Last Updated on March 12, 2022
The LONGEST wait during the CR1 USA visa process is the gap between sending off the i130 evidence pack and then waiting to receive the NVC case number. My wait time was just over 5 months. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to know what’s coming up next so you can be prepared and send the next load of evidence off ASAP! Here’s a rough guide on what you will need to make up the i864EZ AOS pack.
Disclosure: Please note some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking. It comes at no extra cost to you.
i864EZ Affidavit of Support Package
Tip 1
When researching, be careful what AOS tips you are actually reading. The good ole American government use the shorted ‘AOS’ twice for 2 different visa processes and they mean 2 completely different things. One AOS is ‘Adjustment of Status’, the AOS you need is the ‘Affidavit of Support’.
Tip 2
There are a couple of different i864 forms. This post is based on the support pack for the i864EZ form. The i864EZ is a shortened version of the regular i864 form and can be used if the spouse has an income 125% above the US poverty level for the size of the family. I can’t remember the exact amount, but for my case I think it was around $21000. This number increases if there are ‘dependants (children)’.
If the sponsoring spouse earns under the guidelines, they can get a joint sponsor to help boost the income amount. However this then requires the longer form and of course the pack will be twice as big as there will be 2 lots of evidence!
What to Include in the AOS Pack
- Barcoded cover letter – sent from the NVC which will include your case number.
- A typed cover letter – stating what you have included in the pack. Your pack should be organised in the same order to match the cover letter.
- i864EZ form – signed and dated.
- Federal income tax transcripts – 3 years worth is best but otherwise just the most recent. This way it proves that you have met the requirement for the past couple of years and will continue to be able to do so. They can be ordered online at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript. You can print them yourself or have them sent in the mail. If I remember rightly, the service is free if you request 3 years or under.
If you can’t get hold of the most recent transcript, a photocopy of the tax return is fine.
- A photocopy of the most recent W2 – This is a must if you haven’t got the most recent transcript, for example if you are putting together the pack during the grey area between the end of the year but before you have filed taxes. I included it anyway (better to have too much evidence than not enough)!
- Proof of current employment – Written by a manager/administrator, ideally on headed company paper (otherwise not to worry, make sure the business name and address is at the top), stating the dates of employment, the nature of the sponsors job, the hourly wage/salary and contracted hours
- Copies of pay stubs for the last 6 months – This is what they use to make sure you’ll meet the requirement during the coming year. They times the amount across the 6 months by 2 to make a year. If you don’t have the past 6 months, companies should be able to go back in their system and print the last 6 months off in one go from their records, this is what my sponsor done just to make sure he wasn’t missing a slip etc. If the working year has been longer than 6 months, you can also just include the most recent pay slip if it shows the cumulative pay for the year.
That was all! It was much less painful putting together this pack compared to the i130! The only bits that require some effort is gathering the pay stubs and requesting the transcripts!
As always, I am not an immigration expert, I am just sharing my experience of the process in 2016. Other cases may be different. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I’m happy to help! I used this book: Fiancé and Marriage Visas: A Couple’s Guide to U.S. Immigration (Fiance and Marriage Visas)
Is it just me or does this all seem miles away from where we are now? It was the sole focus of my life for 2 years and now it seems like something I did in a different life! I think we sent 3 payslips and two year’s taxes. The hardest part was filing taxes as married but with no social security number for me!
That’s actually my next visa post about filing a tax return! Definitely, so stressful and for now it’s done! Although I’ve heard mixed reviews about the application to get the 2 year condition removed…!
Haha, well that’s something to look forward to. I’m also finishing taxes and a taxes blog. I took a couple of weeks out to deal with my “one year here” anniversary blues. I call it Expat Fatigue 🙂
Oh no, it made you sad? 🙁
Hi Kylie, I’m not sure if you remember but we got in touch a couple of months ago when I was asking you about the I-130 process. Your blog have been my go to when I’m in doubt and it has been such a great help! Good news, my application has been approved after almost 5 months of waiting.
NVC letter: Both my husband and I received the letter in our individual mail (mine in Singapore, and his in US). Since we both received it, do we include all the documents required from each one of us? For example, evidence of income. Do we include both of our income information in the packet or just from the sponsor?
I hope you can give me some tips and thank you for reading!
That’s great news! And thanks for the kind words! The letter goes to both of you, just so you’re both aware of the situation. The financial evidence is only for the sponsor…I had actually quit my job at this stage of the process so had no income!
Thanks Kylie! So excited that this whole process will come to an end soon!
No problem! The space between getting your interview and actually flying out will be the fastest that time moves during the whole process!
Hi Kylie! I’d just like to start by saying that I love your blog. My fiancé and I are getting married in June (52 days, not that I’m counting or anything!) and will begin the CR1 visa process shortly after and I am now researching the process so we know what to prepare ourselves for. Honestly, your blog has been so immensely helpful and I can’t thank you enough for compiling all of this. I wonder, though, whether you might be able to clarify one little thing for me. When you completed your DS-260 online, am I correct in saying that your husband could just go ahead and complete the I-864EZ straight away? Another thing I’m struggling to understand is whether your husband had to submit this to the Chicago Lockbox or was the I-864EZ something that he passed to you once it was completed for you to take to your consulate interview? I noticed that when you go to download the form from the USCIS website, under the “Where to file” section it states that the completed form should be given to me to file with a Consular Officer. That’s fine if that’s correct but that then leaves me confused as to how NVC know whether to forward the application on to the Embassy in London. Do they just see that you’ve completed the DS-260 and assume the I-864EZ will be completed before the scheduled interview?
Many, many thanks in advance for anything you can help me with!
Best wishes,
Viv
Hi Viv! Thanks! I completed the DS-260 and then the I-864EZ was sent in around 2 weeks later (https://betweenenglandandiowa.com/2015/09/26/our-cr1-visa-timeline/ here’s the link, I refer to it as the AOS pack). All my paperwork was sent to places in America and they then forwarded it on to London for my interview. They won’t schedule the interview until everything has been received! Hope that helps!
Thank you so much, Kylie! That’s really helpful and is a lot clearer to me now!
No problem!