NLE Exam Results

[Ray]

 
48% passed this time.
 
 
Well piglett, what's the word?
 
 
Ray
 
 

[piglett]

48% passed this time.
 
 
Well piglett, what's the word?
 
 
Ray

well..........................
the word is her name is missing from the list 
I don't think they made a mistake & just forgot it
so i guess she didn't pass. she will go to the BON or Friday & get her grades for the test.
 
her having her nursing license from the PI would have opened up additional door for her but i guess it just wasn't meant to be. she can still get her license here in new hampshire after she arrives & takes the NCLEX. However if i am forced to bail out of here & go to plan B she will not be able to get her nursing license in some states but I'm not sure which. she could fall into the same situation as Howard's wife & be left on the sidelines kicking rocks.
I meet the income requirements to sponsor her but i guess it really comes down to the person who interviews her at the embassy. they can bitch that 1/2 of my income is from being self-employed & make the going tough. I guess the people doing the interviewing have a huge amount of power & there are also some grey areas here & there. I think i also read on VJ that if things are "rite on the line" they also have the option to look at the beneficiary's income making potential with a CR1 but not on a K1.maybe this is just someones interpretation of the rules or maybe it's fact
 
 
pig

[michaelb]

I'm hoping for the best for you, Piglett. Be brave, even if you are a such a small animal*

I'm not a lawyer, but (morally, anyway) it seems to me that the fact that you are self-employed shouldn't matter....show them your income tax forms, which will prove you make enough. Tell them that if they won't count the self employed part of your income for sponsoring your wife then they have no right to count it for taxes either

Yeah, I know, they'll probably just tell you that's a different department of the government that they don't control.....but dang it, right is right....you earned it, you paid taxes on it, they should allow it. 

Right now, your wife is probably feeling that she's a failure and even worse, that she let you down......do what you can to comfort her.

*not meant to be an insult, meant to be a literary reference....one of my favorite parts from the Winnie the Pooh stories is when Piglet says "It's hard to be brave when you're such a small animal".

[Ray]

That’s tough pig, but there is no shame in not passing those license exams. They aren’t easy and most people don’t pass the first or even second time. My niece in the Philippines is having similar problems with her Electrical Engineering license exam. Don’t make your wife feel like she let you both down.
　
Tell her to bring her books to study for the NCLEX when she gets here because it isn’t easy to pass the first time either. If she wants it bad enough, she will find a way, with your support and encouragement.
　
For the income thing, if you can show above the minimum income requirements for the past three years with your tax returns, then they should accept that. There is also the option to have a joint sponsor if your income is a little short of the requirements, preferably a close relative like a brother, sister, or parent who is willing to sign for her. See the instructions for the I-864.
　
When the government makes the determination that she won’t become a public charge, they can take every and all factors into consideration, including future earning potential, health issues, etc…
　
Good luck on the visa processing!
　
Ray

[piglett]

Thanks guys,
 
I told her not to worry about that silly test (even though it's not a silly test) & that she doesn't even need to pass it to become a nurse here in my state. I left 2 Saunders NCLEX books with her last time i was there so she has been reading them & starting to prep for the test she will need to pass.
 
the income thing is what i worry about
for 2010 i am over no problem however for the 2 years before that i took every deduction i could which makes me come up short.
I'm not sure how they weigh last years income VS previous years.
I also have about 10k in hard assets, a couple of used plow trucks, a farm tractor,welders,mechanics tools etc.hopefully these combined with some cash in the bank 3k/4k all will go smooth. I guess time will tell
 
pig

[Ray]

While the most recent tax return and current income from regular full-time employment are most important, they will also be looking at the last 3 years’ gross income.
　
If your current income is short of the minimum requirement, you can make up the difference with assets at 3-to-1 (If you are $5k short, you would need $15k in assets). Cash in the bank is no problem, real estate is good along with stocks and bonds, but the other stuff you listed is very questionable. They will want to see solid proof of cash value for each item.
　
Anything that you can do to increase your current employment income would be a big help. Work more hours, change jobs, a second job, or…?
　
Ray
　

[JWR]

Ray,
With the 3-1 ratio you are talking about, it means that if Pig had 60 k in the bank, he wouldn't need to show any income at all?
How does that work?
 
