Graduate Petitioner for I-30; Please Advise.

[wsbeih]

Dear All,

My wife holds American passport and another passport. After birth, she went with her family to UAE and lived there till today. She graduated as a general physician last June, and now she is trying to pass the relevant USMLE's Exams in order to enroll into a residency program in one the hospitals in USA. We got married last year. She is petitioning (I-130) for me to have my Immigration Visa. Before asking the embassy for an interview, I have couples of questions:
1.As mentioned in the instructions of the US Embassy in UAE, the petitioner shall be residing in the UAE for the last 6 months which is the case. However in Form I-864, it is mentioned that the main sponsor (petitioner), shall be domiciled in the USA. If we have a friend's full address in the USA, and he is fine with using his address for mailing purposes, does this qualify her as a petitioner?

2.Since she has no income, how much cash assets do we require to have in order to cover the affidavit of support?

3.If we arrange to have a joint sponsor, will the friend's mail address (not the joint sponsor) only be enough to write it in the applications as my wife's address in USA?

4.I graduated from an ABET accredited University in the UAE, and I have been working for 5 years since then as a Design Electrical Engineer in a consultant company in the field of the constructions also in the UAE. When I go to the USA, can I apply for a job directly as an electrical engineer? Or shall I be licensed there by admitting certain exams or etc...?

5.Do you advise us to attend the interview with the available givens mentioned above in our case?

6.If not, what measures or minimum requirements shall we take into considerations before we go to the interview?
Hope you can help me with my case and thank you for your assistance in advance.

Regards,
Wael Sbeih

[visjig]

1.As mentioned in the instructions of the US Embassy in UAE, the petitioner shall be residing in the UAE for the last 6 months which is the case. However in Form I-864, it is mentioned that the main sponsor (petitioner), shall be domiciled in the USA. If we have a friend's full address in the USA, and he is fine with using his address for mailing purposes, does this qualify her as a petitioner?

Answer 1 - If your wife who is a citizen put in a I-130 for you then it is imperative that your wife will be the "Petitioner" and you will be the "Beneficiary". You cannot change this.

Your wife will have to fill the I-864 irrespective of whether she is earning or not. Your wife will have to have some kind of life in the USA, i.e., have Social Security Number, driving license, a rented accomodation, etc. to prove that she is domiciled in the USA.

Read the following links and the associated weblink thoroughly:-

https://www.immihelp.com/family-based-greencard-application-procedures/

https://https://www.immihelp.comhttp...it-of-support/

2.Since she has no income, how much cash assets do we require to have in order to cover the affidavit of support?

Answer 2 - You need to read this to see how much money you need to qualify for the I-864:- https://www.immihelp.com/i-864p-pove...it-of-support/

It depends on the sponsor's household size.

3.If we arrange to have a joint sponsor, will the friend's mail address (not the joint sponsor) only be enough to write it in the applications as my wife's address in USA?

Answer 3- You will need to put in the original/real address of the joint sponsor as you will need to send in address proof and the supporting documents for your joint sponsor.

4.I graduated from an ABET accredited University in the UAE, and I have been working for 5 years since then as a Design Electrical Engineer in a consultant company in the field of the constructions also in the UAE. When I go to the USA, can I apply for a job directly as an electrical engineer? Or shall I be licensed there by admitting certain exams or etc...?

Answer 4 - I would not have any knowledge about this particular question.

5.Do you advise us to attend the interview with the available givens mentioned above in our case?

Answer 5- Once you file the I-130 with US Embassy in UAE or with the USCIS in USA, you will be required to undergo a medical and then attend a one-to-one interview. After you file I-130 and all the required supporting documents, then the real process begins. It will take atleast 6 months for the process to complete as your wife is a US citizen and considering if all forms & fees are paid accordingly and everything is as per their requirements

6.If not, what measures or minimum requirements shall we take into considerations before we go to the interview?

Answer 6 - First I would suggest that you thoroughly read the above websites and also the USCIS website before you file the I-130 and the supporting documents. Then let your case be approved and we shall take it from there. Don't worry about your interview, it will come at the very end of the process.

Good luck. Post more questions if you have further confusion if after you read the process in this website and USCIS website.

