Income requirements for fiancee/ spouse visa

[prettylilraindrops]

Eventually me and my SO intend to live together, by us marrying through the appropriate visas (fiancee and spouse) and me moving from the UK to the US. However the problem we face is the income requirements for said visas, I believe them to be around $20,000 a year. This is above what my SO currently earns and I believe is way above minimum wage for where he lives. I understand that you can have a co-sponsor but with this the cost would be even more and would need to allow for other family members etc that the co-sponsor has to care for/ lives with.

I'm basically wondering if there is any way around this except for him getting another job? I believe the only job where he would meet this requirement would be a post- college graduate job, he hasn't been to college and therefore if this is the only way we would have to wait years to be able to get married. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on this or have been in a similar position themselves?

Thanks

[snow]

https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines

2017 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Persons in family/household Poverty guideline
For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $4,180 for each additional person.
1 $12,060
2 $16,240
3 $20,420
4 $24,600
5 $28,780
6 $32,960
7 $37,140
8 $41,320

So he needs to make at least 125%, which is 20.300 for 2 people. If he wants to ask a relative, they need to calculate in how many people they provide for - if it's only themselves, they need to meet the 125% for 3 people, being 25.525.

Whatever you are missing in income, you can make up on by having money in savings / in your retirement funds.

I am not 100% sure and I never researched it because we JUST made the minimum amount, but I think the rule is you have to have it x5 (or x10), so if you are missing 5000 you have to have 5x (or 10x) the amount somewhere else that is HIS account. He can't use his relative's account.

[Ejoriah]

What Snow said. I think the savings has to be x3 the amount if its a spouse though (and x5 for other family members). I suggest visajourney.com for guides etc on migrating to the US.

[lucybelle]

It's 5xs to show assets.

[Ejoriah]

I went and looked it up on the USCIS website, here under "Instructions for Form I-864"

In order to qualify based on the value of your assets, the total value of your assets must equal at least five times the difference between your total household income and the current Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size, however, if you are a U.S. citizen and you are sponsoring your spouse or minor child, the total value of your assets must only be equal to at least three times the difference.

[littlewingxx]

I suggest visajourney.com for guides etc on migrating to the US.

^ I second this. Visajourney is an excellent resource for anyone looking for information on moving to the USA. We've just completed the first part of the visa process, and I'm currently waiting on my passport being delivered with my visa in it .

[prettylilraindrops]

Thank you all for your replies. I've read the website you linked and read through everything, however I'm still quite confused. I know I sound stupid but the sponsor part really confuses me. I know that my SO's dad could be considered for a co-sponsor (he makes around $29,000 a year) however living with him at present is my SO, his sister (18), other sister (13) and also his dad's girlfriend and her 3 kids who are all under 18. I'm wondering how much his dad would actually need to make to qualify as co-sponsor as I know it would take into account his dad's kids, but would it also take into account his girlfriend's kids as they live with him? Sorry again, if I sound stupid, just the numbers really confuse me and I've tried looking it up everywhere but just find the wording really hard to understand.

I also know you can have two co-sponsors but I'm unsure on how this would be beneficial as they can't join the funds together in order to make the requirement and have to make it individually so I'm not sure how this would help? Unless I am just not understand correctly.

Sorry again, I am just finding it all really difficult and am really worrying about whether this would ever be a possibility for us in the near future because of these income requirements.

[lucybelle]

Post your question on VJ. They will help.

[snow]

Thank you all for your replies. I've read the website you linked and read through everything, however I'm still quite confused. I know I sound stupid but the sponsor part really confuses me. I know that my SO's dad could be considered for a co-sponsor (he makes around $29,000 a year) however living with him at present is my SO, his sister (18), other sister (13) and also his dad's girlfriend and her 3 kids who are all under 18. I'm wondering how much his dad would actually need to make to qualify as co-sponsor as I know it would take into account his dad's kids, but would it also take into account his girlfriend's kids as they live with him? Sorry again, if I sound stupid, just the numbers really confuse me and I've tried looking it up everywhere but just find the wording really hard to understand.

I also know you can have two co-sponsors but I'm unsure on how this would be beneficial as they can't join the funds together in order to make the requirement and have to make it individually so I'm not sure how this would help? Unless I am just not understand correctly.

Sorry again, I am just finding it all really difficult and am really worrying about whether this would ever be a possibility for us in the near future because of these income requirements.

Oh boy, if he was to support all of the above AND your SO, that would make it 8 people and possibly $41,320 which I doubt you guys make?

I second lucybelle, post your question on https://www.visajourney.com <~ they will be able to help you with their own experiences!