Confused about tax returns

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big-bird

Registered Users (C)
I entered the US in 1999 as a permanent resident and later that same year ( because of serious family problem ) left the country and came back 6 months and 2 weeks later in early 2000.
On my return, I told the truth at the port of entry to the immigration officer and she made a note in my passport .
Since then, i made one trip that lasted just under 60 days (vacation) and the other ones were under 30 days ( vacations as well ), I have always worked and paid taxes.
Over the last 5 years i made one trip abroad that lasted just under 30 days and i have lived in my district for over 7 years now, i am married , own my home and have children born in the US .
I do qualify for naturalization and i am thinking of applying for it , but i am a little bit confused about the need or not to include with the N400 application my tax transcripts for the last 5 years .
I have read that if someone had stayed outside the country over 6 months they need to provide a transcript of their taxes for the last 5 years.
Are we talking about staying over 6 months for the last 5 eligible years ?
Or i will need to include tax transcripts with the N400 form because I came back 6 months and two weeks in 1999 ? and should i bring proves at the interview that i had kept ties with the US at the time ?

Thanks for any kind of clarifications :)
 
The Question about taxes in N-400 is, Have you ever failed to file a required tax return? Did you? If you were required to file a return in 1999 and you did'nt then you should know the answer to that.
The question does not ask for taxes for the last 5 years and do not confuse that with 5 year residence and GMC requirements.
 
Given your state of confusion, I think a good place for you to start is "the guide to naturalization". This is authoritative and will cover most common circumstances you need to worry about.
You do not seem to have any residency issues. However, as NAME said, if you were supposed to file taxes and you did not, it is an issue. How will someone resolve a 10-11 year old tax issue ... is doubtful though. I am not sure if you have such a gap, but sometimes it is better to let sleeping dogs lie.
 
big-bird said:
I do qualify for naturalization and i am thinking of applying for it , but i am a little bit confused about the need or not to include with the N400 application my tax transcripts for the last 5 years .
I have read that if someone had stayed outside the country over 6 months they need to provide a transcript of their taxes for the last 5 years.
Click to expand...

That's if their 6+ month trip was within the last 5 years. So it's not applicable to you.
 
There is no issues with my taxes for 1999, in 2000 i did file my taxes with the IRS and actually got a small refund .
Where i was not sure was the need or not to include tax transcripts for the last 5 years because i had stayed just over 6 months in 1999, or if it is only necessary if i had stayed more than 6 months over the last 5 years ( which in my case did not happened )
For the year 1999 , should i attach a copy of my tax return with the N400 or bring it at the interview ?
 
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Forget about the tax return for 1999. You don't have any issue with overdue taxes, and 1999 wasn't in the past 5 years of traveling.
 
Jackolantern said:
Forget about the tax return for 1999. You don't have any issue with overdue taxes, and 1999 wasn't in the past 5 years of traveling.
Click to expand...

OK thanks for the answer , so basically i would have to include tax transcripts with the N400 form only if had stayed over 6 months in the last 5 years
If getting my tax transcripts is not something i would be required to bring at the interview , should i get them anyway just in case the officer wants to see them ?
I just want to make sure i have all needed documents ready in my hand before starting the process , i have read that sometimes naturalization can take less than 3 months

Thanks
 
You do not have to include any tax transcripts to file with N-400, only thing you file with N-400 is a copy of front and back of GC and if there was any arrest, record of that wih the certified disposition of the case.
 
namecheckvictim said:
You do not have to include any tax transcripts to file with N-400, only thing you file with N-400 is a copy of front and back of GC and if there was any arrest, record of that wih the certified disposition of the case.
Click to expand...

So to confirm again , eventhough i stayed just over 6 months in 1999, i am not required to get my tax transcripts for the last 5 years for the interview , because in the last 5 years i made just one trip that lasted less than 30 days .
But i should get documents proving that i did not have intention to abandon my US residency in 1999, like a tax return for that year .
Correct ?
 
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