Green Card aplication - applicant income also considered?

[FM2003]

Hi, I would need some information on change of status. I am from Austria and married to an Us citizen and we have a daughter together. She is US citizen. We live in Phoenix, AZ. I would need help in regards to a couple of questions for applying for the green card. My files filed all her taxes and all that is good. But she does not make enough money for the poverty guidelines. She just recently started to work with me on a cruise ship. I am working on a cruise ship for a long time now and I am onboard for 4 months and on vacation for 2 months. I enter the US with my B2 visa. I want to settle down, buy a house and work in the US.

Applicants income also considered:
In all the information I found is that my wife as a sponsor needs to have enough fund to take care of me while I am in the US and waiting for the approval. Since we are together I pay the rent, utilities and other stuff too. I thought I read somewhere that my income can also be added or used. But I am not sure. I hope that there is some one who can clarify that for me.

is it possible that other family members from my wife act as my sponsor?

Does anyone know an immigration lawyer in Mesa, who is trustworthy and not to expensive to ask questions and maybe help with the application process?

Any help is appreciated.

Matthias

[newacct]

The intending immigrant's income can be counted only if the immigrant is working legally in the US and the income will continue after immigration. Since you are not authorized to work in the US, you can't count your US income. If you have foreign income, that generally cannot be counted either because it will not continue after you immigrate to the US.

Your wife's job's salary really doesn't meet the requirements? Note that it is current income (the salary of the job she has right now) that matters, not what she earned in the past.

Income from your wife's tax dependents and any relatives living with your wife can be counted in her household income. Otherwise, if that is not enough, you will need a "joint sponsor" who will need to have enough household income in their own household (i.e. not combined with your wife's household) to meet the requirements.