Read only if you love INS, interview experience Tampa

Toolongofawait said:
Well, I got to my interview on time, was called in answered all the questions but.....the guy asked me for an IRS letter stating that I didn't owe any taxes. I had an installment agreement with the IRS for Tax year 2006 which I finished paying last year (I disclosed this in the N-400).

I took all transcripts (ordered last 4 years from the IRS website) and 2007 showed a refund (you don't get a refund if you owe money) and the account summary showed 0 (I was like can't you see? it says zero, null, nada, cero). Anyway, I tried to explain this to the guy (knock, knock anybody up there?, do you understand taxes? numbers? anything?) but he wants a letter SAYING (He said he doesn't want any numbers) that I do not owe any taxes, he then said go to the IRS office in Tampa, if you come back before 2:30 I'll approve the interview.

Here I go to the Tampa IRS office, to my surprise (sure) there was only one clerk with a line of 30 persons, waited an hour for her to tell me that the IRS does not issue any type of letter, that the transcript should be sufficient. At this point I was like "I had it", finally went to the Sarasota IRS office (1 hour drive) and they told me that the IRS (main office) could issue such a letter. I called them and the letter will be here in one week. Then I will send it back to my no-numbers interview officer.

Morale, get a letter that SAYS you don't owe nothing, numbers are not sufficient these days, hahahaha. Enjoy the story and smile....;)
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your predicament, and I hope it doesn't unduly delay your approval. However, I think the moral of your story only applies to people who had to disclose some debt with IRS in the N-400 application. I think for most interviews, if one has kept up with IRS payments, such tax documents are not required. So, I think you're right, if you ever say something on the N-400 that you owe tax money then better get a document from IRS stating that you owe them nothing anymore. I am sure the IO is not an expert on tax documents and really likes to see a document that says that you don't owe them any back taxes.

Good luck.
 
JohnnyCash said:
Each officer is diiferent being an unique and individual like we all humans are. How one sees things, doesn't necessary others would see the same way. For example, some people love eating pork, beef, frog (in Japan), rat (in some parts of China), snake (in Japan), cokroach (in Thailand), etc, while other people don't eat...Similary, one officer could ask one thing, while other officer might not.
Click to expand...
But that is part of the problem. They are doing a job, and they should have to follow more uniform standards with less dependence on their personal preferences. If they're going to ask to see tax transcripts, it should be asked of EVERYBODY who lists an employment history on the N-400. If they're going to look through passport pages for travel stamps, they should look through EVERYBODY's passport if they listed foreign travel on the N-400. Certain things should be consistent across the board ... always ask for certain things, and never ask for other things unless there is an unusual circumstance to justify it.

I can appreciate that a rule book cannot be created to handle every possible scenario, and that some things have to be left up to their discretion. But as it is now, it is not as consistent as it should be and naturalization should not be so dependent on the specific interviewer and the mood they're in.
 
JohnnyCash said:
I don't think OP (and anyone else for that matter) should be surprised to have known that IO has demanded a IRS letter from the OP to know whether OP is current in his payment with IRS on his agreement/payment plan with IRS or not. I've very clearly mentioned about this in my posting on the sticky thread as to what should take to the interview. Let me quote the relevant part of my posting- "In addition, you would need to bring documentation from IRS, State or local tax office showing the current status of your repayment program".
Click to expand...

I've collected all the documents that you've mentioned in your sticky and will be bringing them to the interview. Despite the fact that all my taxes are up to date (I've never had any payment plans), should I still request a status letter from the IRS? Also, I recently came across a post where an applicant from CT was demanded to show his state tax returns. Should I have those as well? It's a bit more difficult and time consuming to obtain state tax transcripts in NYS, so I'd rather avoid having to do that. What do you think?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Jackolantern said:
But that is part of the problem. They are doing a job, and they should have to follow more uniform standards with less dependence on their personal preferences. If they're going to ask to see tax transcripts, it should be asked of EVERYBODY who lists an employment history on the N-400. If they're going to look through passport pages for travel stamps, they should look through EVERYBODY's passport if they listed foreign travel on the N-400. Certain things should be consistent across the board ... always ask for certain things, and never ask for other things unless there is an unusual circumstance to justify it.

I can appreciate that a rule book cannot be created to handle every possible scenario, and that some things have to be left up to their discretion. But as it is now, it is not as consistent as it should be and naturalization should not be so dependent on the specific interviewer and the mood they're in.
Click to expand...


I understand what you are saying that certain things should be consistent across the board....and they are when it comes to laws...As for verifying employment history with tax returns, or trips outside the US thru passport, or social security number by SS card, or anything else then it's too much time consuming and officers don't have that much time to spend on one case. They are in pressure to wrap up a case within 20 minutes.

Laws don't say that officer MUST need to verify all the information on the application BY DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE; instead laws state somewhat like this "to the satisfaction of the Attorney General/USCIS" and "as per officer's discretion"...

Nevertheless, t's a different fact that USCIS has made some guidelines for adjudication officers to adjudicate the application. And their guidelines do state to check whatever documents to verify the information. For example, it states that whenever officer doubts anything about the tax matters, officer should request the tax returns from the applicant. And it also states what officer should check in there and why. Tax returns are VERY important documents for officers to fret out fraud as tax returns do tell someone's marital status, current address, children information, who are dependents, what and where applicant works etc...All these information are relevant to N-400, in addition to determine the moral character of the applicant.

