IRS / ITIN question tax extension

[Darnell 8,478]

is there any downside to filing "married filing separately" then amending to "married filing jointly" months later (other than delaying your refund)?

Taxwise? No. OTOH, showing a return 'married filing jointly' is great 'bonafide marriage' fodder, listed in the 6 types in the I-130 instructions, as evidence of financial co-mingling.

[wantknow 11]

Do you mean notarized or certified?

Because certified means you have to go to the issuing agency of the passport or a US Consulate to get them to make copies.

Prior to this year, this wasn't even a requirement so I'm just surprised you even did that.

Yes I do mean certified ... I went to my local IRS tax office showed them what documents I had and the IRS agent told me that I will need my husband to go back to the issuing agency and get a certified copy and that all page would need to be certified... this was for my 2011 tax year. I live in florida hubby in Morocco not sure if that has anything to do with it but thats exactly what we did. I returned to my local IRS office when I rec'ved the documents a few weeks later from my husband via snail mail the IRS agent looked over everything said it was fine and mailed it for me.

[Darnell 8,478]

eh - notarized copy, with notary done at US Embassy during ACS appointment, suffices also !

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Do you mean notarized or certified?

Because certified means you have to go to the issuing agency of the passport or a US Consulate to get them to make copies.

Prior to this year, this wasn't even a requirement so I'm just surprised you even did that.

Out of interest (and probably totally Off topic) but in Australia a "certified copy" is when you take the document to someone (we usually do the police station) and they "certify" it as a "true and correct copy" of the original document (there's only certain people/professions that can certify - police station is usually easiest). You of course take the original and the copy, or sometimes they'll do the copy and then stamp it and sign it. This whole "notarised" thing doesn't exist there that I'm aware of.

We'd still call one received from an agency as "certified copy" because at the bottom of the doc it usually says basically the same spiel of "true and correct copy of the original we have on file".

[The Mean Lady 604]

Out of interest (and probably totally Off topic) but in Australia a "certified copy" is when you take the document to someone (we usually do the police station) and they "certify" it as a "true and correct copy" of the original document (there's only certain people/professions that can certify - police station is usually easiest). You of course take the original and the copy, or sometimes they'll do the copy and then stamp it and sign it. This whole "notarised" thing doesn't exist there that I'm aware of.

We'd still call one received from an agency as "certified copy" because at the bottom of the doc it usually says basically the same spiel of "true and correct copy of the original we have on file".

thats interesting to know!

especially since i think that could be a tad confusing for some step of the immigration process.

regardless though the itin instructions are kind enough to fully explain that they must be certified by issuing agency or us consulate.

still. interesting to see how things differ.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

thats interesting to know!

especially since i think that could be a tad confusing for some step of the immigration process.

regardless though the itin instructions are kind enough to fully explain that they must be certified by issuing agency or us consulate.

still. interesting to see how things differ.

The bolded part - EXACTLY!! I was so confused back in the beginning and it was only through reading posts on here that I found out that when they say "certified copy" ANYWHERE on immigration stuff they mean they want whatever you got from the issuing agency (sealed/stamped signed whatever). Not just a regular photocopy with a certified stamp (which is what I would have done in Aus).

[Aladlhassan 11]

What I did was have my husband sent me certified copies of his passport bio pages, national ID card & BC via snail mail. I did go to my local IRS office to have them check over documents & they offered to mail them for me which reached fast and saved me postage cost. You can get your spouse doc. and mail them your self with tax papers & W7 & certified doc. to the address on the IRS info site. We filed married joint, got the tax ID number in the mail about 4 to 6 weeks later. Bigger refund too Oh I also had my husband print the tax papers, W7 & sign them and send with all his documents. Hope this will help you

Hi,

I hope you can provide me some advice regarding the documents needed to file with W7 from to apply for an ITIN for my wife who lived now in Morocco. I am in the process of filing for 2012 tax return and I would like to file Married Joinlty. Now, my question:

1-What document did you husband send? I heard the passport is the only stand alone document.

2- certified copies of his passport bio pages? where did he certify them? at the consulat or..?

Thanks in advance

[The Mean Lady 604]

Hi,

I hope you can provide me some advice regarding the documents needed to file with W7 from to apply for an ITIN for my wife who lived now in Morocco. I am in the process of filing for 2012 tax return and I would like to file Married Joinlty. Now, my question:

1-What document did you husband send? I heard the passport is the only stand alone document.

2- certified copies of his passport bio pages? where did he certify them? at the consulat or..?

Thanks in advance

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw7.pdf

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