Best way to approach a prospective I-134 co-sponsor?
Oct 18th 2002, 2:27 am
#1
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Richmond, VA, USA
Posts: 4,316
Best way to approach a prospective I-134 co-sponsor?
Hello all...
Mark and I are on the verge of starting this whole K-1 thing, and will probably send in the I-129F next week sometime, once everything is organized. Of course, since I (USC) am handling the bulk of the paperwork right now, I'm trying to think ahead to the next step. And that next step seems to be getting the I-134 Affidavit of Support arranged.
I don't meet the minimum income requirements and need a co-sponsor. My first choice is my parents, because I know they have enough money to do it. But here are some questions...
1) How do you ask someone to be a co-sponsor? It involves not only legwork on their part (gathering documents, getting things notarized, etc.), but also requires them to divulge personal financial information which they may not want you (or anyone else) to know about. That's how my parents are, anyway; money is a taboo subject. How did YOU approach your co-sponsors, and what sorts of reactions did you get when you asked them? What did you say to calm any fears they had about taking on such a commitment?
2) My parents are both retired. My father receives benefits via the military, plus they both have various other sources of non-employment income (stocks, mutual funds, etc.). I don't know how much income they have of course, but judging from their lifestyle, it's certainly enough to qualify as co-sponsors. What sorts of documentation do they need with these sorts of income if they are co-sponsors? (Some URL links to this info would be great!)
3) I don't know if my parents file their taxes jointly or separately -- does this matter? Can I ask one parent to be a co-sponsor, even if they both live together and file jointly? Or do they BOTH have to be co-sponsors?
Sorry for the inundation of questions; this is the only part of the process that really makes me nervous. It's one thing for Mark and I to go through all this hassle, but something else to saddle others with our burden. Any words of reassurance and personal experience in this area would be much appreciated.
~ Jenney
Mark and I are on the verge of starting this whole K-1 thing, and will probably send in the I-129F next week sometime, once everything is organized. Of course, since I (USC) am handling the bulk of the paperwork right now, I'm trying to think ahead to the next step. And that next step seems to be getting the I-134 Affidavit of Support arranged.
I don't meet the minimum income requirements and need a co-sponsor. My first choice is my parents, because I know they have enough money to do it. But here are some questions...
1) How do you ask someone to be a co-sponsor? It involves not only legwork on their part (gathering documents, getting things notarized, etc.), but also requires them to divulge personal financial information which they may not want you (or anyone else) to know about. That's how my parents are, anyway; money is a taboo subject. How did YOU approach your co-sponsors, and what sorts of reactions did you get when you asked them? What did you say to calm any fears they had about taking on such a commitment?
2) My parents are both retired. My father receives benefits via the military, plus they both have various other sources of non-employment income (stocks, mutual funds, etc.). I don't know how much income they have of course, but judging from their lifestyle, it's certainly enough to qualify as co-sponsors. What sorts of documentation do they need with these sorts of income if they are co-sponsors? (Some URL links to this info would be great!)
3) I don't know if my parents file their taxes jointly or separately -- does this matter? Can I ask one parent to be a co-sponsor, even if they both live together and file jointly? Or do they BOTH have to be co-sponsors?
Sorry for the inundation of questions; this is the only part of the process that really makes me nervous. It's one thing for Mark and I to go through all this hassle, but something else to saddle others with our burden. Any words of reassurance and personal experience in this area would be much appreciated.
~ Jenney
Oct 18th 2002, 4:45 am
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 104
Re: Best way to approach a prospective I-134 co-sponsor?
I'm not sure how to answer your question about how to approach your parents, other than to simply explain the requirements of the immigration process to them, including the fact that although you are hoping they will co-sponsor the I-134, that by the time you adjust status. you and Mark may be in a position (assuming you have lived together for at least six months, and he is working) to do the I-864 on your own. You can assure them that they only need demonstrate that they meet the minimum requirements (for example if their pension income is sufficient to meet the poverty level for their household plus your fiance, they do not have to include any further information concerning assets, dividends, etc.)
As for the second part of your question, when I immigrated, my husband did not meet the requirements. His parents filed their taxes jointly, but we only required his mother's income to meet the co-sponsor requirement. She filled out the I-864 using her income only and attached their joint tax return. At the interview, the consular officer accepted my husband's I-864, based on his employment at that time, as being sufficient, even though his previous income was low (he had been a student).
If you are uncomfortable asking your parents, is there anyone else you could ask to help you out?
As for the second part of your question, when I immigrated, my husband did not meet the requirements. His parents filed their taxes jointly, but we only required his mother's income to meet the co-sponsor requirement. She filled out the I-864 using her income only and attached their joint tax return. At the interview, the consular officer accepted my husband's I-864, based on his employment at that time, as being sufficient, even though his previous income was low (he had been a student).
If you are uncomfortable asking your parents, is there anyone else you could ask to help you out?
Oct 18th 2002, 1:11 pm
#3
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 16,266
Re: Best way to approach a prospective I-134 co-sponsor?
Originally posted by Jenney & Mark:
Hello all...
2) My parents are both retired. My father receives benefits via the military, plus they both have various other sources of non-employment income (stocks, mutual funds, etc.). I don't know how much income they have of course, but judging from their lifestyle, it's certainly enough to qualify as co-sponsors. What sorts of documentation do they need with these sorts of income if they are co-sponsors? (Some URL links to this info would be great!)
~ Jenney
Hello all...
2) My parents are both retired. My father receives benefits via the military, plus they both have various other sources of non-employment income (stocks, mutual funds, etc.). I don't know how much income they have of course, but judging from their lifestyle, it's certainly enough to qualify as co-sponsors. What sorts of documentation do they need with these sorts of income if they are co-sponsors? (Some URL links to this info would be great!)
~ Jenney
You mention that your father was in the military. Beleive me, he KNOWS just what a bureacracy is. I beleive that my long ago time in the US military was good training for dealing with the INS or DOS.
Oct 18th 2002, 1:21 pm
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 132
Re: Best way to approach a prospective I-134 co-sponsor?
Originally posted by Jenney & Mark:
1) How do you ask someone to be a co-sponsor? It involves not only legwork on their part (gathering documents, getting things notarized, etc.), but also requires them to divulge personal financial information which they may not want you (or anyone else) to know about. That's how my parents are, anyway; money is a taboo subject. How did YOU approach your co-sponsors, and what sorts of reactions did you get when you asked them? What did you say to calm any fears they had about taking on such a commitment?
1) How do you ask someone to be a co-sponsor? It involves not only legwork on their part (gathering documents, getting things notarized, etc.), but also requires them to divulge personal financial information which they may not want you (or anyone else) to know about. That's how my parents are, anyway; money is a taboo subject. How did YOU approach your co-sponsors, and what sorts of reactions did you get when you asked them? What did you say to calm any fears they had about taking on such a commitment?
I can't really advise you on what to say, since we weren't able to convince our only option for a co-sponsor to do it. ;D He understood that in reality he likely wouldn't have any obligation whatsoever, but he and his wife were just beginning to start a family and didn't feel comfortable taking on the responsibility. But since we were forced to wait a while, I can now do it on my own, which is really much preferrable.
Good luck.
mca
