Add Visa pages to US passport

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On 13 Mar 2007 19:48:05 -0700, "yaofeng" <yaofengchen@gmail . com >
wrote:

>On Mar 13, 9:03 pm, "ant" <britishtobaccoverificatio...@yahoo.co.uk>
>wrote:
>> yaofeng wrote:
>> > After getting successive complaints from the Aruba and the Lativia
>> > customs official on my passport running out of space for Visa stamps,
>> > I finally sent it to the State Department at the beginning of the
>> > month to get more blank pages added. The Aruba customs official only
>> > complained somewhat jokingly. But the Lativia customs official was
>> > very unfriendly during my last trip. I can't afford to have my
>> > passport in the State Department for 6 weeks so I sent along $60 for
>> > expedited service. The processing time for expedited service is two
>> > weeks.
>>
>> > The SD received my application on March 5. I tracked it with the USPS
>> > certified mail. As my next travel date of March 22 is approaching, I
>> > am getting jittery. I called the SD inquiry line. The automated
>> > phone answering system didn't get me anywhere. You just can not get a
>> > human to answer the phone. My email to the SD asking for status of my
>> > application went unanswered too. So much for our tax dollars. I
>> > guess it all goes to paying for the war no one is working in the SD
>> > anymore.
>>
>> > What to do?
>>
>> Welcome to the bullshit non-americans get to enjoy when dealing with any of
>> the US gov't entitites we deal with to enter the US. They're totally
>> un-accountable, they are inefficient, capricious, not to mention
>> bureaucratic and expensive! And often they are, er, not incredibly bright
>> either.
>>
>> --
>> ant
>> Don't try to email me;
>> I'm borrowing the spammer du jour's addy- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>They may not be accountable to you. They are to us. As Shawn
>suggested, we have representation because we pay taxes.

Fat lot of good it's doing you.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

yaofeng wrote:

> They may not be accountable to you. They are to us. As Shawn
> suggested, we have representation because we pay taxes.

And I pay taxes too. I pay federal income tax, state income tax, social
security, and medicare. The latter two I cannot get any of back, it's gone.

but I have no representation when being jerked around by american
bureaucrats.

That "no taxation without representation" thing they howled a few centuries
back seems to have become unfashionable. In my country, the public servants
are accountable for everything they do, to anyone they deal with. There are
rules, which they must abide by. You don't need your local Member to get
redress.


--
ant
Don't try to email me;
I'm borrowing the spammer du jour's addy

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On Mar 14, 9:35 pm, "ant" <britishtobaccoverificatio...@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:
> yaofeng wrote:
> > They may not be accountable to you. They are to us. As Shawn
> > suggested, we have representation because we pay taxes.
>
> And I pay taxes too. I pay federal income tax, state income tax, social
> security, and medicare. The latter two I cannot get any of back, it's gone.
>
> but I have no representation when being jerked around by american
> bureaucrats.
>
> That "no taxation without representation" thing they howled a few centuries
> back seems to have become unfashionable. In my country, the public servants
> are accountable for everything they do, to anyone they deal with. There are
> rules, which they must abide by. You don't need your local Member to get
> redress.
>
> --
> ant
> Don't try to email me;
> I'm borrowing the spammer du jour's addy

If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
it too.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

yaofeng wrote:

> If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
> or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
> it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
> it too.
>

Please cite a source for this misinformation.
Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On Mar 15, 1:32 am, Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
> yaofeng wrote:
> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
> > or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
> > it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
> > it too.
>
> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare

Look at 13.5 in the link below

* w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

"yaofeng" <yaofengchen@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>>
>> yaofeng wrote:
>> >
>> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
>> > or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
>> > it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
>> > it too.
>>
>> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
>> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare
>
> Look at 13.5 in the link below
>
> * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html

That only applies to non-residents.

As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
subject to paying the taxes.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On Mar 15, 10:27 am, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
> "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>
> >> yaofeng wrote:
>
> >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
> >> > or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
> >> > it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
> >> > it too.
>
> >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
> >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare
>
> > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>
> > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>
> That only applies to non-residents.
>
> As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
> subject to paying the taxes.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Naturally. When he becomes a resident alien he is annoucing his
intention to stay.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

"yaofeng" <yaofengchen@gmail . com > wrote:

> Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>>
>> "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>>
>> > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>>
>> >> yaofeng wrote:
>>
>> >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social
>> >> > security or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't
>> >> > know this. Get it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't
>> >> > have the cake and eat it too.
>>
>> >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
>> >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and
>> >> Medicare
>>
>> > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>>
>> > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>>
>> That only applies to non-residents.
>>
>> As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
>> subject to paying the taxes.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Naturally. When he becomes a resident alien he is annoucing his
> intention to stay.

