Let's say you have been a green card holder for many years, and always meant to apply for U.S. citizenship, but got too busy with work, family and the like. Then you lose your job and become unable to afford your U.S. income taxes, which leads you to not file the required tax returns at all. Will this bar you from applying for naturalized U.S. citizenship? That's what this article will discuss, namely:
One of the important requirements for U.S. citizenship is that the applicant show "good moral character." This doesn't mean showing that you're better than the average person, but it does involve showing that you have behaved well, including paying your taxes.
The naturalization application Form N-400 issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) specifically asks about whether you have paid the taxes that you owe, including any federal, state, and local obligations. (See When Visa or Green Card Holders Must Pay Taxes if you're in doubt about your obligation.)
However, missing a tax payment doesn't mean you are forever barred from U.S. citizenship. The important thing now is that you do everything possible to evaluate and fix the situation, as described next.
If your household income was low enough, it's possible that you didn't owe taxes at all. With regard to federal taxes, this IRS page can help: Do I Need to File a Tax Return?. Of course, you'll need to make sure to follow the rules for the years you failed to file.
In order to deal with this situation, you will most likely need to file your tax returns and including payments for the basic amount and any applicable penalties. Or, if you still can't afford the full tax bill, you might be able to work out a payment plan with the IRS and state or local taxing authorities.
Evidence that the applicant is complying with such a payment plan has, in some cases, been accepted by USCIS as sufficient proof of good moral character.
Though not hopeless, this is a tricky situation. Your best bet is to get expert help from both a tax professional and an immigration attorney.
The immigration attorney, for example, can help you by writing a persuasive letter to accompany your N-400 application, explaining why your failure to pay taxes does not indicate a lack of good moral character. The attorney can also help you collect and present other evidence of your good moral character, for example by presenting letters and documents showing your community involvement, dedication to family, participation in religious worship activities, and so forth.
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