.
This is old information from 1998, but it seems still valid today:
http://www.wop98.com/english/documents.html
• Evidence of Support - You must demonstrate that neither you nor your accompanying family members will become a public charge in the U.S. If you do not have a job offer upon entrance to the U.S., this can be shown with 1 or more of the following:
• statement from a senior bank officer showing a present balance in your account, date account was opened, number and amount of deposits and withdrawals during the past year, and the average balance during the year;
• verification of ownership of stocks and bonds, with present market value or expected earnings indicated;
• proof of ownership of property or real estate, in the form of a title, deed or the equivalent, and a letter from a banker or other knowledgeable official showing its present value; letter from insurance company showing the cash surrender of policies held. If you have a job offer upon entrance, then you should submit a notarized letter on the employer's letterhead stationery:
1. containing a definite offer of employment and stating when the job will be available;
2. describing the requirements of the job, and stating rate of compensation and any other benefits;
3. stating where and what type of job it is (e.g., seasonal, temporary, or indefinite).
Documents in a foreign language must be translated by a sworn translator.
Form I-134, Affidavit of Support
http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/form_i134.html
US Immigration Forms
http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/sub ... _forms.php
Go to google and use this search string :
green card affidavit of support Form I-134
You will find dozens of helpful links. I will not reproduce them here because there are a lot and there are liability issues since many are in direct competition with workpermit.com. I cannot recommend any of them as being more or less accurate than you need.
It will require quite a bit of reading.
However, my previous comments stand. And, it seems that whatever the current poverty level is, a demonstration of income or financial resources that is 125% of that level is going to be required, somehow.
Meaning, at $13,000 per year (just about exactly the current for an individual as a national average today), $16,250 is the utter minimum that would be considered. To be safe, you should be considering $17,000 or more, and if you are looking at a city like New York, Chicago or Los Angeles, I would think that $25,000 is not enough. Maybe $30,000 is not enough. They are a VERY expensive places to live.
This is an important set of information, although the exact form required by your friend is different (see the highlighted section).
immigration.about. com/ library/blaffsupp.htm
[ EXCERPTS ]
AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT, Form I-864
Under Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act
WHO SPONSORS AND IS SPONSORED?
1. What are affidavits of support and sponsors?
Every immigrant admitted to the United States must demonstrate to a Consular or Immigration Officer that he or she is not inadmissible on public charge grounds. One way to help demonstrate that an immigrant is not inadmissible is to have a person in the United States, a sponsor, sign an affidavit of support promising to provide support and assistance to the immigrant if necessary. Immigrants who have someone sign an affidavit of support for them are called sponsored immigrants.
2. Which immigrants must have sponsors?
All family-based immigrants, including immediate relatives, family preference immigrants, and orphans, will be required to have new legally enforceable affidavits of support (Form I-864) if they file adjustment of status or immigrant visa applications on or after December 19, 1997. In addition, employment-based immigrants who are coming to work for relatives or for companies where relatives of the immigrant own 5 percent or more of the company must have sponsors.
3. How have immigrants' sponsors' responsibilities changed under the new law?
Affidavits of support (Form I-864) filed on or after December 19, 1997, are legally enforceable. Sponsors who fail to support the immigrants they sponsor can be sued by any Federal, State, or local agency or private entity that provides means-tested benefits, as well as by the immigrants they sponsored. Most sponsors must now demonstrate income of at least 125 percent of the Federal poverty level.
4. Who can be a sponsor?
The family member who filed the visa petition for the immigrant must be a sponsor. In certain circumstances, additional persons can accept joint legal responsibility with the petitioner as joint sponsors. Sponsors must also be U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents; age 18 or over; and live in one of the 50 States, Washington, DC, or a US territory or possession.
5. What is a joint sponsor?
A joint sponsor is a person who is not the petitioner for the sponsored immigrant but who meets the citizenship, residence, and age requirements and who meets the 125 percent minimum income requirement for his or her household size. Joint sponsors are permitted when the petitioner cannot meet the income requirements or has died before all family members have immigrated. Joint sponsors must accept joint legal responsibility for supporting sponsored immigrant(s) and reimbursing the cost of any means-tested public benefit used until the sponsored immigrants naturalize, can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work, depart the United States permanently, or die.
6. Is there a limit on the number of joint sponsors?
There is no limit on the number of joint sponsors; however, each joint sponsor must meet the 125 percent of the poverty line income requirement for their household size. Joint sponsors are not permitted if the petitioner meets the income requirements unless an Immigration or Consular Officer requests one.
7. What is the definition of "relative" for employment based sponsors?
Relative includes the spouse, adult son or daughter, child, parent, or sibling of the person filing the I-140 (employment) petition or who has a relative with 5 percent or more ownership interest in the petitioning company.
8. Can a sponsored immigrant sponsor other immigrants?
Immigrants who are currently the beneficiaries of sponsorship obligations may be sponsors. They must meet the income requirements on their own or obtain a joint sponsor in the same manner that other petitioner-sponsors qualify. This situation would most likely occur when permanent residents petition for their spouses or unmarried sons and daughters under the second preference, since most other petitioners would be U.S. citizens.
11. Is an affidavit of support required for diversity immigrants (visa lottery applicants) or any other groups of immigrants?
The new affidavit of support (Form I-864) may only be used for family-based and certain employment based immigrants. For other types of immigrants, such as diversity immigrants or lawful permanent residents returning after long absences from the United States where there are concerns about inadmissibility on public charge grounds, the earlier affidavit of support, Form I-134, may be used.
13. When does a sponsor's obligation to support sponsored aliens end?
The sponsorship obligation continues until the sponsored alien naturalizes, has worked or can be credited with 40 quarters of work, leaves the United States permanently, or dies. However, a sponsor or the sponsor's estate remains liable for any support or requests for repayment of benefits that arose before the support obligation ended.
INCOME REQUIREMENTS
1. What does the requirement that the sponsor demonstrate the ability to maintain an income at 125 percent of the poverty level mean?
Sponsors will be judged on their ability to support the immigrants they are sponsoring at 125 percent of the poverty level for their household size based on the information they provide in the affidavit of support and accompanying documentation. This information must demonstrate that the sponsor and his or her household can reasonably be expected to maintain an income at or above the level required to provide for themselves and all immigrants they have sponsored or are sponsoring.
2. Are sponsors required to have incomes above a certain level?
Sponsors must have household incomes equal to at least 125 percent of the poverty level for their current household size, including themselves their families and dependents, any immigrants previously sponsored on the new affidavit of support, and the immigrants currently being sponsored. Petitioners who are on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, other than active duty for training, only need to demonstrate income at 100 percent of the poverty level if they are sponsoring their spouse or children.
3. Does the petitioner have to file an affidavit of support if he or she cannot meet the income requirements and there is a joint sponsor?
Yes. The law requires that the petitioner must be a sponsor and file an affidavit of support, even if he or she cannot meet the income requirements. The petitioner remains fully liable, along with the joint sponsor, for any benefits the sponsored immigrant(s) may use. The joint sponsor must file a separate affidavit of support.
4. Who determines the poverty level?
The poverty level is recalculated and published annually for the Office of Management and Budget by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS.) The poverty level is increased by a set dollar amount based on the number of persons in the household. The poverty level guidelines are the same for the continental 48 States; separate levels are established for Hawaii and Alaska.
There is a LOT more on that page. And, it's formatted to make it quite difficult to read, but I am very much not comfortable reproducing more of it in this forum since it becomes a serious liability for copyright infringement.
the Admin