 
 

While the most recent tax return and current income from regular full-time employment are most important, they will also be looking at the last 3 years’ gross income.
　
If your current income is short of the minimum requirement, you can make up the difference with assets at 3-to-1 (If you are $5k short, you would need $15k in assets). Cash in the bank is no problem, real estate is good along with stocks and bonds, but the other stuff you listed is very questionable. They will want to see solid proof of cash value for each item.
　
Anything that you can do to increase your current employment income would be a big help. Work more hours, change jobs, a second job, or…?
　
Ray
　

[Jeff S]

Assets are not only cash, but also hard assets like land, property, business equipment, inventory, etc.

[Ray]

With the 3-1 ratio you are talking about, it means that if Pig had 60 k in the bank, he wouldn't need to show any income at all?
How does that work?

　
I haven’t heard of anyone doing it that way, but technically, he would make the mathematical income cutoff and ‘may’ qualify with only cash assets(?). However, it is still a judgement call by the immigration or consular officer, based on the total financial picture of the petitioner. See below where it says "supplement income".
　

Assets are not only cash, but also hard assets like land, property, business equipment, inventory, etc.

　
That’s correct Jeff. There are some restrictions on using hard assets. The rule states…
  　
"Assets may supplement income if the consular or immigration officer is convinced that the monetary value of the asset could reasonably be made available to support the sponsored immigrant and converted to cash within one year without undue harm to the sponsor or his or her family members. 　 You may not include an automobile unless you show that you own at least one working automobile that you have not included."
　
They will also usually require written appraisals of property values.
　
See Form I-864 instructions for more details.
　
Ray
　
 

[piglett]

　
That’s correct Jeff. There are some restrictions on using hard assets. The rule states…
"Assets may supplement income if the consular or immigration officer is convinced that the monetary value of the asset could reasonably be made available to support the sponsored immigrant and converted to cash within one year without undue harm to the sponsor or his or her family members. 　 You may not include an automobile unless you show that you own at least one working automobile that you have not included."
　
They will also usually require written appraisals of property values.
　
See Form I-864 instructions for more details.
Ray

I intend to include 1 car 2 trucks & a farm tractor , not sure if i should include things like shop tools ,welders ect?
 
just waiting on my employment letter & i can send off all the rest of the paperwork.

[thekfc]

I intend to include 1 car 2 trucks & a farm tractor , not sure if i should include things like shop tools ,welders ect?
 
just waiting on my employment letter & i can send off all the rest of the paperwork.

Looks like your wife will be here in the dead of winter.... brrrrr

[piglett]

Looks like your wife will be here in the dead of winter.... brrrrr

nope she wants to stick around till she has her PI nursing license. she takes the test again in Dec.& will get the results in Feb. this will take a couple of extra months. so i am hoping for a march arrival date.
 
pig

[thekfc]

nope she wants to stick around till she has her PI nursing license. she takes the test again in Dec.& will get the results in Feb. this will take a couple of extra months. so i am hoping for a march arrival date.
 
pig

NH temperature in March - 30's/40's
Manila temperature in March - mid 80's/low 90's.
 
30 to 40 degrees  - that is the dead of winter for her. 

[Ray]

I intend to include 1 car 2 trucks & a farm tractor , not sure if i should include things like shop tools ,welders ect?
 

 
They might count those as assets IF they aren't needed to earn income that you have claimed. For example, you don't need a farm tractor or a welder to make pizzas.
 
 
I would include written appraisals to support your claimed value, or at least solid evidence like copies of purshase receipts, ownersip documents, photos, blue book values, etc...
 
 
Ray
 
 

[piglett]

 
They might count those as assets IF they aren't needed to earn income that you have claimed. For example, you don't need a farm tractor or a welder to make pizzas.
 
 
I would include written appraisals to support your claimed value, or at least solid evidence like copies of purshase receipts, ownersip documents, photos, blue book values, etc...
 
