Family based immigration - I864 question

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kamal55555

New Member
I entered the US legally (first to study on a F1 and after graduation have been working on a H1-B for the last 3-4 years) and have never been out of status. My wife is a US citizen (naturalized). We would like to apply for my permanant residency based on her US citizenship. The only question we have is with respect to the "Affidavit of Support". Since she is a student she doesn't make enough income to be my sponsor. The question is, can I be the one who provides the Supplemental Affadavit of Support (I-864A) and in effect, promise to support myself? - Since I am employed (working using a H1-B as of now) and make enough salary and have enough assets to meet the US requirements for sponsorship, will this work? Or do we need to look for a joint sponsor who is not the "beneficiary" himself, i.e., me?

Thanks!!
 
If I remember right your income could be counted for the affidavit if you have lived in the household of the US-spouse for at least 6 months. How this is practically done I'm not sure about.

If you know about newsgroups I would ask the question in alt.visa.us.marriage-based. There is a lot of people there who have been in the same situation as you.
 
thanks! yes, per the INS website it does say any "household" member can be the joint sponsor and this could include the sponsored immigrant himself as long as he qualifies as a household member. but the qualification requirements for a household member is defined at 6 months of dependent living. but i am curious as to how you prove a 6 month joint household - what if you have both been living with friends for the last 6 months? (as in no joint leases, bills etc.,) and the only thing that is joint would be joint bank accounts and sharing the same address? and is it ok if it is 4 months as opposed to 6 months?

and also, can anyone else, say a friend, be a joint sponsor?

thanks!
 
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