OCTOBER AOS 2018 Filers

[K1visaHopeful 2,871]

4 minutes ago, NashvilleFO said:

Where do i do that? Tried looking on profile but it doesnt say anything about timeline

Top right corner of this page>>account>>profile, scroll down to "immigration timeline & photos".

2 minutes ago, DeepakChani said:

Question: If a case is expedited and you know the MSC#, would it show in case history on the website if that case was expedited? 

No

[BrazilianInTexas 47]

Anyone who applied on October hasn't received the biometrics appointment yet?

I'm going to try to schedule a Infopass, and talk to the local congressman's office to see if they can do something. First they entered my address wrong in the system, then they don't send me a biometrics appointment. And I'm about to receive a job offer.

I'm feeling so frustrated... 

[CCCCCF 174]

12 minutes ago, BrazilianInTexas said:

Anyone who applied on October hasn't received the biometrics appointment yet?

I'm going to try to schedule a Infopass, and talk to the local congressman's office to see if they can do something. First they entered my address wrong in the system, then they don't send me a biometrics appointment. And I'm about to receive a job offer.

I'm feeling so frustrated... 

Any idea if you actually have received the biometrics letter in the wrong address? I think you should take action to call USCIS and schedule the infopass as well. 

Congrats on the new job. (Just curious how do you tell the company that you are still waiting for EAD card? )

[BrazilianInTexas 47]

3 minutes ago, CCCCCF said:

Any idea if you actually have received the biometrics letter in the wrong address? I think you should take action to call USCIS and schedule the infopass as well. 

Congrats on the new job. (Just curious how do you tell the company that you are still waiting for EAD card? )

Well, I called USCIS a few times and they say that there's nothing on their system showing that a biometrics letter was mailed. Does it show on the USCIS online account when you get a biometrics appointment?

 

Yes, when I called today I asked for an Infopass appointment. They said I would get a call in 72 hours to confirm the appointment.

 

Thanks you! I told the people at the company that if I have a job offer the EAD process can be expidated and I should get it in up to 4 weeks. They know that there are risks, but I guess they don't have many other options.

[CCCCCF 174]

Just now, BrazilianInTexas said:

Well, I called USCIS a few times and they say that there's nothing on their system showing that a biometrics letter was mailed. Does it show on the USCIS online account when you get a biometrics appointment?

 

Yes, when I called today I asked for an Infopass appointment. They said I would get a call in 72 hours to confirm the appointment.

 

Thanks you! I told the people at the company that if I have a job offer the EAD process can be expidated and I should get it in up to 4 weeks. They know that there are risks, but I guess they don't have many other options.

When I get biometrics letter, there was no status update in the online account. I think in this case, you might need to schedule the infopass appointment, and maybe contact the senator for help.

 

Hope you can expedite your EAD card. Congrats on the job offer!

[Yuilicious 65]

1 hour ago, NashvilleFO said:

Whats your PD? Fid you expedited?

Hi!! I should have all the dates on my profile/timeline page so please check that out because I don't have the notice(s) with me right now and I don't remember the date(s). But my combo card says it's valid from 2/14/2019

Also no, I didn't do a expedite. 

[Yuilicious 65]

A quick question regarding to filing the tax return;

 

Is there any REQUIREMENT that my husband must file his tax jointly with me?

Our accountant asked us this question and I wanted to double check here. I understand that when he files the tax jointly with me, he gets a standard deduction - and for this reason, most of people file the tax jointly. Also when we have our GC interview (expecting around this summer/fall), we can show USCIS that my husband and I (even though I didn't earn any income in the states during 2018) share our income/financial information together which shows our bona fide relationship.

Except these reasons above, is there anything I am missing about..?

 

We asked our accountant the reasons why he thinks my husband will be better if he files the tax separately. I am guessing it because my husband has a start-up business and I earned pretty good money during the 1st half of 2018 in my country, he may pay less tax if he files separately...? I have to ask our accountant tho. This is just my guess.

