Do tax returns need to be notarized?

[Leo&Farah 0]

Great idea. Gonna do just that then.

[meowmeowmeow 1]

Most banks usually have notaries that will notarize your stuff with free, granted that you can prove you have an account with them...that's what I've been doing. Better than paying for it!

That's neat that they do it there. Over here banks don't do that kinda thing. I tried and they stared at me blankly. Ended up having to go to a commissioner of oaths to notarize my application for a police cert which cost money. Not a lot, but not free either.

that's really weird...you're in MD? are you close to DC? maybe you can head on there one of these days and try one of your bank branches? i used to do this also with my bank in DC....but yeah that sucks...but at least you've got a cheap option, which isn't too bad either.

[Leo&Farah 0]

Augh, just got packet 3 from the embassy and they use an old form OF-167 as well. So they ask for notarized tax returns. Since we have a co-sponsor lined up just incase, his mom and his dad (one or the other), they use tax returns. Good thing I did ask them to notarize them.

However it also says this in the packet 3 checklist:

The enclosed information sheet (OF-167) lists evidence which may be presented to meet this requirement of law. An original signed notarized Affidavit of Support (Form I-134) must be provided.

A notarized I-134? I thought with the new I-134 (penalty of perjury thing added) there was no need to notarize them anymore! His pop has already notarized the tax returns and will be mailing the stuff to Leo to send to me very very soon. (Since they don't live in the same state). Is it absolutely necessary to notarize the I-134? I don't want to cause more hassle for him than is needed and it would mean another damn trip to the bank. With his pop supplying 3 years of tax returns, notarizing them, letter from employer and pay stubs IN DUPLICATE, the last thing I want to do is send him somewhere he has been. I need to watch my impression on the future in-laws >.<

I know for SURE the new I-134 does not need to be notarized but how do I tell the embassy something they should already know?

[grinchus 11]

With tax transcripts there is no question...they DO NOT need to be notarized and in general tax returns do not need to be either. But since the Kiev consulate uses an old OF-167 which states that copies of tax returns DO need to be notarized I simply printed another copy of mine from the computer and took it to my bank and signed it and they notarized it for free. Probably not necessary but I wasn't going to chance that the consulate clerk collecting the documents hold something up for lack of an unnecessary (but not difficult to obtain) notarization.

In this process, it is my belief there is no such thing as "too much gun".

You have got to be smarter than the average government clerk.

And old form does make sense. Oh well, tax transcripts is the way to go. Too bad ours hasn't arrived yet and its been over a month. At this point I think it got lost in the mail. Gonna have to order it again I suppose.

OMG - Hi! My tax transcripts were taking FOREVER as well (I had faxed the request), and was about to send the I-134 off with just a copy of the return I had filed. I posted here to ask if that was OK or if transcripts were necessary and a couple on this site advised me to get the transcripts because it's proof that you actually filed, not that (as someone said here above) that you just filled out a 1040. They also said I should order them directly by phone again and not wait form my faxed request to be processed. Indeed, I called and they were there in a few days! I would encourage you to do the same. Call the number and follow the prompts. Good luck!

1-800-829-1040

Press 2 - 2 - Social Security Number - 1 - 1 - 3

[Leo&Farah 0]

Well my fiance has his transcripts because we anticipated this but his dad and mom only have old returns since they've been filing for years.

His dad had notarized the returns last week. The problem comes now from the embassy saying the Form I-134 ALSO needs to be notarized and I honestly really do not want to send his dad back to the bank again! Especially when I know for sure that the NEW I-134 form does NOT need to be notarized. The instructions from the embassy are just outdated. What the hell do I do? Tell them I know better or suck it up and be a hassle and do it the outdated way?

I'm not even there yet and being a hassle! >.<

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

And old form does make sense. Oh well, tax transcripts is the way to go. Too bad ours hasn't arrived yet and its been over a month. At this point I think it got lost in the mail. Gonna have to order it again I suppose.

