Documents to prepare for interview

[wbogard 2]

Hi all,

I'm waiting for my case to be completed at NVC, but I want to prepare those documents needed for the interview in advance. I've sent in original copies of all documents requested by the NVC with the IV package. My husband (USC) is a grad student with no income and no tax return. I'm guessing interviewer will not expect original tax return form from my husband? We do have a joint sponsor, and photocopies of his 1040 and W2 forms of 2012 were sent with his I-864, do I still need to get the original 1040 and W2 forms from joint sponsor for showing in the interview? and will I need the most recent pay sub from joint sponsor to show in the interview as well?

Please kindly advise if there are documents (original or photocopies) that needed and I can prepare them in advance. Thank you very much!

-Wai

[speedwell 224]

Hi all,

I'm waiting for my case to be completed at NVC, but I want to prepare those documents needed for the interview in advance. I've sent in original copies of all documents requested by the NVC with the IV package. My husband (USC) is a grad student with no income and no tax return. I'm guessing interviewer will not expect original tax return form from my husband? We do have a joint sponsor, and photocopies of his 1040 and W2 forms of 2012 were sent with his I-864, do I still need to get the original 1040 and W2 forms from joint sponsor for showing in the interview? and will I need the most recent pay sub from joint sponsor to show in the interview as well?

Please kindly advise if there are documents (original or photocopies) that needed and I can prepare them in advance. Thank you very much!

-Wai

Wai, you should ask your joint sponsor to request transcripts from the IRS. These can be ordered online (make sure they get TRANSCRIPTS and not the other thing available). These transcripts are even better than the photocopies because they prove what the IRS received and processed. Order them now because they take a week or so to deliver in the mail.

Do also get recent pay stubs and/or a letter from the joint sponsor's employer showing employment in good standing and pay expressed as a yearly salary if possible. I didn't supply this in my own packet - I sent three years of tax transcripts and my 2012 filing documents and thought that would be enough and I should have sent pay stubs or an employer letter as well; I expect a checklist.

Your husband needs to either show tax information, or provide a letter saying why he did not file (he had no income and thus was not required to file). Either way some documentation must be provided, and your husband will still need to fill out his I-864.

If you did not send in your husband's documentation, you may be asked for it either on a checklist or at the interview.

Edited April 16, 2013 by speedwell

[wbogard 2]

Wai, you should ask your joint sponsor to request transcripts from the IRS. These can be ordered online (make sure they get TRANSCRIPTS and not the other thing available). These transcripts are even better than the photocopies because they prove what the IRS received and processed. Order them now because they take a week or so to deliver in the mail.

Do also get recent pay stubs and/or a letter from the joint sponsor's employer showing employment in good standing and pay expressed as a yearly salary if possible. I didn't supply this in my own packet - I sent three years of tax transcripts and my 2012 filing documents and thought that would be enough and I should have sent pay stubs or an employer letter as well; I expect a checklist.

Your husband needs to either show tax information, or provide a letter saying why he did not file (he had no income and thus was not required to file). Either way some documentation must be provided, and your husband will still need to fill out his I-864.

If you did not send in your husband's documentation, you may be asked for it either on a checklist or at the interview.

Hi speedwell,

Thank you so much for answering. So if I don't get any RFEs for my joint sponsor's package (since he sent his most recent 1040 and W2), do I still need to show transcript (joint sponsor) ordered from IRS during my interview?

In my joint sponsor's I-864 package, he included three most recent pay subs. Do I still need to get most recent pay sub (close to interview date) from him for my interview?

In my husband's I-864 package, he included a letter explaining why he couldn't show tax return transcripts as he is a grad student, he also attached a letter issued by his school as proof. In this case, are there any documentation I can show interviews for further proof of U.S. domicile (maybe?)? My husband has included everything he could gather for proof of U.S. domicile in this I-864 package, I'm thinking if it's necessary to show the same but more recent stuff during my interview, e.g., bank statement, credit card statement, etc.

I know a job offer would be wonderful in my case, we are still waiting on that. But we don't think my husband will get any offers until September. I'm actually thinking if I should postpone my interview if it's scheduled before Sep. What do you think?

