Q: I have a child who is an American citizen born abroad. Do I have to add her to my immigrant wives i-864 as dependent?

A: Consider scheduling a consultation with a competent and experienced immigration attorney who can view the documents. Many attorneys offer online video consultations. You should note that when using assets to make up for insufficient income, it is not a straight formula where, for example, if you are short $10,000 in income you can simply show $10,000 in assets. In order to qualify based on the value of your assets, the total value of your assets, when sponsoring a spouse, must equal at least three times the difference between your total household income and the current Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size. Even if your financials are in good order, it should also be noted that, in this attorney's opinion, the government often does a poor job analyzing correctly one's financials for purposes of determining whether the affidavit of support is sufficient. Sometimes, you simply have to do a better job explaining why you are correct and they are incorrect.

A: If your child is a U.S. citizen and already has a U.S. passport, you generally would not need to include her as a dependent on the Form I-864 for your wife's sponsorship, as she is not seeking an immigrant visa. However, regarding your parents' Form I-864A, the inclusion of your little brother as a dependent on their tax return may impact the household size calculation. Consult with an immigration attorney to ensure accurate completion of the forms and to address any issues related to income and assets for the sponsorship.