Tony Landicho

My petition for my parents has been approved. I already submitted my
affidavit of support and paid all required fees to the INS. My
parents are now due for an interview at the U.S. embassy in the
Philippines for their immigrant visa processing. Problem is, they now
received a letter from the U.S. embassy, asking them to bring to the
interview a copy of my recent INCOME TAX RETURN.

Is this legal? Aren't tax returns confidential? I might as well
announce to all my relatives how much I make. I am reluctant to send
my tax returns to anyone other than the government, or the bank.

Can anyone answer the following questions:

1) Why is the U.S. embassy asking for another copy of my tax return?
To verify income, obtain SSNs, or verify employers? I see no valid
reason at this stage for the U.S. embassy to inspect my tax return.
Where is it written that they are legally authorized to ask for this
documentation?

2) And even if they did, they should be asking it directly from me,
or from the INS office. Why shouldn't I be sending a copy of my tax
return directly to the U.S. embassy, instead of sending it to the
sponsored? Isn't the U.S. embassy violating my right to privacy?

3) I already sent copies of my last 3 tax returns to the INS when I
submitted my affidavit of support. Why can't they obtain a copy of
the tax return from the INS? Haven't they heard of fax machines?
Don't the INS and U.S. embassies communicate with each other?

Thanks.

Joachim Feise

Tony Landicho wrote on 4/15/2004 13:19:
    >
    > Is this legal?

Yes.

    > Aren't tax returns confidential?

Not as far as immigration is concerned...

    > 1) Why is the U.S. embassy asking for another copy of my tax return?

Because you probably didn't send the 2004 tax return...

    > 2) And even if they did, they should be asking it directly from me,
    > or from the INS office.

No.
Once the file it at the consulate, CIS (INS doesn't exist anymore) is
completely out of the picture.

    > Why shouldn't I be sending a copy of my tax
    > return directly to the U.S. embassy, instead of sending it to the
    > sponsored?

Because they can't accept it that way.

    > Isn't the U.S. embassy violating my right to privacy?

No.

    > 3) I already sent copies of my last 3 tax returns to the INS when I
    > submitted my affidavit of support. Why can't they obtain a copy of
    > the tax return from the INS? Haven't they heard of fax machines?
    > Don't the INS and U.S. embassies communicate with each other?

They have the whole file that they got from CIS (in fact, part of the
immigrant visa is the file in a sealed envelope, which is how it gets
returned to CIS.) But, there is a new tax year, so they presumably
want this year's tax return, and I guess that is not in the file...

If you are so afraid of your parents knowing how much you made, why don't
you go to the consulate with them and hand it to them in person?

-Joe

TheWanderer

to make sure you can support them. Giving them tax return is common practice
even just for tourist visa
"Tony Landicho" <> wrote in message
news:...
    > My petition for my parents has been approved. I already submitted my
    > affidavit of support and paid all required fees to the INS. My
    > parents are now due for an interview at the U.S. embassy in the
    > Philippines for their immigrant visa processing. Problem is, they now
    > received a letter from the U.S. embassy, asking them to bring to the
    > interview a copy of my recent INCOME TAX RETURN.
    > Is this legal? Aren't tax returns confidential? I might as well
    > announce to all my relatives how much I make. I am reluctant to send
    > my tax returns to anyone other than the government, or the bank.
    > Can anyone answer the following questions:
    > 1) Why is the U.S. embassy asking for another copy of my tax return?
    > To verify income, obtain SSNs, or verify employers? I see no valid
    > reason at this stage for the U.S. embassy to inspect my tax return.
    > Where is it written that they are legally authorized to ask for this
    > documentation?
    > 2) And even if they did, they should be asking it directly from me,
    > or from the INS office. Why shouldn't I be sending a copy of my tax
    > return directly to the U.S. embassy, instead of sending it to the
    > sponsored? Isn't the U.S. embassy violating my right to privacy?
    > 3) I already sent copies of my last 3 tax returns to the INS when I
    > submitted my affidavit of support. Why can't they obtain a copy of
    > the tax return from the INS? Haven't they heard of fax machines?
    > Don't the INS and U.S. embassies communicate with each other?
    > Thanks.