P4 Arrives, Panic Ensues

[Yiran]

First of all, just want to say hi: I'm a long-time lurker, first time poster. My husband Max (he's Chinese and the beneficiary, just so we have no pronoun awkwardness) and I will be married 3 years this Sunday, and we filed DCF back in mid-December. I recently graduated from an American MBA program taught in Tianjin and moved back to the States to start my job search and get ready for his move here after living 4+ years in China.

 

Everything has gone very smoothly thus far in the process except for one thing - we got our interview scheduled VERY soon, much sooner than I expected - April 7th! My brother is co-sponsoring Max, and shouldn't have much of a problem with getting his financials and letters in order (he makes well above poverty line, although he has only been working there a year after coming out of undergrad). I, however, still need to backfile my taxes for my years in China. I attempted to efile over 2 years ago while I was in China, but hit a snag with the foreign spouse/no ssn deal.

 

I've been a little lazy on this point, but assumed I'd have at least a month more to get this ready. I realize I need to file as married and he needs a W-7 filled out for a ind. taxpayer ID number, but I'm wondering if I will have enough time to get this done and get the transcripts AND get them mailed to him before the interview. Do I have any other options? Could I backfile as single and make a note w/proof that I intend to amend the returns in the future?

 

I know this may not even come up; we have had great luck with the consulates in the past and Max has been issued two visitors visas to come meet my family and spend Christmas with us in the past. I just don't want to take chances if I don't have to, but I also don't want to delay things too much if I can help it... I miss him VERY much and am super excited to get our life together in the U.S. started ASAP!

 

It's all been a little hectic doing the job search thing and dealing with immigration visas at the same time. On that note, actually - would it also be helpful to provide copies of my resume, degrees, transcripts, etc., or will they even care since they're just looking at the co-sponsor? I've earned 3.97 and 3.92 GPAs respectively if that counts for anything toward the potential income thing, though I doubt it does very much

 

TIA!

[Sebastian]

re IRS: do paper returns, married filing jointly, make copies, send copies to him. file with your paper returns a w-7 form, send it all to the special w-7 address in austin , tx. you'll need a notarized copy of his bio page of his passport. don't worry about the transcripts.

 

assume you have co-sponsers for the i-864 - so make sure there are 3 years o data for the tax returns for your co-sponsers.

Edited March 18, 2009 by Sebastian (see edit history)

[Yiran]

re IRS: do paper returns, married filing jointly, make copies, send copies to him. file with your paper returns a w-7 form, send it all to the special w-7 address in austin , tx. you'll need a notarized copy of his bio page of his passport. don't worry about the transcripts.

 

assume you have co-sponsers for the i-864 - so make sure there are 3 years o data for the tax returns for your co-sponsers.

 

 

Thanks for the advice! I do in fact have a co-sponsor (my brother). One other thing: I'm in Atlanta now, so could I not simply send the returns and W-7 to the ATL service center?

[usaRichard]

re IRS: do paper returns, married filing jointly, make copies, send copies to him. file with your paper returns a w-7 form, send it all to the special w-7 address in austin , tx. you'll need a notarized copy of his bio page of his passport. don't worry about the transcripts.

 

assume you have co-sponsers for the i-864 - so make sure there are 3 years o data for the tax returns for your co-sponsers.

 

 

Thanks for the advice! I do in fact have a co-sponsor (my brother). One other thing: I'm in Atlanta now, so could I not simply send the returns and W-7 to the ATL service center?

NO! Read the directions for form W-7. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf

[Sebastian]

Thanks for the advice! I do in fact have a co-sponsor (my brother). One other thing: I'm in Atlanta now, so could I not simply send the returns and W-7 to the ATL service center?

 

 

I would recommend following the instructions in the w-7 form.

 

Good Luck !