joint sponsorship questions

[hstick71]

A friend of mine has asked me to be a joint sponsor for her mother.

I am inclined to help her, but I'm wondering if there are ramifications that I'm not thinking of.

Other than committing to being financially responsible for this woman --and having to pay back the government if she needs public assistance, are there other consequences?

Will being the joint sponsor of an immigrant affect my financial status in any way? Will it affect my ability to take out loans of any sort?

Are there other aspects of my life that will be affected that I should take into consideration?

[mai95]

no other consequences unless she becomes a public charge and you fail to pay back the government. then they (the government) will garnish your wages/tax returns.
And if you are going to sponsor someone else you will have to count her also as in your household (even though you don't help her finically)
your friend may use their assets to help meet the income requirements tell them to look that up.

[hstick71]

Thank you. That's really helpful.

[joem18b]

sponser responsibilty vis a vis SSI, Medicaid, etc.

I see that sponser responsibility applies to any means-based federal aid program, including SSI and Medicaid.

If I co-sponser someone who becomes seriously, permanently disabled, what would my financial obligations be? I asked an immigration lawyer but he didn't know. He said it was a new area.

Thanks in advance.

[rayb]

Any immigration attorney who tells you that "sponsorship liability is a new area" is probably new himself. The current sponsorship for, I-864, has been around, with a few revisions, for about 14 years, and there is already plenty of legal precedent for it being enforced. The reality, however, is that divorce court decisions are about the only such proof of sponsors being on the hook for any kind of support because of this Affidavit. In theory, government agencies and institutional entities can come after a sponsor for reimbursement of funds used to assist an immigrant, but the reimbursement process is so cumbersome (Federal Immigration Court) and untested that proof of such reimbursement action is difficult to find.

--Ray B

I see that sponser responsibility applies to any means-based federal aid program, including SSI and Medicaid.

If I co-sponser someone who becomes seriously, permanently disabled, what would my financial obligations be? I asked an immigration lawyer but he didn't know. He said it was a new area.

Thanks in advance.

[joem18b]

joint sponsorship questions

Any immigration attorney who tells you that "sponsorship liability is a new area" is probably new himself. The current sponsorship for, I-864, has been around, with a few revisions, for about 14 years, and there is already plenty of legal precedent for it being enforced. The reality, however, is that divorce court decisions are about the only such proof of sponsors being on the hook for any kind of support because of this Affidavit. In theory, government agencies and institutional entities can come after a sponsor for reimbursement of funds used to assist an immigrant, but the reimbursement process is so cumbersome (Federal Immigration Court) and untested that proof of such reimbursement action is difficult to find.

--Ray B

Thanks!

The attorney I was speaking to has been doing this work a long time. I might not have understood exactly what he meant when he said that my question regarding cat*****phic disability touched on new... whatever. Perhaps he was referring to effects of the ACA or something.

Anyway, he effectively told me just what you have above, and I'm not concerned about any of the usual means-testing types of support. What I'm wondering is, what happens of an immigrant is disabled and receives life-long SSI or Medicaid support? These are counted as means-based types of support on a site I visited. Wouldn't it become cost effective for the government to look at sponsors in such a case? I'd hate to incur the burden associated with an immigrant's lifelong disability.

The attorney I spoke to said that he could open a file and spend maybe an hour checking bulletin boards or other attorneys, for $375, during this quiet holiday period. Which motivated me to join this forum.

[rayb]

My personal opinion is that if a sponsored immigrant becomes disabled and subsequently receives significant government assistance, you will be at risk.

About 14 or so years ago when the SSI program was changed to limit benefits to non-citizens, many relatives were sending their parents back home where medical costs were significantly less (Philippines, for example).

Having said this, I don't believe you have any choice when it comes to close family members who are immigrating to the U.S. Somebody has to be a sponsor. I've had to talk with potential co-sponsors dozens of times, including parents, siblings, neighbors, etc., and they were often scared off after reading the I-864 provisions, but someone usually steps in (not always) to give a helping hand to an immigrant. I've been a sponsor to two wives and a nephew, all of whom are now U.S. citizens, and my sponsorship never cost me more than the ink to sign the Affidavit of Support.

--Ray B

Thanks!

The attorney I was speaking to has been doing this work a long time. I might not have understood exactly what he meant when he said that my question regarding cat*****phic disability touched on new... whatever. Perhaps he was referring to effects of the ACA or something.

Anyway, he effectively told me just what you have above, and I'm not concerned about any of the usual means-testing types of support. What I'm wondering is, what happens of an immigrant is disabled and receives life-long SSI or Medicaid support? These are counted as means-based types of support on a site I visited. Wouldn't it become cost effective for the government to look at sponsors in such a case? I'd hate to incur the burden associated with an immigrant's lifelong disability.

The attorney I spoke to said that he could open a file and spend maybe an hour checking bulletin boards or other attorneys, for $375, during this quiet holiday period. Which motivated me to join this forum.

[joem18b]

My personal opinion is that if a sponsored immigrant becomes disabled and subsequently receives significant government assistance, you will be at risk.

About 14 or so years ago when the SSI program was changed to limit benefits to non-citizens, many relatives were sending their parents back home where medical costs were significantly less (Philippines, for example).

Having said this, I don't believe you have any choice when it comes to close family members who are immigrating to the U.S. Somebody has to be a sponsor. I've had to talk with potential co-sponsors dozens of times, including parents, siblings, neighbors, etc., and they were often scared off after reading the I-864 provisions, but someone usually steps in (not always) to give a helping hand to an immigrant. I've been a sponsor to two wives and a nephew, all of whom are now U.S. citizens, and my sponsorship never cost me more than the ink to sign the Affidavit of Support.

--Ray B

thanks again. my wife and i will be the sponsors, no doubt, but at retirement age, i was just looking for one less aspect of the process to worry about.

[kamran john]

looking for US joint Sponsor for my Family

Hi Guys, My uncle who was the main Sponsor of my Family case, has gone to disability & therefore we need one joint sponsor as my uncle is unable to manage the Joint sponsor, Our interview went very fine & they just ask us to send back the new joint sponsor & get your visas away but unfortunately we are unable to get the joint sponsor, Anyone willing to provide Joint sponsor or we are willing to pay for this. anyone who can, he/she may reply to this post or email me at [email protected] or call me @ 00442071019393. Shell be very thankful.