Are the USCIS people on the phone nice?

[MyHeartWillGoOn93 8]

I have to phone them tomorrow because I'm confused about my RFE and my husband tried to phone them but they said they had to talk to me (I'm the alien) and he was at work. I get nervous on phones when I'm talking to people I don't know, so if anybody has had any experience with them, are they nice people?

[Laspoxaroumeni 68]

They are ok! They re polite!

But dont wait to help u a lot... It depends if they ate a good breakfast in the morning!!

[MyHeartWillGoOn93 8]

I have a lot of questions to ask them and I don't want to sound stupid.

[Lainie B 465]

Some are nice, some are rude.

Most of them have no idea what they are talking about. They are call center staff and will most likely not be able to help you.

You will get better advice posting your questions here.

[Sukie 1,463]

I have a lot of questions to ask them and I don't want to sound stupid.

Write down your questions so you have something to refer to. That will help you stay focused! Good luck!

Sukie

[MyHeartWillGoOn93 8]

Some are nice, some are rude.

Most of them have no idea what they are talking about. They are call center staff and will most likely not be able to help you.

You will get better advice posting your questions here.

Okay well I received an RFE 2 weeks ago for form I-864. I wrote about it here http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/475029-rfe-for-form-i-864-really-confused-help/

My husband received his W-2 form from his employer for year 2013. Do we still need to have a W-2 form for year 2012? Also, do we need anything else along with form W-2?

His "wages, tips, other comp" box on the form says $21775.00 which I'm assuming is his income? And it's over the $19,387 which is the minimum amount for the two of us. Does he still need a letter from his employer if it shows his income on the form? If he has pay stubs for the last 6 months, does he still need to ask his employer for a letter? And because his income is above the $19,387, does he still need a joint sponsor? We got asked for one in the letter I think because we didn't include evidence of his income, we were confused at the time.

[MaleAlpha 314]

1. Since you most likely won't be able to get his income tax returns or tax transcripts for 2013, Attach the 2013 W2 and add an explanation why you can't provide the tax transcripts for 2013. The W2 form should be able to show his income but they also need proof that he has a job and will be maintaining it, that is why an employment letter is important. But if you have pay stubs, please attach copies of it to prove his current individual annual income. They can see it from the YTD column.

2. Also try to request tax transcripts for 2012, 2011 and 2010 from the IRS. You can do it online and it arrives in about 5 days max. It helps in proving he has a steady source of income.

Edited January 29, 2014 by MaleAlpha

[Lainie B 465]

Send tax transcripts for past tax years (2012, 2011, 2010).

For 2013 you can send the W-2. You can't send the tax transcript for 2013 because you wouldn't have filed yet. Include a letter explaining that you haven't filed 2013 yet.

Current income is what he earns now and what he will be earning for the rest of this year (2014). This is the most important thing and you can't just make up a number, it has to be backed up with evidence. For this you need pay stubs, a letter from the employer that states his employment status and his annual salary

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

The people who answer the phone can't answer your questions. Has your question gone unanswered on VJ?

You need to send complete tax returns for the past year, or the past three years (your choice). A complete tax return varies from person to person, but it includes W2s if you have them. It also includes other things. Tax transcripts are available, which has all the same information as a complete tax return. You would have to order the transcripts from the IRS. You will also need to show proof of current employment, no matter what the taxes say.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Harpa Timsah

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The people who answer the phone can't answer your questions. Has your question gone unanswered on VJ?

You need to send complete tax returns for the past year, or the past three years (your choice). A complete tax return varies from person to person, but it includes W2s if you have them. It also includes other things. Tax transcripts are available, which has all the same information as a complete tax return. You would have to order the transcripts from the IRS. You will also need to show proof of current employment, no matter what the taxes say.

Her questions were answered and discussed in her other thread. I answered her latest even again today. She was given the link for ordering transcripts a couple of weeks ago. she should know what to do, but she wants to call. I agree they will not be helpful because they read a script. She has the script on her RFE.

