Any Westchester filers out there? Hoping to have my interview soon!

Filed N-400: Jan 4th 2020

Filed Pending I-751:31st Dec 2018

Applied based on 3 year rule

Hello,

My wife and I are starting to look into what will need to be done for our 2020 tax return, and are basically wondering whether we can do everything ourselves with the desktop version of Turbotax, or if we're better off getting a CPA for our first year as married filing jointly.

Our situation:

• 2019:
  • My wife (US citizen) filed as married filing separately (adding me in her return as a non-resident alien)
  • I did not file a US tax return
• 2020:
  • Wife lived and worked in the US - got her W2 in hand
  • I lived and worked in the UK until October 2020 - I paid UK taxes as a UK resident until I left the UK (and am no longer a UK resident / tax resident)
  • I established residency in the US (with a CR1 visa) and got an SSN in October, but did not work (in the UK or the US) for the rest of the year
  • However, I also receive (and keep on receiving) a UK PhD scholarship, which is considered tax-free in the UK and does not need to be reported on a UK tax return

Everything is sorted out on the UK side of things. Here are the things we need to figure out:

• When I established US tax residency
  • I did not meet the substantial presence test before immigrating in October 2020
    • 0 days in 2018 + 31 days in 2019 (= 11 days for calculation) + 158 days in 2020 pre-immigration = 169 days < 183 days for substantial presence
    • 84 days in the US post-immigration
  • Based on this, I became a tax resident either:
    • On Jan 1 2020, since I was present in the US and met the substantial presence test in 2020
    • On Oct 9 2020, when I immigrated to the US
    • On Oct 22 2020, when I met the substantial presence test for the first time
• Whether or not I need to declare pre-immigration foreign income, based on when I became a tax resident
• What to do about my UK scholarship
  • Is it considered tax-free in the US as well? Do I even need to report it?
• How to deal with the fact that I had a foreign bank balance > $10k for most of the year
• Whether or not I need to report pre-immigration foreign investment income
  • I had a UK ISA and LISA with investments in index trackers - all closed prior to immigrating to the US
• Whether or not I'm eligible to get the US stimulus checks as tax credits

While I welcome specific advice for our situation, I'm mostly looking for recommendations as to whether we should use Turbotax or a CPA this year. And if we go with a CPA, I'd also love recommendations for a NYC-based CPA specialising in new immigrant issues.

Thanks very much!

USCIS had originally scheduled my I-485 interview (Marriage based AoS from H1B) for me and my USC spouse for yesterday (01/21). Then around first week January they themselves out of nowhere cancelled the interview (I got notifications via text, email, website, and the paper notice in mail) and 7 days later on I got the same set of notifications (including paper notice) to appear for an interview end of February 2021.

So basically they rescheduled the interview from late Jan to late Feb 2021 by themselves. I even called a few days ago to confirm that my interview had indeed been rescheduled and the agent said that YES the interview has indeed been rescheduled while the previous one in January stands cancelled.

However, yesterday out of nowhere again, I got the following email:

Quote

Your Case Status: Testing and Interview

On January 21, 2021, we requested that certain people associated with your Form I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS, Receipt Number MSCxxxx, come to an appointment. No one came to the appointment, and this will significantly affect your case. We will mail you a notice if we make a decision or take further action. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

If your case status indicates that you are currently in this step, you have either been scheduled for an interview or are in line to be scheduled for an interview. The amount of time your application will remain in this step will vary by office and is largely determined by the number of cases ahead of yours. The interview notice will have specifics about time, location and anything you will need to bring to your interview. If your application remains pending beyond our normal processing times (as shown below) please contact our national customer service center at 1-800-375-5283. Please note that not every application/applicant will require an interview. In some instances, an interview is required by regulation and others an interview is requested because USCIS has determined that this is the most efficient means to determine eligibility. For a naturalization application the interview will include your taking the required English and/or Civics tests (unless exempt or waived).

The USCIS case status website has the following information for my I-485 and I-130 forms:

Quote

Case Was Updated To Show That No One Appeared for In-Person Processing

On January 21, 2021, we requested that certain people associated with your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Receipt Number MSCxxx, come to an appointment. No one came to the appointment, and this will significantly affect your case. We will mail you a notice if we make a decision or take further action. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

This is so messed up. I have to wait till Monday morning to call their center now and ask what's going on. I have the paper notice for cancellation and rescheduling in hand. The cancellation notice clearly says that they had to cancel the interview due to unforeseen circumstances

Has anyone encountered this issue before here?

Hi!

I made a post before, but I've figured out what I'll do for that thread, now im curious more about the laws surrounding LPR while stationed.

My fiance and I are likely to be stationed in Japan, and I will be on DEERS and have a military ID, but I'll have LPR which is only fine up to a stay of 6 months.

The station lasts 3-4 years, will I be fine not needing a re-entry permit?

AND, can I leave the base (counted as US soil)?

Thanks again!

Hi!

My boyfriend and I are filing a K-1 visa and an Adjustment of Status soon, but he will be needing to go on shore duty during the visa to green card process as he is in the Navy.

If he ends up going to Japan or a country outside US owned territories, would my visa no longer be valid?

Wondering if there's something else I can file or if my visa will be okay, thanks!