Mikedmaster

I will do it for you for $500!

Do I here $400...I will do it for $499.00

You are absolutely right, same time you don’t want a set-back on your case either.

Prob the best option would be get a name of their supervisor and call the local office to verify the identity of the agents.

Asking them to make an appointment to visit you is not going to work as one would have plenty of heads up and things can be staged around the house.

The chances they these all real immigration personnel is very high. But I can live with my case being set back or even cancelled; I can not live with my wife being hurt or killed by some freak. It is that simple for me. I guess I watch the news too much:-). I would think they would be considerate at come at a reasonable time like 1900 hrs or on weekends when at least their are neighbors/other peaple arround. This in the middle of the day thing is not reasonable nowadays-times have changed.

In these times of weirdos and crime, as a woman alone at home, I would strong suggest NOT allowing strangers in your house. No matter where they claim they are from. IDs can be forged afetr alittle surveillance of your home/life-they may even steal your information from the mailbox. I would tell them that you just called 911 and if they are ligit to make an appointment because you do not want to end up on the news as a victim. These criminals nowadays are getting slick.

We live a great neighborhood but I tell my wife to keep the alarm on all day when she is home alone. There is a an old military saying 'relax and they will kill you..!'

Pre-nups are not neccessarily about trust; but rather about the reality of life and a reflection of previous marital experiences. In your particular situation it appears that your finacial situation is such that a pre-nup would not really affect you as you seem to have a good head on your shoulders and are financial astute. Furthermore, most pre-nups are useless and a waste of money; because most judges will rule on what is 'fair' vs to the letter of the pre-nup. In other words, if one came into a marriage with nothing but love (as do most Filipinas) and after 5 or 10 years of marriage there is a divorce and the pre-up essential stated that each individual would leave with what they came into the marriage with but for those 10 years that woman cooked, cleaned, supported and cared for the family and never worked a day in her life. Then the judge would over turn any pre-nup to afford this woman compensation valued at what is 'fair' for her her to live consistent with how she lived while married to her than husband. This is true for the man as well. Consequently, pre-nups are generally useless because justice will be served. In my oppinion, pre-nups have nothing to do with the lack of love or trust and should not be viewed that way-they useless anyway with a good lawyer (which he/she would have to pay for anyway if the other party has no money). Thank God for America.

I suggest making an infopass appointment and asking them to check your A file where the medical should be. if it's not there then the embassy needs to contact your doctor in the UK to get another copy sent OR you need to do the medical.

The reason I say this is because someone did what the PP suggested and was denied her AOS and she is still fighting it. Here's her thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=237821 which explains what she's done since to try and fix it.

The 3025 is the vaccination sheet. The 2053 is your MEDICAL. it means they've lost it or can't find it. It's in the "A" file which is the file that you handed in POE

I would try to go back to the US civil surgeon who completed your sent 693. Bring the copy of the previous 693 you have (you did keep a copy before submitting the sealed evelope right?), explain your situation to him/her, ask to do another signature page of the 693, seal it again and re-submit this 693. If your civil is a reasonable person then he/she should be able to do that for you. It is worthless to fight USCIS.

I don't get how there's a grey area here. If you have a ceremony and have it registered, you are married - and by that definition, a K1 visa is no longer an option for you.

Furthermore the OP will have to submit a marriage certificate with the AOS package. I dont think all the dates will jive if he chooses to get married before the K1 is approved. So even if they dont checked initially; it will be an issued later on. It is best NOT to let emotions get the better of you....

I thought the tuition deduction was one of the ones that died this year

Topic 457 - Tuition And Fees Deduction

You may be able to deduct qualified tuition and related expenses that you pay for yourself, your spouse, or a dependent, as a tuition and fees deduction. To determine whether your expenses are qualified, refer to Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education. You do not have to itemize to take this deduction. You can claim qualified tuition and fees as either: (1) an adjustment to income, as directed above; or (2) a Hope or Lifetime Learning credit, or (3) if applicable, as business expenses.

You cannot take the tuition and fees deduction on your income tax return if your filing status is married filing separately, or if you are claimed as a dependent on someone else's return. The deduction is reduced or eliminated if your modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain limits, based on your filing status. You cannot claim the tuition and fees deduction and a Hope or Lifetime Learning credit for the same student. If the educational expenses are also allowable as a business expense, the tuition and fees deduction may be claimed in conjunction with a business expense deduction, but the same expenses cannot be deducted twice.

