Tax and citizenship

[chapmart 0]

Funny, my husband is the calm, cool and collected one. He did not like the delay, but it didn't frustrate him like it did me. Ironically, he is a tax lawyer so we have filed correctly.

[moonhunt 1]

Yes and No.

They care for that portion in the past, but everything changed since 9/11.

Before 9/11, tax paying citizen was top priority, but after 9/11, they treats everybody is potential terrorist, so if he/she has money, you can freeze the account for accusing terrorist fund, and get it. ^^

I miss the old days of "innocent until proven gilty" era.

I was kind of preparing everything person.

But I learned the lesson from my interview from US Embassy.

Since they deal with interview every day, they don't like missing paperwork, but also, they don't like over-paperwork.

If you toss all of your evidence documentations, they will look at the stack of paperwork and start with sigh. ^^

They likes appripriate amount of paperwork to show only what they need. Then they don't have storage space, too.

That's why I don't want to toss unnecessary documentation unless they asks.

I'm going through my N400 interview in a couple of months, so I will see whether they will ask for tax documents from my interview.

I could be dead wrong on this, and usually am, but kind of got the notion is what they really are interested in, is TAX PAYING citizens. And the more you pay, the better you are treated. Wife commented her officer thumbed through our returns and was much nicer to her. But that obviously, was just a coincidence.

[Staashi 371]

I could be dead wrong on this, and usually am, but kind of got the notion is what they really are interested in, is TAX PAYING citizens. And the more you pay, the better you are treated. Wife commented her officer thumbed through our returns and was much nicer to her. But that obviously, was just a coincidence.

Nick, that isn't true. We had our worst year ever last year - as we were both unemployed. But, when it came to having our financial documents, tax bill on our house, mortgage docs, and tax returns we were the bomb. My husband passed with a 6 minute interview, but in all those docs the one thing the guy wanted from my husband, aside from his passport, was his tax returns.

Don't be fooled - they are serious - and you'll get seriously delayed if you don't have them.

[NickD 202]

I could be dead wrong on this, and usually am, but kind of got the notion is what they really are interested in, is TAX PAYING citizens. And the more you pay, the better you are treated. Wife commented her officer thumbed through our returns and was much nicer to her. But that obviously, was just a coincidence.

Nick, that isn't true. We had our worst year ever last year - as we were both unemployed. But, when it came to having our financial documents, tax bill on our house, mortgage docs, and tax returns we were the bomb. My husband passed with a 6 minute interview, but in all those docs the one thing the guy wanted from my husband, aside from his passport, was his tax returns.

Don't be fooled - they are serious - and you'll get seriously delayed if you don't have them.

I feel you misread my post, Staashi, probably should have said, "all they are interested in is TAX PAYING applicants". I augmented this statement by saying after the officer reviewed our tax payments, wife said she was treated more kindly. You verified that statement by having a tough year, and I fully agree the way our economy is going that many are having a tough year with no fault of theirs, by saying by paying little or no taxes, your husband's treatment was far worse.

[Staashi 371]

I could be dead wrong on this, and usually am, but kind of got the notion is what they really are interested in, is TAX PAYING citizens. And the more you pay, the better you are treated. Wife commented her officer thumbed through our returns and was much nicer to her. But that obviously, was just a coincidence.

Nick, that isn't true. We had our worst year ever last year - as we were both unemployed. But, when it came to having our financial documents, tax bill on our house, mortgage docs, and tax returns we were the bomb. My husband passed with a 6 minute interview, but in all those docs the one thing the guy wanted from my husband, aside from his passport, was his tax returns.

Don't be fooled - they are serious - and you'll get seriously delayed if you don't have them.

I feel you misread my post, Staashi, probably should have said, "all they are interested in is TAX PAYING applicants". I augmented this statement by saying after the officer reviewed our tax payments, wife said she was treated more kindly. You verified that statement by having a tough year, and I fully agree the way our economy is going that many are having a tough year with no fault of theirs, by saying by paying little or no taxes, your husband's treatment was far worse.