You mailed or faxed the form to them, didn't you? I made that mistake the first time too. Waited a few weeks—no response. Then I called 1-800-829-1040 and followed the recorded prompts—received the transcripts in the mail within a week.

[Leo&Farah 0]

Stephen + Elisha

Leo (my fiance) received his transcript after calling them straight and asking them to fax to him. Before that, he called them and they mailed it to him but it never turned up in the mail so we skipped that and just asked for the fax straight.

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

Augh, just got packet 3 from the embassy and they use an old form OF-167 as well. So they ask for notarized tax returns. Since we have a co-sponsor lined up just incase, his mom and his dad (one or the other), they use tax returns. Good thing I did ask them to notarize them.

However it also says this in the packet 3 checklist:

The enclosed information sheet (OF-167) lists evidence which may be presented to meet this requirement of law. An original signed notarized Affidavit of Support (Form I-134) must be provided.

A notarized I-134? I thought with the new I-134 (penalty of perjury thing added) there was no need to notarize them anymore! His pop has already notarized the tax returns and will be mailing the stuff to Leo to send to me very very soon. (Since they don't live in the same state). Is it absolutely necessary to notarize the I-134? I don't want to cause more hassle for him than is needed and it would mean another damn trip to the bank. With his pop supplying 3 years of tax returns, notarizing them, letter from employer and pay stubs IN DUPLICATE, the last thing I want to do is send him somewhere he has been. I need to watch my impression on the future in-laws >.<

I know for SURE the new I-134 does not need to be notarized but how do I tell the embassy something they should already know?

I doubt it will be a problem, as the new version of the I-134 (no notary necessary) has been in use since October 2008 and they are most likely familiar with it by this point. But, if perchance there is an issue, just point them to Page 1 of the I-134 instructions:

(Note: Signing Form I-134 is under penalty of perjury under U.S. law). For this reason, it is not necessary to sign Form I-134 before a notary, nor to have your signature notarized after you sign it.

[Bob g 11]

Augh, just got packet 3 from the embassy and they use an old form OF-167 as well. So they ask for notarized tax returns. Since we have a co-sponsor lined up just incase, his mom and his dad (one or the other), they use tax returns. Good thing I did ask them to notarize them.

However it also says this in the packet 3 checklist:

The enclosed information sheet (OF-167) lists evidence which may be presented to meet this requirement of law. An original signed notarized Affidavit of Support (Form I-134) must be provided.

A notarized I-134? I thought with the new I-134 (penalty of perjury thing added) there was no need to notarize them anymore! His pop has already notarized the tax returns and will be mailing the stuff to Leo to send to me very very soon. (Since they don't live in the same state). Is it absolutely necessary to notarize the I-134? I don't want to cause more hassle for him than is needed and it would mean another damn trip to the bank. With his pop supplying 3 years of tax returns, notarizing them, letter from employer and pay stubs IN DUPLICATE, the last thing I want to do is send him somewhere he has been. I need to watch my impression on the future in-laws >.<

I know for SURE the new I-134 does not need to be notarized but how do I tell the embassy something they should already know?

...................Your I-134 does not need to notarized by the new rules, BUT since the embassy Packet ask that the I-134 be notarized, it would be alot safer to have the I-134 notarized. I believe the Packet does not ask that documents attached to the I-134 be notarized. Each Embassy seems to make their own rules, and can change from one Visa Officer to another on any given day............... Good Luck

[Leo&Farah 0]

Okay thanks for the reply peeps!

Just got off the phone with Leo and his dad and his mom. We've sorted out all the Affidavit ####### and his dad is fine going to the bank to notarize the I-134 form.

He said the bank could not notarize the tax returns since it was electronically filled when he went there last week. So we are gonna try and get transcripts faxed to him.

Oh god, at this rate I will need a Malaysian version of U-Haul to carry my paperwork to the embassy!!!!!