... in response to Re: Interpreting the Chart?, posted by Gary Bala on Feb 20, 2005[This message has been edited by doombug]
"Family Unit refers to you, the Latina, each of her kids,
(and also each person in your own US household for
which you take a tax exemption)."
But, what if somone doesn't claim any tax exemptions for previous sponserees? In a prior relationship with a Mexican-American Latina, I'd signed an AOS for her son and possibly her brother (it was back in 1999 or 2000, so I don't recall).
USCIS says (per a phone call to them) that they can't tell me the "A" numbers of the people who I may have sponsored previously, that only the original petitioner (my ex-novia) is privy to such info. So, as I file a petition for my current wife and her children, I can't tell them for certain what my "Family Unit" size will be.
Would my current Family Unit consist of me, my wife, her daughter, her son, these other two previous sponsorees (my ex's son and brother), AND my ex-novia??? Making the Family Unit size 7?? I neither live with or send support to this ex, as we cordially drifted apart a few years back.
I'd really appreciate your response to this, Gary. This is one of my most nagging concerns. My gross income for 2004 was just shy of $38,500, so I'm not sure if this is sufficient to support seven people (if seven IS, in fact, my correct family unit size).
One site I found lists the poverty level for a family unit size of seven at $28,390, and lists $35,488 as 125% of that income. But, you mentioned: "You also need to show consistency of Line 22 income for last 3 to 5 years." Consistency at THAT level of income or above, or consistency of AN income?? My level of income has been lower than $35,488 with the same employer in my two previous years; then again, these "Guidelines" have progressively increased their ceilings over the years, and my family size has just increased, as well (as an obvious result of getting married recently).
I'm preparing to send off the I-130's for my wife's children, and she won't find it very soothing if I tell her that I can't file for all three of them. That I'd have to petition for her son later, or find a co-sponsor.
By the way, are there any means of finding out exactly how many people I may have sponsored previously? USCIS told me that--on my I-864--I should simply state that I don't recall this info., when I signed the forms, their names, "A" numbers, and birth dates, etc.
If effect, go ahead and spend the money now on these current petitions, get the childrens' birth certificates translated/certified (though, I've just now received these), file the I-130's, etc., only to be told later that I need a co-sponsor.
Thanks for any help, Gary.
This forum, sites such as Visajourney, and the lawyers such as yourself who frequent them, provide the lucency that a lot of us blind mice rely on to navigate the morass of immigration ambiguties.