is, my parents don't mind at all if their info is included upfront. I just quite like the idea of being able to sponsor him on my own if possible, so I'd like to try and see what happens. I did not think it would be an option when we started the visa process, but now it might be.

jeffreyhy

Hj,

I wish I'd seen this thread earlier so I could point out that, as a self-employed person, you have a perverse advantage with respect to tax returns and I-864 that we wage-earners do not have - you can control what numbers show up on lines 12 and 22 of the Form 1040 by what you report as business expenses on Schedule C. I say 'perverse', maybe 'masochistic' is more appropriate, because by claiming fewer business expenses you increase your apparent personal income for I-864 but you also increase your tax burden, which decreases your actual personal income available to support an immigrant.

Along the same line, when you ask "how they will look at the overall picture" recognize that you are the artist - you get to paint the picture that they will look at. If you can document that 2010 is already looking better than 2009 then you can support an estimate of your current income that surpasses your 2009 actual. Don't just present a 2010 estimated income, make a simple, concise comparison table of January 2010 income and expense v. 2009 income and expense and extrapolate out a year.

Regards, JEff

Hellojulie

hehe, I see your point.

But, to be fair, that actually didn't occur to me - I still claimed every single expense I could and still have over the amount required (not by a little bit, and not by a lot, but enough over).

I only realised it might be possible to sponsor my husband without out joint sopnsor after doing the tax return and seeing it was over the amount necessary to sponsor him. I wasn't thinking that I'd have enough, so I suppose that is why I didn't think about expenses beforehand.

As far as 2010, that is what I am doing. I am gathering all the info to compare to 2009. I have evidence, as well as creating a spreadsheet so create a comparison to show that I am earning more - if they want to see it. I am glad I started this thread though, as that was what I was initially confused about. I was assuming that all the info that went in was based on 2009 tax return. Current income only strengthens my case, and I have documentation to back that up - I probably wouldn't have even brought it to the interview without this thread

Thank you for your advice.

jeffreyhy

Hj,

Not "if they want to see it", attach the spreadsheet to the I-864 so that they will see it. Keep it simple, very simple, so that they will be able to quickly see the bottom-line number you put on the I-864 itself that you want them to see. Write "see attached sheet" at item 23 of the I-864 where you will put the number.

Have the "evidence" (and perhaps a more complex spreadsheet, if you feel one is necessary) available if they want to see that.

Regards, JEff

Hellojulie

Good idea, thank you! I will do that.

I will also bury my 2008 tax return at the bottom of the pile as thats the only year I didnt have enough. hah.

Hellojulie

I thought I would bump this thread since we had our interview on Tuesday and were approved. (yay )

Since I am self employed I had a lot of specific questions, and thought my experience might help someone else, though your mileage may vary.

I was concerned at one point how to deal with the joint sponsor issue since I was not sure if I needed one.

At the first window, when presenting documents - she looked at the totals on my tax forms + savings and told me to keep the joint sponsor documents as she did not think they were needed. In the end they weren't.

So basically - as per usual, I was worried about nothing. It appears that they do not take the joint sponsors info from you if they think you don't need it - she said that I could present it later if it was indeed needed. That is what happened in our experience anyhow.

Thanks to those in this thread that helped me. I actually successfully sponsored my husband as a self employed person - so it is possible. I did prepare a lot of information they never asked me for, but I suppose it is better to be over prepared.... I had 1st quarter totals of income and invoices and everything! I suppose I needed to do it at some point anyhow...

Noorah101

Excellent! Congratulations!

Rene

Hellojulie

Thanks. Onto MANIC-MOVING phase™ now.

jeffreyhy

Hj,

Thanks for updating us and sharing this excellent news. Congratulations.

Regards, JEff

meauxna

Congratulations, well done! Better to be over prepared anyway, it gives you confidence.

Shipping and general moving questions: there is a ton of info in the USA forum. For the travel with the new visa, check this out: Immigrant Visa Arrival

Hellojulie

Great thank you so much!