No, my husband was treated poorly because the IO was an A$$#0LE - and it started on that note before he even saw our taxes. But the point I was trying to make is take your tax statements - they, more than anything else, provide prima facie evidence that you're in a cohabitating relationship with your spouse.

[noone 0]

I am kind of confused. I am preparing to file for a citizenship in a week and I ordered Tax Transcripts from IRS. Do I need anything else besides that regarding tax requirement? Chapmart said something about transcripts AND tax returns. Isn’t that basically the same thing? 

[NickD 202]

I am kind of confused. I am preparing to file for a citizenship in a week and I ordered Tax Transcripts from IRS. Do I need anything else besides that regarding tax requirement? Chapmart said something about transcripts AND tax returns. Isn’t that basically the same thing?

I am gathering people who have to order the transcripts from the IRS do not have copies of their tax returns, since we have the copies, with used those, no problems and saved us a couple of bucks. Meeting more and more people that use e-filing and don't even have a single copy so have to order and pay for transcripts.

Was curious about the origins of the I-751, the lottery system with immigrant limit law was imposed in 1986 with no limits on marriage related immigration, INS claimed over 2 million marriage based applications that many were learned were only done to bring people into this country. INS went to a much stricter background check and in 1988 started the I-751 with stiff fines, but since then, the number of applications has dropped to about 140,000 per year. That is about a 94% drop in applications both initially and for the two year conditional.

Wife and I felt we were ran through the millstone when we first tried to get her here, but were extremely happy we could be together, only to find out our marriage immigration was conditional and had to go under that millstone again. But why again for the N-400? Must be a history on this too, but I never checked into it, is that weeding out still more bad guys? Just said to my wife, here we go again, wasn't that Reagan's most popular phrase? He was president when all this stuff started, here we go again! But he said it in a manner criticizing government, must have misread that, when he actually meant, I am going to put you through the millstone, here you go again!

[NickD 202]

No, my husband was treated poorly because the IO was an A$$#0LE - and it started on that note before he even saw our taxes. But the point I was trying to make is take your tax statements - they, more than anything else, provide prima facie evidence that you're in a cohabitating relationship with your spouse.

Wife told me her IO was rather rude until she saw our tax returns, but after she looked through them, her attitude took a 180* turn and treated her very nicely. Is that because she saw the IRS label going back the last four years with both of our names on it? We had plenty of other legal documents with both of our names on it. Or was it because she saw how we were creamed by the IRS in taxes?

And regarding prima facie evidence that you are married, shouldn't a marriage certificate be enough? In my state, you don't exactly pull these out of a Cracker Jack box, they also run a background check before it is issued.

[Staashi 371]

No, my husband was treated poorly because the IO was an A$$#0LE - and it started on that note before he even saw our taxes. But the point I was trying to make is take your tax statements - they, more than anything else, provide prima facie evidence that you're in a cohabitating relationship with your spouse.

Wife told me her IO was rather rude until she saw our tax returns, but after she looked through them, her attitude took a 180* turn and treated her very nicely. Is that because she saw the IRS label going back the last four years with both of our names on it? We had plenty of other legal documents with both of our names on it. Or was it because she saw how we were creamed by the IRS in taxes?

And regarding prima facie evidence that you are married, shouldn't a marriage certificate be enough? In my state, you don't exactly pull these out of a Cracker Jack box, they also run a background check before it is issued.

I have no idea why the IO was rude and then nice - the tax returns are important because they show that you have truly comingled your lives. When you start doing taxes together that's the ticket. Aside from that, anyone who has a marriage certificate can still have a fraudulent marriage - all it shows is you got married. Especially here in Florida where we have a ton of marriage fraud mostly in the greater southeastern area - Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach areas - marriages even with a certificate can be shams...as they say, it all comes down to the dollars and cents...aka the IRS.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Staashi

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

I do think income is a factor in how they treat you because when my wife got her K-3 she said as soon as they saw my tax returns and how much I made they didn't look at anything else and approved her. When we went for her AOS it took about 5 minutes and we were out. Hopefully removing conditions and citizenship are as easy.

