Affidavit of Support

[smiths]

My fiance and I just received our NOA2 and we are awaiting his package from the London consulate. I know I am supposed to file an Affidavit of Support but I am not sure when I am supposed to do that? And where I am supposed to submit it to?

Does anyone have any information on that? Thank you!!!

[Woodger]

Hiya smiths

now is the time to sending the I-134 form too him, along with all the supporting documents. There's a lot of paperwork so I would make a start sooner rather than later

It's a requirement that he has this paperwork before he can send off his documents to the embassy in London

here's another link for you https://www.immihelp.com/usa-visitor...sor-documents/

[smiths]

Does he submit my affidavit of support with his documentation to the London consulate?

[Woodger]

Does he submit my affidavit of support with his documentation to the London consulate?

Yes, he takes it with him to the interview, he doesn't need to mail it down there with other DSxxx forms.

[nichole]

Congratulations Smiths on getting the I129f turned around and approved.

It is time to get ready for London, well before the Packet 3 is received. It is no longer a packet at all, but a letter with a link to the US Embassy London website and a page of specific instructions for what to do and the forms to fill out. With all respects to this website for it's good information, the consulate phase in specific countries varies a great deal and the Immihelp information for preparing is sometimes not appropriate to a specific country. Unfortunately they will not allow me to direct you to London specific information because they have cautioned me in the past that the London Embassy information may not be as up to date as Immihelp is. Go figure.

So right now prepare your I-134 Affidavit. Get supporting documents like photocopy your 2008 tax return and the W2 attached. Get a letter from your employer or copy 3-6 months of you pay stubs. Those things are probably addressed on this website. If you do not meet the required income, get a co-sponsor to fill out the same form and provide the same type of proof of income. Also a co-sponsor needs to show proof of citizenship or legal residence in the US...passport or birth cert. or naturalization papers.You will send all of those to your fiance in the UK. They have threated postal strikes so get on it asap. They have to have your signature and not emailed documents. Note on I-134. On question 11, tick the box "I intend" because a few have had that questioned at the interview if left blank. Most are not (its just one lady) but to be safe tick it and write "I will provide unlimited monetary support for the needs of my future wife/husband."

The UK resident should order his police certificate now. It is central agency in the UK. Google ACPO and try to find the place and way to order. It requires photos signed by somebody official who knows him, so takes a little prep time.

UK birth certificate should be what they call the "long form" which includes the name of his parents on it. Apparently many have a "short" form which is not accepted. Order a certified copy now if he doesn't have the right one.

You should be able to call DOS (Dept of State) by now and find out your LND case number. LND for London. With that you can call the Knightsbridge medical center and book the medical exam. It must be given prior to the interview. That is a brand new rule. People used to get them on the same day or after because of the long travel distance to London. They will not interview you without medical results is the latest update.

Forms to be filled out and mailed to the Consulate
DS-230 part 1 (that is page 1-2 only of a 4 page document)
DS-156
DS156K

They also have a checklist of what to bring to the interview. When you have all those things in hand, you check it off and send that back to let them know you are prepared to interview. Of course the best thing would be to get all those checklist items now so you can send the Checklist (called IV-15) in with the other 3 DS forms. Why spend another month gathering docs if you can get on it now.

So the DS-forms go in early with the checklist in the same mailing if you get your stuff together now. They will send you a letter weeks later giving you an interview appointment.

Take to the interview the things on the checklist and mentioned on that link somebody gave you in another post. It's the things like passport, birthcerticate, US sized passport photos, I-134 affidavit of support and proofs, police certif, any court records, divorce decrees, military records if applicable. Take photocopies of anything you want back like your birth certificate. They will look at the original and file the photocopy your provide.

Of important note: London does not ask to see any further evidence of your relationship at the interview. Do not waste time making scrapbooks and printing email and Skype logs. It is not needed in London and will not be looked at.

[Woodger]

As always, nichole is the person you want to reply in your threads

Great work nichole ! I am in London next Thursday for my ordeal *cough* interview...

[Woodger]

That is a brand new rule. People used to get them on the same day or after because of the long travel distance to London. They will not interview you without medical results is the latest update.

Nichole, I booked in with Knightsbridge doctors for after my interview with no problem at all, for next Thursday, the doctors said it was fine and to bring a copy of my passport as the embassy will hold it ?

In the letter they sent me for packet 3 it clearly states the medical must have been attended or booked before the interview, but says nothing about not being interviewed if you haven't already attended ?

actual wording from packet 3 letter dated 3rd November 2009

"You must undergo the medical examination or make a booking prior to the interview. If you fail to do so, the interview will be cancelled and you will be required to reschedule for a later date."

That says to me you can still have it after the interview, you just must have at least booked it before going for it... ?

[Woodger]

ok sorry for third post in a row but...

are the W2 forms mandatory if your NOT self employed ?

[Russell]

After you are married you will need to make a different I-864 affidavit of support for the I-485 AOS(Adjustment of Status). Might as well fill out the I-864 affidavit of support since most of the questions on that form are the same as the I-134.

[nichole]

ok sorry for third post in a row but...

are the W2 forms mandatory if your NOT self employed ?