 

We have our joint bank account, all the utility bills and rent lease with both of our names to prove that we live together aka our bona fide relationship. Has anyone heard of a couple having a hard time proving their bona fide relationships because the spouse didn't file the tax together?

 

I have searched this matter on VJ, and I am feeling that we should be okay at the interview as long as we can explain the reason why my husband didn't file the tax jointly and also as long as we bring other types of documents to show our life together. But I wanted to post my own thought and see if anyone can give me some advices/tips!

 

Thank you for your help!

 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

9 hours ago, Yuilicious said:

A quick question regarding to filing the tax return;

 

Is there any REQUIREMENT that my husband must file his tax jointly with me?

Our accountant asked us this question and I wanted to double check here. I understand that when he files the tax jointly with me, he gets a standard deduction - and for this reason, most of people file the tax jointly. Also when we have our GC interview (expecting around this summer/fall), we can show USCIS that my husband and I (even though I didn't earn any income in the states during 2018) share our income/financial information together which shows our bona fide relationship.

Except these reasons above, is there anything I am missing about..?

 

We asked our accountant the reasons why he thinks my husband will be better if he files the tax separately. I am guessing it because my husband has a start-up business and I earned pretty good money during the 1st half of 2018 in my country, he may pay less tax if he files separately...? I have to ask our accountant tho. This is just my guess.

 

We have our joint bank account, all the utility bills and rent lease with both of our names to prove that we live together aka our bona fide relationship. Has anyone heard of a couple having a hard time proving their bona fide relationships because the spouse didn't file the tax together?

 

I have searched this matter on VJ, and I am feeling that we should be okay at the interview as long as we can explain the reason why my husband didn't file the tax jointly and also as long as we bring other types of documents to show our life together. But I wanted to post my own thought and see if anyone can give me some advices/tips!

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Ridiculous not to file your taxes jointly in my opinion. The exemption you get is the same no matter his other circumstances. Is this an accountant or someone somewhere like H&R block or Jackson Hewitt. Doesn't sound like advice from an accountant, sounds like advice from someone who doesn't know what to do.

[K1visaHopeful 2,871]

10 hours ago, Yuilicious said:

A quick question regarding to filing the tax return;

 

Is there any REQUIREMENT that my husband must file his tax jointly with me?

Our accountant asked us this question and I wanted to double check here. I understand that when he files the tax jointly with me, he gets a standard deduction - and for this reason, most of people file the tax jointly. Also when we have our GC interview (expecting around this summer/fall), we can show USCIS that my husband and I (even though I didn't earn any income in the states during 2018) share our income/financial information together which shows our bona fide relationship.

Except these reasons above, is there anything I am missing about..?

 

We asked our accountant the reasons why he thinks my husband will be better if he files the tax separately. I am guessing it because my husband has a start-up business and I earned pretty good money during the 1st half of 2018 in my country, he may pay less tax if he files separately...? I have to ask our accountant tho. This is just my guess.

 

We have our joint bank account, all the utility bills and rent lease with both of our names to prove that we live together aka our bona fide relationship. Has anyone heard of a couple having a hard time proving their bona fide relationships because the spouse didn't file the tax together?

 

I have searched this matter on VJ, and I am feeling that we should be okay at the interview as long as we can explain the reason why my husband didn't file the tax jointly and also as long as we bring other types of documents to show our life together. But I wanted to post my own thought and see if anyone can give me some advices/tips!

 

Thank you for your help!

 

The tax credit for MFJ is $24000 for a cpl.

$12000 for MFS. So that's a HUGE tax credit to ignore. 

Did you make more than $100000 USD overseas in 2018 as the foreign spouse? 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

15 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

The tax credit for MFJ is $24000 for a cpl.

You mean exemption. As in you don't have to pay taxes on $24000 dollars of your income rather than your tax bill is reduced by $24000. Still your point is valid, crazy not to file jointly when you get to add $12000 in exemption and don't have to add any income. Should reduce the tax bill by a couple thousand.

