Problem? I only have 2 years returns

[NickD 202]

Was I ever naive on this immigration stuff, was a time if a US citizen married an immigrant, the act of that marriage automatically made the spouse a US citizen. War brides is an example of that. What a shock I was in for during that AOS stage, and thought that was it with all of the evidence required. But our IO was nice and explained to me, this isn't the end of it. Really never knew what a green card was until then, but sure know about it. She explained that I-751 and N-400, the I-751 is mandatory, citizenship is optional. When we got home, got on the USCIS site and downloaded those forms and the instructions.

This is the time to do it, not three years later. We kept track of our trips and started gathering evidence. The key element I was after with the IRS was that joint label they send to you the after the first time you file taxes. But I understand they are not doing that anymore to save on paper cost, claim the IRS is spending over a trillion dollars a year just collecting taxes. And forms will only be available at IRS local offices, but expect you to have a computer on the net to download them. They may be saving money, but at our expense.

I even helped my stepdaughter file her taxes, she has four years of transcripts she can bring to her interview in two weeks, but I understand, she doesn't even need those for the five year. The main reason, it costs her nothing to sit at the computer and to electronically file even to get ten bucks back from her part time job, and making ten bucks in five minutes is pretty good pay for her.

So many people start the N-400 looking three or five years back, that is certainly not the best time to start this process. What should I do?

[upover 0]

I was Naive to start off with. I have collected documents for our relationship that go back over five years. I posted this on the first page "Documents referring to you and your spouse:

a. Tax returns, bank accounts, leases, mortgages, or birth certificates of children; or

b. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified copies of the income tax forms that you both filed for the past 3 years; or

c. An IRS tax return transcript for the last 3 years

I asked a similar question to the op a while ago (on this forum or another, I cannot remember) and had the above (from the N-400 checklist) quoted to me. So I thought I was fine. So I don't know if your post was meant for me NickD but I am not naive of the immigration process.

[NickD 202]

I was Naive to start off with. I have collected documents for our relationship that go back over five years. I posted this on the first page "Documents referring to you and your spouse:

a. Tax returns, bank accounts, leases, mortgages, or birth certificates of children; or

b. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified copies of the income tax forms that you both filed for the past 3 years; or

c. An IRS tax return transcript for the last 3 years

I asked a similar question to the op a while ago (on this forum or another, I cannot remember) and had the above (from the N-400 checklist) quoted to me. So I thought I was fine. So I don't know if your post was meant for me NickD but I am not naive of the immigration process.

Didn't mean to be directive in my comments, but certainly was an idiot in this process with a lot to learn. One thing we all have in common, is that we are all in the same boat and just trying to be helpful. And hope it was taken in that light.