Thanks!

-Wai

[speedwell 224]

Hi speedwell,

Thank you so much for answering. So if I don't get any RFEs for my joint sponsor's package (since he sent his most recent 1040 and W2), do I still need to show transcript (joint sponsor) ordered from IRS during my interview?

In my joint sponsor's I-864 package, he included three most recent pay subs. Do I still need to get most recent pay sub (close to interview date) from him for my interview?

In my husband's I-864 package, he included a letter explaining why he couldn't show tax return transcripts as he is a grad student, he also attached a letter issued by his school as proof. In this case, are there any documentation I can show interviews for further proof of U.S. domicile (maybe?)? My husband has included everything he could gather for proof of U.S. domicile in this I-864 package, I'm thinking if it's necessary to show the same but more recent stuff during my interview, e.g., bank statement, credit card statement, etc.

I know a job offer would be wonderful in my case, we are still waiting on that. But we don't think my husband will get any offers until September. I'm actually thinking if I should postpone my interview if it's scheduled before Sep. What do you think?

Thanks!

-Wai

Wai, getting transcripts for your joint sponsor will not hurt and may help. They are free for the asking so go ahead and get them. They are better proof than copies of the tax filing documents. Also get a copy of the most recent pay stubs, again just in case you are asked. This is especially important if several weeks or more will elapse between the submission of the affidavit and the date of the interview.

I'm glad to see that your husband did file an I-864, good. He also seems to have submitted the correct letter showing he was not required to file taxes. If your husband is living in the US and maintains a home there, then establishing domicile is not in question. If you and your husband are moving to the US together, though, then he needs to establish domicile (show that you intend to make the US your permanent home). His letter from the school he will be attending is good evidence, and you should also show correspondence showing that he has leased or bought or arranged a home for you both to live in (a flat, a house, even a room at his parents' house for the time being), purchase of a car, etc., anything to show that you are putting down solid roots in the US.

Bring any evidence with you to the interview that you think will help you establish your bona fides, but check it carefully to make sure there is nothing in them that could be prejudicial (do credit card statements show things you'd rather an official not see?).

There's no harm in postponing the interview if you need to, but understand that your medical results may be good for only 6 months. Contact the consulate and let them know you may need to reschedule. Make sure you keep in touch with them regularly (once a month is fine, and respond to any notices) so that they don't consider your case abandoned.

[wbogard 2]

Wai, getting transcripts for your joint sponsor will not hurt and may help. They are free for the asking so go ahead and get them. They are better proof than copies of the tax filing documents. Also get a copy of the most recent pay stubs, again just in case you are asked. This is especially important if several weeks or more will elapse between the submission of the affidavit and the date of the interview.

I'm glad to see that your husband did file an I-864, good. He also seems to have submitted the correct letter showing he was not required to file taxes. If your husband is living in the US and maintains a home there, then establishing domicile is not in question. If you and your husband are moving to the US together, though, then he needs to establish domicile (show that you intend to make the US your permanent home). His letter from the school he will be attending is good evidence, and you should also show correspondence showing that he has leased or bought or arranged a home for you both to live in (a flat, a house, even a room at his parents' house for the time being), purchase of a car, etc., anything to show that you are putting down solid roots in the US.

Bring any evidence with you to the interview that you think will help you establish your bona fides, but check it carefully to make sure there is nothing in them that could be prejudicial (do credit card statements show things you'd rather an official not see?).

There's no harm in postponing the interview if you need to, but understand that your medical results may be good for only 6 months. Contact the consulate and let them know you may need to reschedule. Make sure you keep in touch with them regularly (once a month is fine, and respond to any notices) so that they don't consider your case abandoned.

Hi speedwell,

Thank you so much for clarifying my questions. Please see attached picture to see if that's how a transcript looks like, my joint sponsor tried to order the transcript from IRS, but it says the transcript of 2012 is not available. I guess he will have to either call IRS or fill in form 4506T to request one.