[moonhunt 1]

I do think income is a factor in how they treat you because when my wife got her K-3 she said as soon as they saw my tax returns and how much I made they didn't look at anything else and approved her. When we went for her AOS it took about 5 minutes and we were out. Hopefully removing conditions and citizenship are as easy.

I think they checked tax returns for marriage-based citizenship application because they need to verify their marriage from financial responsibility sharing viewpoint.

Some states even have mandated law to share financial responsibility between married couple.

From interview officer's viewpoint, it is very strange to file tax return as "single" even though he/she is married.

It may be seen as marriage fraud or something like that.

I think that's why tax return/transcript was listed for marriage-based citizenship application.

[chapmart 0]

Noone-

I believe you can submit Tax Returns OR IRS certified copies OR IRS tax return transcripts.

We did not submit any tax information when we originally filed, nor did the IO ask for it. (you can see my previous post to my reason to why we didn't)

They mailed us a letter stating: "Please submit the following information, documents, or forms: Reason: Missing Evidence - Income Tax Returns: Please submit certification of the filing of Federal income tax forms. Please submit IRS transcripts for 2005, 2006, and 2007. In addition, please submit copies of all W2s and 1099s for the same three years."

I requested the transcripts last week and they arrived today. They were free and it took a phone call. The transcript clearly shows both our names, address, ss#, married filing joint, our daughter and her ss# (and of coarse our income/tax paid).

They have our JOINT bank account, Joint mortgage, birth certificate of our daughter(US citizen), my birth certificate(US citizen), marriage certificate and I am sure other evidence that I can't remember.

Bottom line, send in your tax information.

We will submit the transcripts next week. If anything interesting comes up, i will post it.

[Staashi 371]

I do think income is a factor in how they treat you because when my wife got her K-3 she said as soon as they saw my tax returns and how much I made they didn't look at anything else and approved her. When we went for her AOS it took about 5 minutes and we were out. Hopefully removing conditions and citizenship are as easy.

Income is only a factor in the K1 or K3 because you have to prove that as the petitioner, you have the capacity to support your beneficiary (fiance/spouse) when they come to the US so as not to become a public burden. As stated before, joint tax returns demonstrate a valid marital union.

[NickD 202]

I do think income is a factor in how they treat you because when my wife got her K-3 she said as soon as they saw my tax returns and how much I made they didn't look at anything else and approved her. When we went for her AOS it took about 5 minutes and we were out. Hopefully removing conditions and citizenship are as easy.

Income is only a factor in the K1 or K3 because you have to prove that as the petitioner, you have the capacity to support your beneficiary (fiance/spouse) when they come to the US so as not to become a public burden. As stated before, joint tax returns demonstrate a valid marital union.

We can speculate on what we feel the USCIS wants, or we can share our experiences. We did submit the front page of our 1040 with the IRS label on it showing that we filed a joint return, but that was not satisfactory to our interviewing officer, she want the complete forms exactly like chapmart described.

We can also wish we are lucky to get an easy interviewing officer, but maybe it doesn't work that way either. In my experience with working with the government, many meetings and directives from up above that had to be followed for us to keep our jobs, and perhaps recently they are demanding the full returns with W2 statements, 1099', etc.

Fortunately for us, I brought those with us and the interviewing officer kept those, so my wife was approved on the spot. From what chapmart reported, he has to get those and send them in causing an additional delay.

This is our experience, you can speculate all you want.

[NickD 202]

Wouldn't let me edit, just wanted to add.

"Oh yes, the I-864 with a full financial statement, needed that to just get my wife to be here, but now they want to know if we are paying taxes as well. They wanted three years, I gave them four just as a subtle reminder as to how slow they are. It's not being married for three years, it's being a permanent resident for three years plus being married at least that long. Took quite a while to get that first card."