You cannot claim a deduction or credit based on expenses paid with tax-free scholarship, fellowship, grant, or education savings account funds such as a Coverdell education savings account, tax-free savings bond interest or employer-provided education assistance. The same rule applies to expenses you pay with a tax-exempt distribution from a qualified tuition plan, except that you can deduct qualified expenses you pay only with that part of the distribution that is a return of your contribution to the plan.

More Tax Topic Categories

Page Last Reviewed or Updated: January 29, 2009

Thank you, I found this helpful... just a question on the "world wide income"

How is this classified in case of an international student using an investment account for income to pay tuition/living expenses?

Is only the interest earned on the lump sum counted as "income", or the total amounts transferred to the US? Or the total amount that is in the account?

Also:

Is there a tax break/credit/write off for tuition fees paid? or something along those lines ... I'm completely clueless when it comes to paying taxes...

I am by no means a tax expert either; but I thought 2009 taxes was a interesting topic for all new petitioners and their spoues!

In general the IRS consider all income from investments or interest from bank deposits as income which has to be claimed in addition to directly earned income.

Furthermore, should you choose to be considered a resident for the tax year 2009 then you should be able to deduct tuitions paid as a student, but this is also dependent on the amount of your AGI-adjusted gross income-for the tax year. I am not sure what the AGI cut off is for tax year 09 with respect to tuition deductions. It is best to consult a qualified tax expert than to risk to IRS coming after you.

I did not claim interests earned from a bank account last year and they did come after me with a vegance. That is why I looked up the rules with respect to non-immigrant spouse. I posted it just in case others were also interested. Best wishes. M

U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad - Nonresident Alien Spouse

Election to File Joint Return

If, at the end of your tax year, you are married and one spouse is a U.S. citizen or a resident alien and the other is a nonresident alien, you can choose to treat the nonresident as a U.S. resident. This includes situations in which one of you is a nonresident alien at the beginning of the tax year, but a resident alien at the end of the year, and the other is a nonresident alien at the end of the year.

If you make this choice, the following rules apply:

You and your spouse are treated, for income tax purposes, as residents for all tax years that the choice is in effect

You must file a joint income tax return for the year you make the choice

Each spouse must report his or her entire worldwide income on the joint income tax return

If you make this choice, you and your spouse are treated as residents for your entire tax year for the purpose of your federal individual income tax return, and for the purpose of withholding U.S. federal income tax from your wages. However for the purpose of Chapter 3 withholding you may still be treated as a nonresident alien. Refer to Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Corporations (Chapter 3 of the IRC) in Tax Withholding Types. In addition, you may still be treated as a nonresident alien for the purpose of withholding Social Security and Medicare tax. Refer to Aliens Employed in the U.S. – Social Security Taxes.

Generally, neither you nor your spouse can claim tax treaty benefits as a resident of a foreign country for a tax year for which the choice is in effect and you are both taxed on worldwide income. However, the exception to the saving clause of a particular tax treaty might allow a resident alien to claim a tax treaty benefit on certain specified income. You must file a joint income tax return for the year you make the choice, but you and your spouse can file joint or separate returns in later years.

Example:

Pat Smith has been a US citizen for many years. She is married to Norman, a nonresident alien. Pat and Norman make the choice to treat Norman as a resident alien by attaching a statement to their joint return. Pat and Norman must report their worldwide income for the year they make the choice and for all later years unless the choice is ended or suspended. Although Pat and Norman must file a joint return for the year they make the choice, they can file either joint or separate returns for later years.

How To Make The Choice

Attach a statement, signed by both spouses, to your joint return for the first tax year for which the choice applies. It should contain the following:

A declaration that one spouse was a nonresident alien and the other spouse a U.S. citizen or resident alien on the last day of your tax year, and that you choose to be treated as US residents for the entire tax year, and

The name, address, and social security number (or individual taxpayer identification number) of each spouse. (If one spouse died, include the name and address of the person making the choice for the deceased spouse.)

You generally make this choice when you file your joint return. However, you can also make the choice by filing a joint amended return on Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (PDF). If you make the choice with an amended return, you and your spouse must also amend any returns that you may have filed after the year for which you made the choice.

You generally must file the amended joint return within 3 years from the date you filed your original US income tax return or 2 years from the date you paid your income tax for that year, whichever is later.

