Question about tax transcripts for I-944

[MaryD]

Hi everyone. Hope you're all surviving this very uncertain time. I am a J1 visa holder married to a US citizen. I was preparing to submit my full I-485 package when the pandemic hit. The one thing I hadn't gotten yet was my tax transcripts for my I-944. But now the IRS is not issuing those, at least not by mail. You are supposed to be able to get them online, but I am unable to create an account because the site says it cannot verify my phone number. I have no idea how long it's going to be until the IRS can give me these transcripts - they seem swamped with other important things like sending out stimulus checks. Right now I'm debating whether it is worth submitting alternative evidence of my income and tax, like my tax returns from Turbotax with the email saying the IRS had accepted my returns. And maybe explaining in my cover letter that I cannot get my tax transcripts from the IRS right now because of the pandemic. But I don't want my application to get rejected because it doesn't have the right documentation. I am wondering if anyone else is in a similar boat, or if anyone else has submitted tax returns instead of tax transcripts?

Thank you :-)

[Hotaru-Grace]

Hello

Whatever your final decision is, it must include, sending a document with proof that you filed your taxes with IRS to immigration within your first package. At no time will USCIS proceed with your application if it is void of the most recent or near current copies of your tax return. Getting an RFE in this time or any other is not beneficial in any way.

Submitting Tax Transcript or Receipt for Filing Taxes

When we filed our I485 (2017) and I751 ROC (2020) we used the summary pages that we printed from TurboTax, we never requested a transcript from IRS. We try to work with documents that we can easily access, without giving ourselves the headache of navigating third and fourth party mediums. TurboTax is a reputable site or external tax agency/app. TurboTax always provides a cover sheet that summarizes the transaction, and gives information of what funds is owed to IRS or should be returned to us (we jointly filed). The information from TurboTax clearly documents that we filed our taxes and that is all that USCIS needs proof of.

We printed both the cover sheet and the corresponding pages that showed what we inputted in Turbo tax and submitted it to the USCIS; yes, I agree that is usually more pages than what would have been provided in a IRS tax transcript (alas applying to USCIS includes investment in ink and copy paper so we were prepared). We have never got an RFE, never had our I864 returned and in general NEVER had any issues what so ever in any of the stages of our immigrant filing. Also we have filed every single form on our own without help from family, paralegal or immigration lawyer, so we can only guide you from personal experience. Please submit your turbo tax statements. If you feel comfortable you can add a leaflet explaining your efforts to obtain tax transcript (with email or documented proof of your efforts) to the 'tax section' within I864, BUT please do submit your turbo tax statements.

All the best.

[pigrew]

When I signed up for the online tax transcripts, it only took a few minutes:

The IRS website says the mobile "must have your name on the account".

Perhaps you can log into edit mobile phone account settings and set your name for your phone line? Call the operator for your mobile phone? I think it uses the name setup as your caller-id name.

It may only work for post-paid mobile accounts (not pre-paid).

-Nathan

[000000]

You need a phone number or a verified address

We'll need one more way to verify your identity. The easiest way is to send a code to your phone by text message (SMS). Your phone must be a U.S.-based mobile phone number associated with your name.

You can also complete identity verification by receiving a letter in the mail. If you choose this method, you'll either need a U.S.-based phone number OR an iPhone, iPad, or Android device to complete registration.

Btw, i used mail option above. It took 3 weeks and ultimately i just used a copy of my 1040 for i864, did not need i944 and it seems it was accepted. Waiting for interview.

[MaryD]

Thank you all for your responses, appreciate it! I think I am having trouble because my phone number is with MetroPCS, which counts as prepaid service. I'm thinking of switching just to get my transcripts, if it was so easy for others! I tried the letter in the mail verification method and never received anything (this was over a month ago), and the website says the IRS is not mailing anything right now other than for essential services. Hotaru-Grace, good to know they accepted Turbotax records as documentation. They only mention IRS transcripts in the instructions which is why I was worried it may cause trouble.