financial requirements for family sponsored immigration

Financial Requirements for Family-Sponsored Immigration

Generally speaking, there are two ways to

immigrate to the United States. The first is through

employer-sponsored immigration, which involves

certain types of Visas, including the H1-B, EB-1,

and several others. The second is family-

sponsored immigration.

In both cases, it’s important that your sponsor be

able to prove certain conditions if your application

is to be approved. First, your sponsor must be a

lawful permanent resident or citizen of the United

States. Second, they must be eligible to sponsor

you as a family member, meaning they are your

spouse, parent, brother, sister, or child. Third, they

must prove that they are at or above the poverty

level by a minimum of 125%. But what does this

mean?

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In the United States, the poverty level varies

depending on how many individuals live in the

household. It starts at $11,490 for a household of

one. For each additional member of the

household, the poverty level increases by $4,020.

So a family of five would be at the poverty level if

they earned $27,570 per year.

In order to be at 125% of the poverty level, that

family must earn at least $34,462.50 per year.

Unfortunately, even if your sponsor earns this

much, you should still contact an immigration

attorney, as many other factors can come into

play.

What is the Poverty Level?



Generally speaking, a family that earns at least 125% of

the poverty line should be able to sponsor at least one

immigrant. The reason you should contact an

immigration attorney, though, is because certain

government benefits can have an impact on your

household income. Plenty of would-be sponsors fail to

account for these sources of income because they failed

to work with an experienced immigration attorney.

For instance, if a foreigner’s sister was living alone,

earning $930.83 per month, and receiving Medicaid

benefits and food stamps, she may technically be at or

above 125% of the poverty level. Without first speaking

to an immigration attorney these benefits may be

overlooked, leading everyone to believe that she could

not sponsor her relative.

Why Contacting an Immigration Attorney is a Good Idea



The poverty line is consistent for all 48

contiguous states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin

Islands, Guam, and the District of Columbia.

Alaska and Hawaii each have their own, distinct,

poverty lines, though.

Additionally, the poverty line changes from one

year to the next. It’s possible that your

application may be approved with the current

federal guidelines so long as all documents are

submitted promptly. Working with an

immigration attorney helps to ensure that all

documents are filled in correctly, minimizing the

chances that you will experience any rejections

or delays.

Poverty Lines Vary



Again, speak to an immigration attorney. If

one family member is not eligible for

sponsorship because of their income, there

may be another family member who can is.

Your attorney can work closely with your

family to find the best potential sponsor,

improving the chances that your application

is approved.

What If Your Application Is Denied Because of the Poverty Line?



financial requirements for family sponsored immigration

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