I thought others might find this helpful. Happy New Year

The fact that they kept your passport is a good. Read the notice carefully. At first I thought this was a woman posting.

My friend, you need to calm the f***k down. Sorry to have to talk to you this way, but some people need a slap in the face every once in a while to wake them up. You have not been denied (not as of yet anyway). As everyone else hase stated before me, the fact that they kept your passport is a good sign.

Stop victimizing yourself. And by the way, don't blame the Consul for making your Fiance cry whe you told her the news. It was YOUR RESPONISIBILITY as a MAN to make her see that this is a good thing. If this is how you're going to act everytime you hit a bump in the road, I would hate to be the one by your side.

Couldnt agree with you more.

My friend, you need to calm the f***k down. Sorry to have to talk to you this way, but some people need a slap in the face every once in a while to wake them up. You have not been denied (not as of yet anyway). As everyone else hase stated before me, the fact that they kept your passport is a good sign.

Stop victimizing yourself. And by the way, don't blame the Consul for making your Fiance cry whe you told her the news. It was YOUR RESPONISIBILITY as a MAN to make her see that this is a good thing. If this is how you're going to act everytime you hit a bump in the road, I would hate to be the one by your side.

Couldnt agree with you more.

your correct i dont think they send letters anymore just go to the embassy wesite. the link is within my signature block. Good luck to you.

Thanks

On 26 Aug 09 we got a recent appointment at the Manila embassy for Sept 09. Both the lady at the Embassy and at the appointment call center told us that the USEM no longer sends out notification letters because all the information is now downloadable from the Embassy's website. Has anyone else been told this? Because we keep reading where that notification letter is necessary for access to the Embasyy grounds.

Hey does someone what to comment i heard from a Customer Service Worker at the USCIS.

She said "The USCIS has a system that works! Trust them it works and they have many Happy Customers".

I cant believe they say that because it is large government corporation of 17,000 people that have wasted money without updating there processes to make the process of immigration FASTER. Everyone knows that your User Fees it used to fund the USCIS. Your User Fees that have increased dramatically the past years will be used to update the system that other people with benefit from in the future.

I personally cant fathom a HAPPY CUSTOMER of the USCIS. Maybe a relieve customer that is glad the IMMIGRATION POLICE is finally stop dragging there feet and allowed them to bring there fiance to the US. GIVE ME A BREAK USCIS. I think an appropriate think for the USCIS to do is remove the S from the title of this department since SERVICE is not what they do!

Please comment.

I personally believe that the system is slow for a reason, if cases were approved overnight than everyone and there dog would do it. The length of time makes people really think about if this is what they want before they invest lots of time and money into the process.

If the USCIS actually had time managment problems then the processing times would increase over the years as the backlog became bigger and bigger (ie. fewer applications being processed daily than received). Instead the processing time holds steady which tells me the goverment wants it to take that long.

I absolutly agree that the though the system is slow it does allow time to reflect on your decision to marry thie alien fiance(e) Bringing a foreigner into this country is a big deal and should not be taken lightly. It pains me to have wait to be wish my fiancee but, but like the increased security at the airports, that wait may be a good idea to allow for reflection and enhance security. This allows us all an opportunity to also protect our fine country and way of life.

Hey does someone what to comment i heard from a Customer Service Worker at the USCIS.

She said "The USCIS has a system that works! Trust them it works and they have many Happy Customers".

I cant believe they say that because it is large government corporation of 17,000 people that have wasted money without updating there processes to make the process of immigration FASTER. Everyone knows that your User Fees it used to fund the USCIS. Your User Fees that have increased dramatically the past years will be used to update the system that other people with benefit from in the future.

I personally cant fathom a HAPPY CUSTOMER of the USCIS. Maybe a relieve customer that is glad the IMMIGRATION POLICE is finally stop dragging there feet and allowed them to bring there fiance to the US. GIVE ME A BREAK USCIS. I think an appropriate think for the USCIS to do is remove the S from the title of this department since SERVICE is not what they do!

Please comment.

I personally believe that the system is slow for a reason, if cases were approved overnight than everyone and there dog would do it. The length of time makes people really think about if this is what they want before they invest lots of time and money into the process.

If the USCIS actually had time managment problems then the processing times would increase over the years as the backlog became bigger and bigger (ie. fewer applications being processed daily than received). Instead the processing time holds steady which tells me the goverment wants it to take that long.