Red Bank, NJ Immigration Law Firms & Lawyers

First, a co-sponsor does not have to be your (or your fiancee's) relative; it can be any citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. who has enough income to qualify under the 125% poverty guidelines. Remember, a co-sponsor must independently qualify; his/her income cannot be added to your income. If you absolutely cannot find find a co-sponsor, and your income is just under the required level, you have 2 options: a) get a second job; or b) try to qualify by using your assets. The rule is that the value of your assets must exceed 5 times the difference between your income and the 125% poverty guideline. For instance, let's say you have no dependents and your income is $19087 a year, so you are $300 short of the applicable guideline. In this case, you would need to show assets worth $1500 to cover the shortfall. It does not have to be money in the bank - it can be the balance of your retirement account, value of your car, or even jewelry.

Unfortunately you will have to enter on a Business Visitor or Visitor's Visa. Neither of these classifications permit you to be an "employee" in the U.S. However, we definitely need more information to properly guide you and your girlfriend. There are a number of nuances associates with the query you have posed and we recommend that you speak to a qualified immigration law practitioner in this regard.

Unfortunately, your circumstances do not describe a case for political asylum which can only be granted for reasons associated with political opinion, nationality, membership in a social goup, race, or religion. If there is more than you describe, perhaps a case may exist.  In any event, you may wish to consult an immigration lawyer to go over any viable options available to you. Due to the limitations of the Lawyers.com Forums, Alan Lee, Esq.'s (the "Firm") participation in responding to questions posted herein does not constitute legal advice, nor legal representation of the person or entity posting a question. No Attorney/Client relationship is or shall be construed to be created hereby. The information provided herein by the Firm is general, and requires that the poster obtain specific legal advice from an attorney. The poster shall not rely upon the information provided herein as legal advice nor as the basis for making any decisions of legal consequence.