USA - IR1 > Joint bank acct questions

[fifthcolumn]

How much should be in our joint account roughly? 100k would be a ez number to deal with. We could put more but it is perhaps better in my acct or even in her acct.

Is establishing the joint the important part or does it need to be brimming with cash?

The joint account just complicates our life. We set it up after we got married, thought maybe we'd eventually go to US. We hate to fund it as we never do anything with it. It's one of our inside marriage jokes, oh that thing. Yeah, lets put money in it I guess...Take money out of our accts to put in the joint to take money out of joint.

Her assets 3-400k

Joint bank 100k (we have 65k now).

My assets Thailand - whatever I have as I am spending down (+ cash/assets in usa). Should be not much, 100k.

Edited March 10, 2014 by fifthcolumn

[doontp]

I've been doing a lot of reading about the IR-1.

Establishing a joint account is what they "would like or may want" to see because this makes the marriage more credible. I read nothing about how much money should be in the acct.

[daboyz1]

What is the point of the joint account? Are you trying to satisfy the requirements of the I-864, or are you trying to show an ongoing relationship?

If you're trying to satisfy the I-864 you'll need to have roughly 100k USD in the bank if you don't have the income. It's 5 times the required annual income which is roughly 20k USD for 2 people.

If you're trying to show an ongoing relationship, make sure you have a lot of photos together. I know that sounds somewhat silly, but that's what the want to see at the interview. I gave them all kinds of joint bills etc. and a couple photos. They didn't care about the bills. They made me give them more photos and then they issued the IR-1 visa.

Edited March 23, 2014 by daboyz1

[doontp]

What is the point of the joint account? Are you trying to satisfy the requirements of the I-864, or are you trying to show an ongoing relationship?

If you're trying to satisfy the I-864 you'll need to have roughly 100k USD in the bank if you don't have the income. It's 5 times the required annual income which is roughly 20k USD for 2 people.

If you're trying to show an ongoing relationship, make sure you have a lot of photos together. I know that sounds somewhat silly, but that's what the want to see at the interview. I gave them all kinds of joint bills etc. and a couple photos. They didn't care about the bills. They made me give them more photos and then they issued the IR-1 visa.

Just like photos........the point of a joint acct is to give a marriage credibility, but I have not read anything about a joint acct(s) being required.

What an interviewer wants to see varies. Some will not even ask for photos, but you should have some, just in case credibility is not shown in other areas of the application, such as the existance of a joint acct(s).

In my case the wife and I have a joint bank acct in Thailand and the USA. We established these 2 weeks ago in preparation to apply for an IR-1 early next year.

Regarding the I-864: 5 times the required annual income for a CR-1 and 3 times for an IR-1. Annual income must be 125% times the US Poverty Level for non military.

The source for this info is a website called visajourney.

[daboyz1]

What is the point of the joint account? Are you trying to satisfy the requirements of the I-864, or are you trying to show an ongoing relationship?

If you're trying to satisfy the I-864 you'll need to have roughly 100k USD in the bank if you don't have the income. It's 5 times the required annual income which is roughly 20k USD for 2 people.

If you're trying to show an ongoing relationship, make sure you have a lot of photos together. I know that sounds somewhat silly, but that's what the want to see at the interview. I gave them all kinds of joint bills etc. and a couple photos. They didn't care about the bills. They made me give them more photos and then they issued the IR-1 visa.

Regarding the I-864: 5 times the required annual income for a CR-1 and 3 times for an IR-1. Annual income must be 125% times the US Poverty Level for non military.

The source for this info is a website called visajourney.

Minor correction:

It's 3 time assets for a CR-1 or IR-1. There's no distinction between CR-1 and IR-1 concerning the affidavit of support. They both require an I-864. Also, it looks like I was incorrect concerning the 5 times

From the I-864 instructions:

Total Value of Assets.

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 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. If the intending immigrant is an alien orphan who will be adopted in the

United States after the alien orphan acquires permanent residence, and who will, as a result, acquire citizenship under

section 320 of the Act, the total value of your assets need only equal the difference.

Source:

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-864instr.pdf

[doontp]

The CR-1 and IR-1 does have a distinction concerning the affidavit of support. The distinction is the amount.

CR-1 is for a non immediate relative. Example: in-laws or spouse, if married for less than 2 years. 5 times the US Poverty Level is required.

IR-1 is for an immediate relative. Immediate relative is a spouse, if married for more than 2 years and/or minor child. 3 times the US Poverty Level is required.

Sorry, I don't have the direct link.

[daboyz1]

The CR-1 and IR-1 does have a distinction concerning the affidavit of support. The distinction is the amount.

CR-1 is for a non immediate relative. Example: in-laws or spouse, if married for less than 2 years. 5 times the US Poverty Level is required.

IR-1 is for an immediate relative. Immediate relative is a spouse, if married for more than 2 years and/or minor child. 3 times the US Poverty Level is required.