The point is that he would not be a citizen, and would be subject to the
taxes, which was the original suggestion.

It doesn't mean the person intends to live in the country permanently,
simply that the stay will be longer than that considered as temporary by
IRS rules.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

yaofeng wrote:
> On Mar 15, 10:27 am, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>
>>"yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>>
>>>>yaofeng wrote:
>>
>>>>>If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
>>>>>or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
>>>>>it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
>>>>>it too.
>>
>>>>Please cite a source for this misinformation.
>>>>Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare
>>
>>>Look at 13.5 in the link below
>>
>>> * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>>
>>That only applies to non-residents.
>>
>>As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
>>subject to paying the taxes.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>>- Show quoted text -
>
>
> Naturally. When he becomes a resident alien he is annoucing his
> intention to stay.
>

You didn't make any residency distinction. You indicated they just had
to be a non-citizen.
"If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
or medicare"

You don't have to be a citizen to collect ss and medicare benefits.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On Mar 15, 2:27 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
> "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>
> >> yaofeng wrote:
>
> >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
> >> > or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
> >> > it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
> >> > it too.
>
> >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
> >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare
>
> > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>
> > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>
> That only applies to non-residents.
>
> As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
> subject to paying the taxes.


Actually, as far as I can see, it applies to non-resident aliens -
this is a IRS term, which has nothing (in general) to do with ones
status as permanent resident or not. There are many visas which do not
count as permanent resident, but in the second tax year (if not
sooner) living in the US ones becomes a resident alien (for tax
purposes), and this thing about not paying SS tax no longer applies.

But darn it - I'm sure I paid for 5 months when I didn't have to. I
did not know about this rule.

Hanne

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

hago@dcs.qmul.ac.uk wrote:
>
> On Mar 15, 2:27 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>>
>> "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>>
>> > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>>
>> >> yaofeng wrote:
>>
>> >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social
>> >> > security or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't
>> >> > know this. Get it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't
>> >> > have the cake and eat it too.
>>
>> >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
>> >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and
>> >> Medicare
>>
>> > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>>
>> > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>>
>> That only applies to non-residents.
>>
>> As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
>> subject to paying the taxes.
>
>
> Actually, as far as I can see, it applies to non-resident aliens -
> this is a IRS term, which has nothing (in general) to do with ones
> status as permanent resident or not. There are many visas which do not
> count as permanent resident, but in the second tax year (if not
> sooner) living in the US ones becomes a resident alien (for tax
> purposes), and this thing about not paying SS tax no longer applies.
>
> But darn it - I'm sure I paid for 5 months when I didn't have to. I
> did not know about this rule.

You can re-file a corrected return and get the money back, assuming it
hasn't been too long.

On the other hand, if you intend living in the country for more than ten
years, then you would be eligible for Social Security benefits and
Medicare, so you may want to leave things as they are. (partial years
count as a full year, for the purposes of the benefit calculation.)

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On Mar 15, 4:18 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
> h...@dcs.qmul.ac.uk wrote:
>
> > On Mar 15, 2:27 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>
> >> "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> >> > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>
> >> >> yaofeng wrote:
>
> >> >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social
> >> >> > security or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't
> >> >> > know this. Get it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't
> >> >> > have the cake and eat it too.
>
> >> >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
> >> >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and
> >> >> Medicare
>
> >> > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>
> >> > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>
> >> That only applies to non-residents.
>
> >> As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
> >> subject to paying the taxes.
>
> > Actually, as far as I can see, it applies to non-resident aliens -
> > this is a IRS term, which has nothing (in general) to do with ones
> > status as permanent resident or not. There are many visas which do not
> > count as permanent resident, but in the second tax year (if not
> > sooner) living in the US ones becomes a resident alien (for tax
> > purposes), and this thing about not paying SS tax no longer applies.
>
> > But darn it - I'm sure I paid for 5 months when I didn't have to. I
> > did not know about this rule.
>
> You can re-file a corrected return and get the money back, assuming it
> hasn't been too long.
>
> On the other hand, if you intend living in the country for more than ten
> years, then you would be eligible for Social Security benefits and
> Medicare, so you may want to leave things as they are. (partial years
> count as a full year, for the purposes of the benefit calculation.)