Edited February 26, 2019 by ThomasNC1988

[BrazilianInTexas 47]

10 hours ago, Yuilicious said:

A quick question regarding to filing the tax return;

 

Is there any REQUIREMENT that my husband must file his tax jointly with me?

Our accountant asked us this question and I wanted to double check here. I understand that when he files the tax jointly with me, he gets a standard deduction - and for this reason, most of people file the tax jointly. Also when we have our GC interview (expecting around this summer/fall), we can show USCIS that my husband and I (even though I didn't earn any income in the states during 2018) share our income/financial information together which shows our bona fide relationship.

Except these reasons above, is there anything I am missing about..?

 

We asked our accountant the reasons why he thinks my husband will be better if he files the tax separately. I am guessing it because my husband has a start-up business and I earned pretty good money during the 1st half of 2018 in my country, he may pay less tax if he files separately...? I have to ask our accountant tho. This is just my guess.

 

We have our joint bank account, all the utility bills and rent lease with both of our names to prove that we live together aka our bona fide relationship. Has anyone heard of a couple having a hard time proving their bona fide relationships because the spouse didn't file the tax together?

 

I have searched this matter on VJ, and I am feeling that we should be okay at the interview as long as we can explain the reason why my husband didn't file the tax jointly and also as long as we bring other types of documents to show our life together. But I wanted to post my own thought and see if anyone can give me some advices/tips!

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Refer to this post https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/584030-married-foreign-spouse-nra-vs-ra-how-to-file-taxes-the-first-year/

In my case when my wife files separately she gets a refund of about $1.2k, when we file jointly it goes up to $2.7k. Unless you made way over $104k abroad last year I think the best way is to file jointly.

[ThomasNC1988 762]

One more thing to add to the tax thing. If you were to file your on income taxes separately you could not get anything back because you did not pay anything in, unless you are eligible for some refundable tax credit which I don't think exists for any new immigrant. Where as you can reduce your husbands tax bill because presumably he paid taxes. Let me try to break it down.

 

MFJ:

Husband earned 48,000

Exemption for MFJ: -24,000

Husband owes taxes on 24,00.

Lets say your rate is 15 percent so his tax bill is $3600(this is just a made up rate, I didn't review the rates)

 

MFS:

Husband earned 48,000

Exemption for 1 is 12,000

Husband owes taxes on 36,000

Keep the 15 percent made up rate  and he owes $5,400

 

You file separately (which I don't believe you would be required to its just for the hypothetical)

All you income is exempt under 100k

Your taxable income is 0

You paid 0

You get back 0

 

That's an $1800 dollar different with my made up rate. The way marginal tax rates work the more he made the more it will help you because your exemption will be knocking off the highest taxed part of his income. So if he pays 15 percent on the first 24000 and 20 percent on dollars 24001 through 36000 you would knock off all the taxes at 20 percent. (again I made these numbers up and didn't review the rates or brackets.

 

I am not an accountant.

[DeepakChani 738]

I filed my taxes MFJ recently. Have ~$10k coming back to me from the government. MFJ is the better choice! 

[LoveTakesOver 100]

Our AOS Filing date: October 16

 

I-485 status changed to initial RFE Feb. 26

 

I-765 & I-131 still no status other than case received.

 

What is this mean for LAPR? I thought they would just schedule an appointment for interview and bring any necessary evidences during the interview. Not sure what to expect.

 

 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

5 minutes ago, LoveTakesOver said:

Our AOS Filing date: October 16

 

I-485 status changed to initial RFE Feb. 26

 

I-765 & I-131 still no status other than case received.

 

What is this mean for LAPR? I thought they would just schedule an appointment for interview and bring any necessary evidences during the interview. Not sure what to expect.

 

 

Looks like you forgot something essential or maybe filed something in wrong. You will have to wait and see, shouldn't take too long. What was your status before the RFE?