Woodger--

A complete tax return is everything mailed in to the IRS when you file income tax on paper by mail.

If a person gets wages from an employer, he will be mailed a W2 (statement of wages) from his employer near the end of January each year. It will summarize the total of wages paid in the previous calendar year as well as the taxes withheld from the wages and paid in toward income tax. There will be multiple copies. One copy is stapled to the front of the Form 1040 tax return if the person is mailing papers in, so a return is not complete without it. With the more recent electronic filing, it's different because no papers are mailed.

Anyway if you are sending a photocopy of a tax return, you will have a version of the main form (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ) and could have other forms as required by your income status, investment income, etc. Those might be Schedule A, Schedule B, Schedule D or any other various forms required for that person. And the W2 statement of wages (if the person gets wages). It is not a complete return without the W2 if you are issued one. Note: a self employed person or a retired person would not get a W2 because they don't earn wages from an employer.

So the reason they want to see the W2? I could fill out a **** return and say I made $200,000 a year. They can't pull up IRS records and see your tax return. But the W2 is an official summary of your earnings. The "****" return would appear just that if I had a W2 saying $30,000 and no other documents showing how I earned $200,000 with only a $30,000 job. It's some verification that your income is in the range that you state on the I-134.

The other way is to order a tax transcipt (free) from the IRS and it takes the place of the tax returns and W2s and is directly from the IRS so is a good proof.

Long answer, but lots of foreign people on the forum probably don't understand the US income tax system and it might help. Heck, most Americans probaby don't either and just pay somebody to do it for them. I have a pretty strong knowledge of taxes for individuals and hope I gave a simplified explanation of what is a W2 and why it's included.

[nichole]

Nichole, I booked in with Knightsbridge doctors for after my interview with no problem at all, for next Thursday, the doctors said it was fine and to bring a copy of my passport as the embassy will hold it ?

In the letter they sent me for packet 3 it clearly states the medical must have been attended or booked before the interview, but says nothing about not being interviewed if you haven't already attended

I think that sounds fine then. And with any change in the procedures, it has to transition in because some people are in the middle of the process.

This is what I had read dated Nov. 2

If you are applying for an immigrant, fiancee or K-3 or 4 visa at the Embassy, the medical examination must take place before the visa interview. If you arrive at the Embassy without having attended a medical examination, your interview will be cancelled and you will be required to schedule for a later date.

You should allow approximately 5 workdays between the medical examination and visa interview. Provided you have attended the examination, we will conduct the visa interview, even if we have not received the results of the medical examination. In such cases, action your application will be suspended until the results are received.

Note: "your application suspended" isn't a bad word. It means it will be put on hold until they get the results. If the results are expected within a few days, they will keep your passport at the embassy. When the medical results are received and approved, they will print a visa, stick it in your passport, and courier it to you.

[leporello]

copy of the tax return form

A complete return form has numerous pages of information about your taxed income. But your gross income for the previous year appears at the bottom of the second page of the form. Would be sufficient for the immigration requirments to make copies of the first two pages only (the front page and the second page with the income indication and my signature) or it is necessary to copy the whole form which could be 10 + pages? I understand that all they need is how much is my gross income for the last year and W2 form. Am I wrong? I believe also it is sufficient to send the copies for the tax year of 2008 only.
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated. Thanks.

[Woodger]

I have a few problems with this...

Firstly...

My fiance doesn't earn the right amount to be sole sponsor so .. we needed a co-sponsor...

Her mother and Father want to co-sponsor me and have sent me the following

I134 forms (one each)
Copy of Recent Bank statement
Her Mothers letter of employment only
Joint tax return forms (showing both incomes) but with no W2
One pay statement from her Mother

I'm not sure how well thats going to hold up


We did however take a plan B route, and we also have another co-sponsor...

However, they have sent

I134
Letter of Employment
Letter from Bank showing all required info
(but on the I134 they have stated they wont make specific contributions, which is true, nothing specific but are there for support)


I don't have any time left to get any more documents over from the US... what should I do...

The I134 instructions on the UCSIS website say supporting documents should only be:

A letter from your employer
A letter from your bank

If Self Employed Only:

A copy of last income return filed.

It doesn't mention anything about tax returns or W2 forms if you are not self employed... simply a letter from the bank and a letter from your work.

What do you think ?

[leporello]

copy of tax return form

A complete return form has numerous pages of information about your taxed income. But your gross income for the previous year appears at the bottom of the second page of the form. Would be sufficient for the immigration requirments to make copies of the first two pages only (the front page and the second page with the income indication and my signature) or it is necessary to copy the whole form which could be 10 + pages? I understand that all they need is how much is my gross income for the last year and W2 form. Am I wrong? I believe also it is sufficient to send the copies for the tax year of 2008 only.
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Well, I do not see any responses so far, my question must've been too obvious or not clear to everyone. Then I should think that the answer is yes, all pages have to be copied, it is better play safe.
Thanks.

[leporello]

affidaivit again...

I am wondering why in the instructions for the form I-134 nothing is mentioned about the copies of the income tax returns ?
Nota bene; the copies for the last three years are required not only for the past year.
The form itself must be printed on one page (on both sides of the page). Does not have to be notarized.