H4 - (dont have tax doc for 2002)

[ivp]

Hi All,

I would really appreciate if you could give some suggestion on this issue.

I am in US since 2001 April ( H1B). My company (A) moved to India in January 2002 and they asked me to work at their Client’s place here but they didn’t pay my salary here. They took care of my expenses here and paid a bulk amount in India. I couldn’t find a different job so I continued with them. After a year I found another job and moved to company (B), since then I am not having any issue with my pay or W2.
Company (A) does not exist now because they sold the company to an US company.

I went to India (Chennai consulate) for my H1B Visa extension on 2003 Oct and got my visa stamped. Officer asked about my 2002 W2’s, I told him I was on bench that year. Some how I managed to get the visa.

End of this month my wife is going for her H4 visa in Bombay consulate (She is from Goa)

My questions are:
1. Shall I ask my wife to tell the real story? Or say I was on bench?
2.Shall I ask her to take only the pay stubs for this year and last year tax retunes?
3. Shall I ask my wife to say that I have already given an explanation in to the officer in Chennai regarding this issue when I went for the visa last time?

Thanks,
IVP

[veena_swsh]

Hi.
I think you should try your luck with your wife's stamping by sending her with the W2s for 2003 and 2004, and also original payslips for the last 6 months, and original bank statements for the last 6 months showing a good balance. You can also get your present employer to write a letter of requisition to the consulate for her visa. Let the 2002 W2 issue be handled only if it is raised, for which now you can squarely blame the old employer as they exist no more.

Your wife will need to re-assert that your present job is good and paying you well in accordance with the LCA.