Sorry, I don't have the direct link.

CR-1 and IR-1 are both for marriage. The only distinction is that a CR-1 is issued if the couple has been married for less than two years when the visa is issued. A 2 year green card will be issued after arrival in the U.S. This will require filing I-751 removal of conditions to get a 10 year green card after arrival in the U.S. The CR means "Conditional Resident" the IR means "Immediate Relative" The asset requirement concerning the I-864 is the same for both.

IR-2 = children of citizen

IR-3 and IR-4 are for adopting children

IR-5 = parent of citizen

[doontp]

The CR-1 and IR-1 does have a distinction concerning the affidavit of support. The distinction is the amount.

CR-1 is for a non immediate relative. Example: in-laws or spouse, if married for less than 2 years. 5 times the US Poverty Level is required.

IR-1 is for an immediate relative. Immediate relative is a spouse, if married for more than 2 years and/or minor child. 3 times the US Poverty Level is required.

Sorry, I don't have the direct link.

CR-1 and IR-1 are both for marriage. The only distinction is that a CR-1 is issued if the couple has been married for less than two years when the visa is issued. A 2 year green card will be issued after arrival in the U.S. This will require filing I-751 removal of conditions to get a 10 year green card after arrival in the U.S. The CR means "Conditional Resident" the IR means "Immediate Relative" The asset requirement concerning the I-864 is the same for both.

IR-2 = children of citizen

IR-3 and IR-4 are for adopting children

IR-5 = parent of citizen

What I typed above is what I read on visajourney. You could be correct and the other wrong or vice versa. This is not the first time I've come across conflicting info.

Kindest regards.

[daboyz1]

The CR-1 and IR-1 does have a distinction concerning the affidavit of support. The distinction is the amount.

CR-1 is for a non immediate relative. Example: in-laws or spouse, if married for less than 2 years. 5 times the US Poverty Level is required.

IR-1 is for an immediate relative. Immediate relative is a spouse, if married for more than 2 years and/or minor child. 3 times the US Poverty Level is required.

Sorry, I don't have the direct link.

CR-1 and IR-1 are both for marriage. The only distinction is that a CR-1 is issued if the couple has been married for less than two years when the visa is issued. A 2 year green card will be issued after arrival in the U.S. This will require filing I-751 removal of conditions to get a 10 year green card after arrival in the U.S. The CR means "Conditional Resident" the IR means "Immediate Relative" The asset requirement concerning the I-864 is the same for both.

IR-2 = children of citizen

IR-3 and IR-4 are for adopting children

IR-5 = parent of citizen

What I typed above is what I read on visajourney. You could be correct and the other wrong or vice versa. This is not the first time I've come across conflicting info.

Kindest regards.

Weird. Looks like VJ has it wrong. I'm Karee on VJ by the way. I've seen you there before. Can you send me the link on VJ where you got that info, and I'll get them to correct it.

[doontp]

Also,

I've submitted questions directly to uscis and their reply, "we don't give legal advise or consideration of applications vary.."

They answer questions like politicians do. They never give a direct answer.

[daboyz1]

Also,

I've submitted questions directly to uscis and their reply, "we don't give legal advise or consideration of applications vary.."

They answer questions like politicians do. They never give a direct answer.

Try calling them. They're even worse on the phone. They have a bunch of contractors answering the phones. They call it the mis-information line on VJ. Thankfully NVC is much better.

[doontp]

The CR-1 and IR-1 does have a distinction concerning the affidavit of support. The distinction is the amount.

CR-1 is for a non immediate relative. Example: in-laws or spouse, if married for less than 2 years. 5 times the US Poverty Level is required.

IR-1 is for an immediate relative. Immediate relative is a spouse, if married for more than 2 years and/or minor child. 3 times the US Poverty Level is required.

Sorry, I don't have the direct link.

CR-1 and IR-1 are both for marriage. The only distinction is that a CR-1 is issued if the couple has been married for less than two years when the visa is issued. A 2 year green card will be issued after arrival in the U.S. This will require filing I-751 removal of conditions to get a 10 year green card after arrival in the U.S. The CR means "Conditional Resident" the IR means "Immediate Relative" The asset requirement concerning the I-864 is the same for both.

IR-2 = children of citizen

IR-3 and IR-4 are for adopting children

IR-5 = parent of citizen

What I typed above is what I read on visajourney. You could be correct and the other wrong or vice versa. This is not the first time I've come across conflicting info.

Kindest regards.

Weird. Looks like VJ has it wrong. I'm Karee on VJ by the way. I've seen you there before. Can you send me the link on VJ where you got that info, and I'll get them to correct it.

I'm sorry. I don't have the direct link. I have read a lot through various threads and made written notes along the way.

[fifthcolumn]

Thanks. The question was essentially for the I130 and to establish the relationship.

Thx daboyz regarding income threshold, duly noted. Id seen before on Interwebs as well.