[wsbeih]

Please advise

Greetings,

Thanks for the useful information. Now we are trying to prove a plan of establishing a domicile in the USA. I will open an account in the HSBC. I can access the account from any branch world-wide, and it has branches in the USA so this should be Ok isn't it? if not please advise how to open a bank account in the USA while we are living abroad? Also I would be greatful if you advice me of a good bank in the US, beside the HSBC.
In addition, we are searching for apartments to rent. please send me some good websites for renting apartments in USA. Beside that we have our friend's address in the USA. adding all the above does it seem a convincing plan for establishing domicile in the USA? if not please advise.
Finally, and honestly we don't have a joint sponsor yet, and we don't have the equivalent assets either. we do have assets, but not the huge number mentioned in the I-864 instructions ( which is 3 time the income required). what we have right now is about (15,000 $ cash). but if i receive my Immigration Visa, and i quit my job, sold my staff, etc... we will be having (40,000 $) which is still less than 55K. with the current situation, Do you advise me to attend the interview which will take place in one month?
Please note that, in one month, US embassy expects all forms to be filled, all papers to be filled, and the interview will take place all in one day.

Thanks
Wael

[visjig]

I've carefully read your post. I want a few answers from your side before I can suggest further solutions.

1. You say the interview is in one month. Have you got an appointment letter?

2. What is your nationality and your status in UAE?

Hope to hear from you soon.

[wsbeih]

I've carefully read your post. I want a few answers from your side before I can suggest further solutions.

1. You say the interview is in one month. Have you got an appointment letter?

in the UAE, the instructions of the US embassy is that the petitioner to request an interview from the embassy. We did that and the embassy replied after 2 days informing us of the interview date which is on 23rd Sep 2010. and they asked us to follow the instructions mentioned in their website. that's all. if you refer to their website you can see the instructions. (http://abudhabi.usembassy.gov/media/...r_a_spouse.pdf).

2. What is your nationality and your status in UAE?

I am Palestinian, holding a Lebanese travel document. I Have been living in the UAE since the day i was born. Currently I am an 5 years- experienced Electrical Engineer in a construction company.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Hope to hear from you soon.

[visjig]

Thanks for clearing out my questions.

Okay regarding the bank account with HSBC, as long as the bank account which you are talking about includes a local USA address in the monthly bank statement then go for it. I highly doubt that the account you talking about will not have a local US address in the monthly bank statement. Also you will not be able to open a USA bank a/c in the UAE or for that matter anywhere apart from being present physically in the US.

If I was in your situation, I would send my wife to the US first so that she can apply for a social security number as without this number one cannot open any bank account in USA. Then rent an accommodation to show that she is domiciled in the USA and also that she has a place to accommodate you. Get a job in the USA so that can be used for I-864 and to prove she is domiciled in the USA. Get a voters registration card and a driving license to again prove that she is domiciled in US.

For US bank account there is Bank of America, Wachovia, etc.....

For finding accommodation online go to ziprealty. But again to get a rental agreement one must be present physically in the USA. They will probably want your US bank account details and your SSN#.

I know the above things will take time but this would be an ideal approach to your case. There is no point in going to the interview unprepared and then get a rejection. Also you will waste all the fees. At the end the visa officer will probably reject your case and recommend the above.

Good luck.

Greetings,
o
Thanks for the useful information. Now we are trying to prove a plan of establishing a domicile in the USA. I will open an account in the HSBC. I can access the account from any branch world-wide, and it has branches in the USA so this should be Ok isn't it? if not please advise how to open a bank account in the USA while we are living abroad? Also I would be greatful if you advice me of a good bank in the US, beside the HSBC.
In addition, we are searching for apartments to rent. please send me some good websites for renting apartments in USA. Beside that we have our friend's address in the USA. adding all the above does it seem a convincing plan for establishing domicile in the USA? if not please advise.
Finally, and honestly we don't have a joint sponsor yet, and we don't have the equivalent assets either. we do have assets, but not the huge number mentioned in the I-864 instructions ( which is 3 time the income required). what we have right now is about (15,000 $ cash). but if i receive my Immigration Visa, and i quit my job, sold my staff, etc... we will be having (40,000 $) which is still less than 55K. with the current situation, Do you advise me to attend the interview which will take place in one month?
Please note that, in one month, US embassy expects all forms to be filled, all papers to be filled, and the interview will take place all in one day.

Thanks
Wael