Tax Returns necessary?

[katie & sifa 25]

And did you know that you passed up $600 from the US government by not filing your 2007 return? It was an economic stimulus check, but you had to file to get it. That's why people that never file, because of low income, did so that year to get their check.

Actually this is incorrect - you had to make $3000 to qualify for the stimulus check (trust me, I know - I made $2700 and did NOT qualify.) BUT if you didn't get it in 2007 and filed in 2008 with more than $3000 you still got the stimulus check in '08.

[TracyTN 237]

I understand your point, but from reading lots of reviews of London and having been there myself, they don't discuss the I-134 if you're double over the minimum. I provided extra stuff. The lady at window 1 leafed through the financial proofs folder, took one of three tax returns, and one of two letters outlining money I receive (not an employer letter, but same purpose.) She handed everything else back. The interviewing officer never saw the other proofs or even mentioned anything financial.

Is it better to have a bunch of extra? If it's easy to provide, but this chick is going to have a nervous breakdown before she gathers extra for "just in case." She's been told to file back taxes (when she said she didn't earn the income to file), get a co-sponsor, get things notarized and in general is probably stressed out. I was just expressing a different opinion to add to the mix.

The OP is just recently 'double over the minimum' income wise. My understanding of London (and most other consulates) is that they don't solely look at current income, but rather, an overall picture of the sponsor's recent income. Hence the request for 3 years worth of tax information.

Filing back taxes is required whether or not you're sponsoring someone for a visa. And if the OP is not required to file, then what's the big headache in proving that they didn't have to? And which of these documents needs to be notarized? All a notary does is confirm that the signature that appears is that of the person stood in front of them. That does no good in this situation and as such, is not necessary.

If securing a joint sponsor 'just in case' is THAT stressful, then perhaps the visa process wasn't a wise journey to go on to begin with.

Ultimately, the OP can do what they want to do of course. I would just hate for their fiance/e to walk out of that consulate without an approved visa simply because they didn't do a little extra work now. And I thought that's what we were all trying to help each other avoid.