It was 5 months in 2001. I'm back in Europe now (for years). I am not
sure that it would be worth my time to figure it all out and file, and
then pay to get the check cashed (different currency). My time is
money too :-)

Hanne

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

hago@dcs.qmul.ac.uk wrote:

> On Mar 15, 4:18 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>> h...@dcs.qmul.ac.uk wrote:
>>
>> > On Mar 15, 2:27 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>>
>> >> "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>>
>> >> > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>>
>> >> >> yaofeng wrote:
>>
>> >> >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social
>> >> >> > security or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US
>> >> >> > don't know this. Get it rectified. But taxes you have to
>> >> >> > pay. Can't have the cake and eat it too.
>>
>> >> >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
>> >> >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and
>> >> >> Medicare
>>
>> >> > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>>
>> >> > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>>
>> >> That only applies to non-residents.
>>
>> >> As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they
>> >> are subject to paying the taxes.
>>
>> > Actually, as far as I can see, it applies to non-resident aliens -
>> > this is a IRS term, which has nothing (in general) to do with ones
>> > status as permanent resident or not. There are many visas which do
>> > not count as permanent resident, but in the second tax year (if not
>> > sooner) living in the US ones becomes a resident alien (for tax
>> > purposes), and this thing about not paying SS tax no longer
>> > applies.
>>
>> > But darn it - I'm sure I paid for 5 months when I didn't have to. I
>> > did not know about this rule.
>>
>> You can re-file a corrected return and get the money back, assuming
>> it hasn't been too long.
>>
>> On the other hand, if you intend living in the country for more than
>> ten years, then you would be eligible for Social Security benefits
>> and Medicare, so you may want to leave things as they are. (partial
>> years count as a full year, for the purposes of the benefit
>> calculation.)
>
>
> It was 5 months in 2001. I'm back in Europe now (for years). I am not
> sure that it would be worth my time to figure it all out and file, and
> then pay to get the check cashed (different currency). My time is
> money too :-)

Normally, amended returns have to be filed within three years, so you
might be out of luck in any case.

There are some exceptions that extend the time to a maximum of seven
years. I'm not sure if your case would fall under that limit or not.
You'd have to ask the IRS.

As you say, time is money, and it also might not be worth the effort.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On Mar 15, 11:59 am, h...@dcs.qmul.ac.uk wrote:
> On Mar 15, 2:27 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> > > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>
> > >> yaofeng wrote:
>
> > >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
> > >> > or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
> > >> > it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
> > >> > it too.
>
> > >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
> > >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare
>
> > > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>
> > > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>
> > That only applies to non-residents.
>
> > As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
> > subject to paying the taxes.
>
> Actually, as far as I can see, it applies to non-resident aliens -
> this is a IRS term, which has nothing (in general) to do with ones
> status as permanent resident or not. There are many visas which do not
> count as permanent resident, but in the second tax year (if not
> sooner) living in the US ones becomes a resident alien (for tax
> purposes), and this thing about not paying SS tax no longer applies.
>
> But darn it - I'm sure I paid for 5 months when I didn't have to. I
> did not know about this rule.
>
> Hanne- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

You are right it applies to non-resident aliens. But it is both IRS
term and INS term. You can get you money back.

Re: Add Visa pages to US passport

On Mar 15, 4:20 pm, "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
> On Mar 15, 11:59 am, h...@dcs.qmul.ac.uk wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Mar 15, 2:27 pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212 . com > wrote:
>
> > > "yaofeng" <yaofengc...@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> > > > Mike Hunt <postmaster@localhost> wrote:
>
> > > >> yaofeng wrote:
>
> > > >> > If you are not a citizen you do not have to pay either social security
> > > >> > or medicare. Most foreigners working in the US don't know this. Get
> > > >> > it rectified. But taxes you have to pay. Can't have the cake and eat
> > > >> > it too.
>
> > > >> Please cite a source for this misinformation.
> > > >> Many non-citizens pay and many non-citizens benefit from SS and Medicare
>
> > > > Look at 13.5 in the link below
>
> > > > * w w w .irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw177.html
>
> > > That only applies to non-residents.
>
> > > As soon as a non-citizen is considered a permanent resident, they are
> > > subject to paying the taxes.
>
> > Actually, as far as I can see, it applies to non-resident aliens -
> > this is a IRS term, which has nothing (in general) to do with ones
> > status as permanent resident or not. There are many visas which do not
> > count as permanent resident, but in the second tax year (if not
> > sooner) living in the US ones becomes a resident alien (for tax
> > purposes), and this thing about not paying SS tax no longer applies.
>
> > But darn it - I'm sure I paid for 5 months when I didn't have to. I
> > did not know about this rule.
>
> > Hanne- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> You are right it applies to non-resident aliens. But it is both IRS
> term and INS term. You can get you money back.


I disagree: I lived in the US for 2.5 years on a non-immigrant visa -
the INS never considered me a resident, but the IRS did (past the
first 5 months in my case, but this depends on a lot of things).

It is true however, that obtaining a green card ("permanent"
residency), means that the IRS would consider one a resident also.

And yes, I now know that I could get my money back, but I am not sure
it is worth my time.


Hanne