I know that my police certificates and medical results need to be valid upon my interview, but do they need to be valid as well when I enter USA with my immigrant visa?

Thanks much!

-Wai

[speedwell 224]

Hi speedwell,

Thank you so much for clarifying my questions. Please see attached picture to see if that's how a transcript looks like, my joint sponsor tried to order the transcript from IRS, but it says the transcript of 2012 is not available. I guess he will have to either call IRS or fill in form 4506T to request one.

I know that my police certificates and medical results need to be valid upon my interview, but do they need to be valid as well when I enter USA with my immigrant visa?

Thanks much!

-Wai

Wai, that's the same format as the transcripts I received. The transcript of 2012 probably won't be available for 3-4 weeks after filing, at least (mine are not available yet either), but that's not a serious issue. Transcripts of prior tax years are available, though.

Yes, your medical has to be valid upon entry. The normal time period is 6 months, but you may want to check that for your country. I'm not sure about the police certificate but I have never seen anyone mention it for anything but the interview.

[wbogard 2]

Wai, that's the same format as the transcripts I received. The transcript of 2012 probably won't be available for 3-4 weeks after filing, at least (mine are not available yet either), but that's not a serious issue. Transcripts of prior tax years are available, though.

Yes, your medical has to be valid upon entry. The normal time period is 6 months, but you may want to check that for your country. I'm not sure about the police certificate but I have never seen anyone mention it for anything but the interview.

Speedwell, I don't know much about filing tax return in US. As I've mentioned earlier, my joint sponsor attached form 1040 and W2 of year 2012 with his I-864 package. Does it mean that he has filed tax return for 2012? If so, the transcript of 2012 should be available since he showed me a scanned copy of form 1040 in Feb, am I right? In any case, if I can't get the 2012 transcript, transcripts of prior tax years will help for my interview?

I will make sure my medical results will be vali upon entry. Thanks for the heads-up! =)

-Wai

[speedwell 224]

Speedwell, I don't know much about filing tax return in US. As I've mentioned earlier, my joint sponsor attached form 1040 and W2 of year 2012 with his I-864 package. Does it mean that he has filed tax return for 2012? If so, the transcript of 2012 should be available since he showed me a scanned copy of form 1040 in Feb, am I right? In any case, if I can't get the 2012 transcript, transcripts of prior tax years will help for my interview?

I will make sure my medical results will be vali upon entry. Thanks for the heads-up! =)

-Wai

Wai, that's OK, we're here to help.

OK, see, that's the thing. The NVC likes transcripts because they prove the tax filer actually sent in the forms and they were processed by the IRS. Your joint sponsor might have shown you forms that he did not actually mail until as late as yesterday. The transcripts are only available 3 to 4 weeks after the IRS processes the tax filing. If you don't have the transcript for 2012, don't worry, though, nobody is expecting that one just yet.

Transcripts from prior years may be helpful because they are solid proof. I recommend you have copies of them with you just in case you are asked.

[wbogard 2]

Wai, that's OK, we're here to help.

OK, see, that's the thing. The NVC likes transcripts because they prove the tax filer actually sent in the forms and they were processed by the IRS. Your joint sponsor might have shown you forms that he did not actually mail until as late as yesterday. The transcripts are only available 3 to 4 weeks after the IRS processes the tax filing. If you don't have the transcript for 2012, don't worry, though, nobody is expecting that one just yet.

Transcripts from prior years may be helpful because they are solid proof. I recommend you have copies of them with you just in case you are asked.

Thank you very much for your quick and helpful replies, speedwell. =) I will talk to my joint sponsor to find out more about his 2012 tax return. I wish you all the best for your visa application. =) Thanks again!

-Wai

[Ryan H 3,865]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process and Procedures.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Ryan H

[Harry_pal 1]

Hello Wai..I just read your note.

well,i am Indian citizen and from last one year i am in singapore as student...i Got I-130 Approval recently and now my case sent to NVC. But before that i want to prepare my document which i have to sent onece i will recieve packet 3.so please can i know what document will be require for packet 3.And please give me more detalils if you have (regarding I-130 process in singapore)

Thanks

Harry