I got my GC 15 months ago. What is everybody here doing with old immigration documents i.e.. for each of the old employers that we worked, we have H-1 petitions, documents that are submitted along with the H-1 petition, H-1 approvals (I-797's) etc.. I have some dating back to 1997 and 1998. I am certain these are not required for the citizenship process, can we just kep the approvals (I-797's) and toss the rest?
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Old Immigration documents - what to do?
- Thread starter pujar
- Start date
Keep it for your own good
I just did my taxes this week and the Tax CPA told that I need to keep the tax papers at least for 7 to 8 years.
He also added same goes with the GC papers as well. Never know when you will need them. Keep them in a safe retracable place. May be a file in your basement.
I just did my taxes this week and the Tax CPA told that I need to keep the tax papers at least for 7 to 8 years.
He also added same goes with the GC papers as well. Never know when you will need them. Keep them in a safe retracable place. May be a file in your basement.
rummenigge
Registered Users (C)
sunderGC said:I just did my taxes this week and the Tax CPA told that I need to keep the tax papers at least for 7 to 8 years.
He also added same goes with the GC papers as well. Never know when you will need them. Keep them in a safe retracable place. May be a file in your basement.
7 or 8 yrs for tax return? i think IRS won't say a work if you can't provide after 7 or 8 yrs, unelss you are in high profile fraud.
reality is "dog can eat your doc", or you basement get wet.....things happen sometime. what i mean is if you try your best to keep but still loses it like above silly reasons/situations, I think Immgration also has the repsonsiblity to keep your file if they think this is cruicial.
IRS case is different, because usually you don't submit your paperwork except the standard forms. but Immigration has all your doc they supposed to review.
pujar said:I am certain these are not required for the citizenship process, can we just kep the approvals (I-797's) and toss the rest?
it is usually producent to keep the documents. However, a competent lawyer will tell you don't keep more than you should - just witness the recent lawsuits about Andersen and those wall street firms on poor documentation management practices.
I know that you are obligated to keep three years of tax filings. and I am of the view that you should destroy anything beyond that.
i am not aware of any requirement on document retention for immigration docs but I personally keep four years of docs.
the risk here is that once you are supeanaed, you don't destroy any documents. so sometimes it is better not to have the documents to begin with.
AmericanWannabe
Registered Users (C)
I heard the earthquake at San Francisco in the early last century
destroyed a lot of government records, but this
played into hands of many undocumented aliens
who insist they were legal
destroyed a lot of government records, but this
played into hands of many undocumented aliens
who insist they were legal
harvydonald
Registered Users (C)
For tax purposes there are statute of limitations....for some it is three years, for others it is 10 years.
There is no statue of limitations for auditing and collecting taxes if a person filed false or fraudlent returns.
There is no statue of limitations for auditing and collecting taxes if a person filed false or fraudlent returns.
paulclarke1
Registered Users (C)
My 2 Cents
I have a cardboard file box, where all of my old immigration documents are kept. I have not reason to know I will every need them again, but it takes up 1 1/2 cubic feet in my house, so I don't see the problem. For important documents I485 approval, physical green card, they are in a fireproof storage box. I also still have scans of all documents (passports, green cards, AP's, EA's, approval notices etc.) on my computer, I also expanded this collection to include W2's, drivers licences etc. I can't tell you how many times that has come in handy. My theory is better to hold on to them, than risk throwing anything out.
I have a cardboard file box, where all of my old immigration documents are kept. I have not reason to know I will every need them again, but it takes up 1 1/2 cubic feet in my house, so I don't see the problem. For important documents I485 approval, physical green card, they are in a fireproof storage box. I also still have scans of all documents (passports, green cards, AP's, EA's, approval notices etc.) on my computer, I also expanded this collection to include W2's, drivers licences etc. I can't tell you how many times that has come in handy. My theory is better to hold on to them, than risk throwing anything out.
NYGCSeeker
Registered Users (C)
Digitize the documents
This is what I do. I purchased a 200G hard drive and scanned all my documents. This way, I do not need to store the paper copies.
I set aside abour 1hr every two months or so to scan all my relavent documents.
The documents that I scan: Bank Statements along with the checks, ALL immigration related documents, Tax related stuff W2s, filings etc, credit card related data, mortgage papers, pay stubs, employment papers: Offer letters, NonCompete etc.
I also make a backup of the data on this hard drive once every year on to CDs.
Do u guys think that I am paranoid....
This is what I do. I purchased a 200G hard drive and scanned all my documents. This way, I do not need to store the paper copies.
I set aside abour 1hr every two months or so to scan all my relavent documents.
The documents that I scan: Bank Statements along with the checks, ALL immigration related documents, Tax related stuff W2s, filings etc, credit card related data, mortgage papers, pay stubs, employment papers: Offer letters, NonCompete etc.
I also make a backup of the data on this hard drive once every year on to CDs.
Do u guys think that I am paranoid....
paulclarke1
Registered Users (C)
No More So Than I
I don't think this is paranoid. From my experience with a very similar electronic file, it is an unbelievable resource and proved its convenience to myself on a regular basis. I am just glad to see that I was not the only one to do this.
NYGCSeeker said:This is what I do. I purchased a 200G hard drive and scanned all my documents. This way, I do not need to store the paper copies.
I set aside abour 1hr every two months or so to scan all my relavent documents.
The documents that I scan: Bank Statements along with the checks, ALL immigration related documents, Tax related stuff W2s, filings etc, credit card related data, mortgage papers, pay stubs, employment papers: Offer letters, NonCompete etc.
I also make a backup of the data on this hard drive once every year on to CDs.
Do u guys think that I am paranoid....
I don't think this is paranoid. From my experience with a very similar electronic file, it is an unbelievable resource and proved its convenience to myself on a regular basis. I am just glad to see that I was not the only one to do this.
paulclarke1
Registered Users (C)
Its Not For the Purposes of Legal Proceedings
Of course I retain all of my orginal documents, so if it ever came to that, I would be able to use the originals. However for most purposes, reference, loan applications, print out from the scanned versions work as well as photo copies and are much easier to find.
Of course I retain all of my orginal documents, so if it ever came to that, I would be able to use the originals. However for most purposes, reference, loan applications, print out from the scanned versions work as well as photo copies and are much easier to find.