Questions about I864 and timeline

[JORAUGA]

I am confused about the sequence of events and documents. My spouse is overseas and I am temporarily residing with her. I submitted an I130 and it was recently approved. The I179 says that the application now goes to the National Visa Center or NVC and that they will assign the appropriate consular location to "complete visa processing." The letter implies an approximate 30 day wait to be contacted by the consulate. I assume the process includes an interview of my wife and a medical check but I see no problems there.

As I am living overseas, will the consulate interview me as well?

When should I expect the NVC to request Form I-864?

After they send a request for the I864, how much time do I have to get the form and documents to them?

Will I be required to send the documents to the US for processing or will I be asked to bring them to the consulate? On both my I130 and my cover letter, I clearly stated that I was physically overseas.

I am relying on a combination of retirement income and assets in my I864. If it is rejected, my son will co-sponsor for me. Is it advisable to send his document together with mine or should I wait and see?

Thanks

[rayb]

Jorauga,

When you receive correspondence from the National Visa Center, you will be billed $88 for sponsorship processing and a later $230 visa fee, both to be paid online to the National Visa Center.

You will then have to submit an I-864, Affidavit of Support, with backup documents (proof of income or liquid assets) to the National Visa Center in New Hampshire .

You will not be required to be interviewed by the Embassy, though you can be with your wife and might be interviewed on a discretionary basis.

Once the NVC processing has started, you have a year to meet the NVC requriements.

--Ray B

I am confused about the sequence of events and documents. My spouse is overseas and I am temporarily residing with her. I submitted an I130 and it was recently approved. The I179 says that the application now goes to the National Visa Center or NVC and that they will assign the appropriate consular location to "complete visa processing." The letter implies an approximate 30 day wait to be contacted by the consulate. I assume the process includes an interview of my wife and a medical check but I see no problems there.

As I am living overseas, will the consulate interview me as well?

When should I expect the NVC to request Form I-864?

After they send a request for the I864, how much time do I have to get the form and documents to them?

Will I be required to send the documents to the US for processing or will I be asked to bring them to the consulate? On both my I130 and my cover letter, I clearly stated that I was physically overseas.

I am relying on a combination of retirement income and assets in my I864. If it is rejected, my son will co-sponsor for me. Is it advisable to send his document together with mine or should I wait and see?

Thanks

[JORAUGA]

Thanks rayb for being both quick and clear. Based on what you have said about a one year window, I guess I will wait and see if my I864 is accepted before sending in my son's. Since I am here now, let me ask a related question.

My instructions to I864 say the following about tax returns: "Telefile tax records are not acceptable proof of filing." I am not sure what "telefile" means.

This year, I filed electronically using Turbo-tax. Does this mean that the copy created by Turbotax including a page that they call "ELECTRONIC POSTMARK-CERTIFICATION OF ELECTRONIC FILING" is invalid for the I864? Will I need to obtain an IRS transcript?

[rayb]

Jorauga,

You can try to obtain an IRS transcript, but it usually takes about two months after filing before they are available. If available, you can now download IRS transscripts after a 10-minutes logon security procedure. This is new this year and works real nice.

I do a LOT of I-864 submissions and have no problem using Federal tax return facsimile copies generated by Turbotax and other consumer software. Sometimes clients give me computer printouts from consumer software that don't resemble tax returns at all, and that may be what was indicated by "telefile" copies.

-Ray B

Thanks rayb for being both quick and clear. Based on what you have said about a one year window, I guess I will wait and see if my I864 is accepted before sending in my son's. Since I am here now, let me ask a related question.

My instructions to I864 say the following about tax returns: "Telefile tax records are not acceptable proof of filing." I am not sure what "telefile" means.

This year, I filed electronically using Turbo-tax. Does this mean that the copy created by Turbotax including a page that they call "ELECTRONIC POSTMARK-CERTIFICATION OF ELECTRONIC FILING" is invalid for the I864? Will I need to obtain an IRS transcript?

[JORAUGA]

I went to the IRS page. It took me a long time to get set up with a username/password because the site crashed on me not once but three times during the setup. Of course this is the peak time of year for them. That said, once I was in, downloading transcripts for the last three years was almost instantaneous. Thanks for the tip.

[JORAUGA]

How long to process I864?

After my I130 for my wife was approved, I have paid the $88 fee and submitted my i864. Postal tracking says it was delivered in Portsmouth, NH on 16 Jun 14. I am assuming that the consular interview will not take place until the i864 is approved.

Can anyone give me a rough idea of the kind of time it takes NVC to process the i864? My documentation was not overly complicated but was based on a combination of pension income and assets.

Thank you

[rayb]

The NVC needs two document packet submittals:
1. The sponsorship packet, which includes the I-864 and supporting documents.
2. The civil document packet, which includes certified versions of birth, marriage, divorce docs, as well as passport-style photos, copy of passport ID page.

You will also need to complete the online form DS-260.

--Ray B

After my I130 for my wife was approved, I have paid the $88 fee and submitted my i864. Postal tracking says it was delivered in Portsmouth, NH on 16 Jun 14. I am assuming that the consular interview will not take place until the i864 is approved.

Can anyone give me a rough idea of the kind of time it takes NVC to process the i864? My documentation was not overly complicated but was based on a combination of pension income and assets.

Thank you