In many reported cases, tax returns were showing applicants having filed those returns as married status while on N-400 applicants mentioned being single, which disclosed that fraud was committed by those applicants because they took tax benefit by filing those returns under the filing status of married despite of being single. Similiarly, many people had claimed dependent children on their tax returns in order to get deduction, but their N-400 application showed they didn't have children. Then there were some whose address and employment info didn't match...So, all these information were enough for the officers to determine the moral character of the applicants...But if officers are satisfied with anything, s/he won't demand any documents unless for the sake of keeping in the file....
 
Vorpal said:
I've collected all the documents that you've mentioned in your sticky and will be bringing them to the interview. Despite the fact that all my taxes are up to date (I've never had any payment plans), should I still request a status letter from the IRS? Also, I recently came across a post where an applicant from CT was demanded to show his state tax returns. Should I have those as well? It's a bit more difficult and time consuming to obtain state tax transcripts in NYS, so I'd rather avoid having to do that. What do you think?
Click to expand...


As I've been saying all along that one shouldn't assume his/her interview experience same to others. However, when it comes to preparation for the interview, then I've been very vocal in saying that people should take anything and everything....no matter how hard it would be for them to arrange/collect those items/documents...since nothing should be ruled out...

That being said, I would highly recommend you to collect your state tax returns as well. And no, you don't need a status letter from IRS or state for your taxes since you don't owe any taxes nor you have any kind of payment plan with them. As for bringing state tax returns to the interview then I did say about it in my sticky posting when I amended it a few days ago in this regard....

As for the status letter from Selective Service, then it depends on your specific situation. I've posted a detailed posting on this subject on the sticky thread. And I'm aware of the recent case wherein applicant was drilled for the letter for no whatsoever reason, but that was just a mistake on IO part...

Many officers are young, inexperienced, rookie, and under pressure...so obviously they do not always make a right decision. That's why they walk to their supervisor to confirm it whenever something doesn't seem clear to them, which was the situation in that particular case. There would always be one or two cases wherein wrong/unusal thing happens, for example-there was a case on here 3 yrs ago wherein a woman was asked to bring status letter from Selective Service. So it doesn't mean every woman should get the letter....

I firmly believe being in pro-active....
 
Last edited by a moderator:
JohnnyCash said:
there was a case on here 3 yrs ago wherein a woman was asked to bring status letter from Selective Service. So it doesn't mean every woman should get the letter....

I firmly believe being in pro-active....
Click to expand...

I remember you mentioning that in the sticky. I had to register for SS when I filled out my first FAFSA (a financial aid application) prior to entering college. One of the requirements of being eligible for government financial aid is SS registration. The status letter was actually one of the first documents I got a hold of when I began collecting supporting evidence for my N-400. I guess I'll order my state returns right now.
 
Murphy's law, if you don't have a document, you will be asked for it. When you go with everything, they wont even look at it.
 
Well I agree that we should prepare, but why my IL didn't ask for any tax documents?, actually they ask for all the wrong things and for nothig that they actually requested during the interview. I knew they were going to ask something regarding taxes because of my installment agreement. That is why the process is so screwed up, being an Engineer I can only tell you that if they want to strive to make things better they should standardize as much as possible, yes like a cookie cutter machine. Like in my case, now this IO has some "extra work" might be 10-20 minutes when he gets my IRS letters, and for what? because they did not explicitly asked for what they needed to see from me, now multiply this 1,000,000 times and you get a whole broken system. Anyway my timeline

Priority Date July 27, 2007
Fingerprint Appointment 02/29/2008
Interview Appointment 06/23/2008
Oath date better be soon or I'll get green and mean like the Hulk

And to answer a previous posting, the IRS will never send you a refund if you owe them money.

and that's all I have to say about that (from my favorite guy Forrest Gump)
 
Wondering if I should get state transcripts since I had an installment agreement with the state... Here is the story:

Applied N-400 July 2006: I had state and federal installment agreements so mentioned that on N-400. By August 2006, the state was paid off.

For Federal: I am currently waiting for my tax refunds to be applied to my balance. Side note: This could have been a problem, had I had an interview now. The question "Do you owe any back taxes" would be "No" but I have no proof of that. (except for release of tax lien which I just got yesterday) Maybe better off to lie, say I did owe and show my latest statement... Anyway all hypothetical and a digression. Hopefully the letters, statements, checks etc. I will get in the next few weeks will satisfy proof of Federal tax installment agreement paid off.

For State: In CA there is online status of balance due. Mine says 0. Not sure if this printout would be sufficient. Anyway, I sent a letter to them to get some kind of documentation for the old installment agreement...

Finally...my question. Do you think I should spend $20 per year on my state transcripts? (they go back 3 years) Since I had tax problems in the past, I am thinking they may really want to see all my recent tax returns including state. I am thinking that for state, printouts from turbo tax might be ok but not sure.

I guess $60 is not so much in the grand scheme of things - especially if it helps me sleep at night.

SC
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top