 
Ray

I'll include the kbb value of the vehicles which mite get me to 10k total. so I'm not claiming i have a huge pile of over priced (by me) assets. don't want to have any red flags come up. I'll list all 3 vehicles & i think they will understand that i can't drive 3 at the same time so obviously i could sell 2 if needed & still get back & forth to work.
 
 
thanks
pig

[Ray]

 
pig,
 
Any chance of getting a joint sponsor for the I-864?
 
 
Ray
 
 

[piglett]

pig,
 
Any chance of getting a joint sponsor for the I-864?

the only one would be my mom who is retired.
she gets her ssi plus because she is a widow some of her late husbands. i think she mite have 20k to 30k stashed in some low risk money market account or cd's. she took a bath when the market tanked in 08' & decided to get out & stay out.
 
i am going to try it without a joint sponsor.
i really don't want to put my mom in that position
the back up plan is to pack my sh*t & go back to driving a tow truck
in Delaware.(i can probably get my old job back there rite over the phone) i have a good friend who will allow me to stay at his house rent free. he has 3 bedrooms & it's just him & his wife (their kids are all grown up) at 1st look this appears to be a great move however it means moving 430 miles & walking away from everything that i have going on rite now. i would end up turning over all my side work to my cousin which would leave me with much fewer working opportunity's once i decided to re-occupy my house. i really don't like this plan but if push comes to shove it mite be my only remaining option.
 
 
pig

[thekfc]

Piggy, et al, starting to get your Balikbayan boxes ready?

[piglett]

Piggy, et al, starting to get your Balikbayan boxes ready?

i have 1 flat rate box that i intend to send off
i'll include a cheep prepaid phone (walmart $14.99) so my wife can call me once she arrives at the airport here. if not how will i know she has landed & how will i know where she is so i can pick her up?? the last airport i was at (boston) didn't even look like you could walk inside the building unless you had a ticket. what a silly system.
 
pig
 

[Ray]

i'll include a cheep prepaid phone (walmart $14.99) so my wife can call me once she arrives at the airport here.
 

 
Which provider?
 
 
Does it have minutes loaded already?
 
 
Does the phone "cheep" when you receive a text message?   
 
 
 
Ray
 

[piglett]

 
Which provider?
 
 
Does it have minutes loaded already?
 
 
Does the phone "cheep" when you receive a text message?   
 
 
 
Ray

it's from verizon, it comes with 10 free min.
don't know about the "cheeping", but if she ends up keeping it for a while before i put her on my phone plan i can call her for free because i have unlimited verizon to verizon min.
 
pig

[thekfc]

i have 1 flat rate box that i intend to send off

Via USPS? 

[piglett]

Via USPS? 

correct it's small & weighs less than 10lbs
it has a couple of christmas gifts in it & my farther inlaw's tools
 
pig

[thekfc]

Priority mail?
 
Personally, I wouldn't send anything of value this time of the year via Priority mail - Express mail maybe. We will be sending a package by air next month but we plan on using air cargo.
 
Me & the wife are getting our stuff ready, she just have to finish labeling some items & then we will finish packing them.
 
We are looking to ship next week and we will use Johnny Air this time. LBC Group have problems with their banking division so neither of us want to use LBC Express. Plus we have heard good things about Johnny Air.

[robert angel]

I'd be real leery of sending anything via the USPS--like KFC said, especially this time of year.  And outfits like Fed Ex will eat you alive. We wanted to send a gold chain and cross to my MIL via Fed Ex--it weighed 7 grams, as I recall, and they wanted $99. We waited until one of us traveled over there, because  it was worth more than any one thing we'd ever sent.

That said, we've been pretty confident on balikbayon boxes, even all the way to Mindanao. This past weekend, we picked up a lot of stuff for and handled a lot of details on the house we bought in Davao. We will send most of it in the boxes--so far, we've never lost a thing.

The worst thing about sending things to a set location and not  having the more secure, more expensive delivery mail systems do it, is once they know valuables are coming, they're always looking out for more of the same, so they can steal it. Dave H learned early on just how persistent and what a long memory the thieves over there have. We send things to different people/locations that we trust and the stuff we send has an excellent record of getting there safe and intact, including electronics, other valuables and fragile stuff.