[MyHeartWillGoOn93 8]

I was getting confused about all the different forms so I thought about phoning them and see what they say but it seems like they're not helpful. So we have to include an ITR and W-2 and tax transcript from 2012 and is there anything else from 2012 that we have to include? He already has his W-2 from 2013 but not the other stuff yet. The bullet points on the letter confused me because I didn't know if they meant "either or". If he has pay stubs from the last 6 months does he still have to get a letter from his employer? Finally, the part where they asked for a joint sponsor, his income is $21775 as written on his latest W-2 (2013) which is over the limit, I think the reason why they asked for a joint sponsor was because we didn't include evidence the first time and in 2012 his salary was below the limit. Do we still need to include a joint sponsor? I'm just worried they might deny the application if we forget to include everything this time.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I was getting confused about all the different forms so I thought about phoning them and see what they say but it seems like they're not helpful. So we have to include an ITR and W-2 and tax transcript from 2012 and is there anything else from 2012 that we have to include? He already has his W-2 from 2013 but not the other stuff yet. The bullet points on the letter confused me because I didn't know if they meant "either or". If he has pay stubs from the last 6 months does he still have to get a letter from his employer? Finally, the part where they asked for a joint sponsor, his income is $21775 as written on his latest W-2 (2013) which is over the limit, I think the reason why they asked for a joint sponsor was because we didn't include evidence the first time and in 2012 his salary was below the limit. Do we still need to include a joint sponsor? I'm just worried they might deny the application if we forget to include everything this time.

My answer is the same as 2 weeks ago.

To cover the required tax return: pick one or the other

A) Every page from the 2012 return PLUS 2012 W2; or

B) A tax return transcript all by itself. [Order your IRS Tax Transcript online]

Fill out a new I-864 because you said you estimated his income is $20,000 and put a round figure. Put the exact figure from his brand new W2 since that should be pretty accurate. The exact amount, not a rounded off guess.

You do not need a joint sponsor if you prove the income of $21,775. They had no proof before so suggested a joint sponsor might be in order if he lacked income.

Is it going to be that difficult to get an employer to write a letter saying ...

To the USCIS

RE: Joe Smith

Joe Smith has been employed full-time as a carpenter at xyz company since 2002. He currently earns $21, 775 per year. He is expected to remain in his current position.

Signed,

John Black, supervisor

XYZ company

I would do 6 months pay slips too. It's a RFE so over-do it to get it right. No slacking.

The reason I said don't reply to the RFE with ONLY a 2013 w2 is because that normally has a tax return with it. So they might say, well where is the tax return for this? You could add it to the other proofs by photocopying it and writing a notation in the blank area of the page saying. "This is the 2013 W2, also showing income. The 2013 tax return has not been filed as of this date."

Start from scratch and make a good I-864 packet this time.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[jdh 103]

Agreed with above with the exception of the part where I don't believe the letter from an employer is a necessary addition if you include W2's proving the income for this past year...however it couldn't hurt to include if it is on official letterhead. That would have been more important prior to W2's becoming available. Now that they are available - that is a more solid piece of evidence.

This is a very straightforward RFE. You claimed the petitioner made above the poverty line but didn't present any proof to that affect. They need proof - your guesses and words mean nothing to an investigator. So they sent an RFE saying to prove the income or provide a joint sponsor.

If you can prove the income, which it appears you can, than you eliminate the need for a joint sponsor. Simple as that.

Provide the full tax returns from the previous year - they may have lost the whole thing or just a page, you may have forgotten something...we will never know. Just send it.

Provide proof of your income being above the poverty line. You now have proof of that with W2's - that will prove the income. Fill out a new accurate I-864, providing them with the 2012 Tax return, the 2013 W2's, and also the paystubs/letter from employer if you want to be overly cautious, and you will be good to go.

If your interview takes place after April's tax deadline they may also send a request for the 2013 tax return - but that is irrelevant at this point as we have not reached the deadline yet.

Keep your head on your shoulders, don't stress, seek help here and follow instruction given and you will do just fine.

Edited January 29, 2014 by jdh

[Ivy. 113]

They were very nice when my husband called. Utterly useless, but nice.

[MyHeartWillGoOn93 8]

They were very nice when my husband called. Utterly useless, but nice.

Wow! Why are they there to help if they can't even help? What stuff CAN they help with?