Visitor's visa question: what level of annual incomes do we need for self financing

[cybazaar]

I am a US citizen and my brother is applying for a visitor's visa. He is self-employed and has significant liquid assets (half crore). But his annual income in the last three years has not been steady. 2004 was a very good year, 2005 was a very bad year while 2006 was ok.

I read on another thread that

"visa officers in India ususally have a cut off annual income as applicant's self financing criteria"...

1. In relation to the above comment, what levels of annual income are necessary or reasonable to be a on a self financed trip?

2. If his income levels are not good enough, would it help if I sponsored his trip or would it further hurt his chances of getting his visa?

Thanks in advance!

[rathi]

Hi
The visa officers do not have any such cut off.
But what they look for is, for a self sponsored person, whether he can afford to take a trip to US.
Remember, the consular officer will not belief one's intention, if he/she is spending his/her life saving just for a pleasure trip.
So if your brother did not have good profit for just one year, it is not a big problem.

Another i can suggest is, you co-sponsor your brother's trip.

[cybazaar]

By co-sponsoring, do you mean just sending a letter of invitation and saying I will partially bear the expenses (e.g., lodging with me while he is in the area), or do you mean sending a proper I-134? Wouldn't sending an I-134 mean he is unable to support himself or finance his trip?

[cybazaar]

Bumping the thread to see if someone would respond! Thanks in advance.