Visitor visa renewal question on DS 160

[gcseeker2002]

My parents have had a visitor visa since 2001, and it expired this month. My parents have visited the US about 4 times in the last 10 years. When they visited the second time, I was advised by a Tax associate in HR Block to apply for a tax ID for my parents to claim them as dependents on my tax return.

I applied for tax-id for them , and used it in the tax returns I filed after the 3rd and 4th visits.
One of the questions in the online DS 160 application is, if we have a US Taxpayer ID.
Do I put in the tax ID they got ? Is there any risk in that ? Will the consulate see it as any
reason to question them, as to why they got tax id for visiting the US ? Of course I know that by not mentioning it, there will be a issue of lying on the form, if they find out that they have a tax-id.

Please post your ideas/suggestions on this.

[ivgclive]

Do I put in the tax ID they got ? Is there any risk in that ?


You have no choice but to give the right information.
They are given Tax-ID by US Government and asked to fill up in one of their Govt. document.
Their system is SO sophisticated now. Even if you miss, a question will eventually pop up.

Risk - I don't think so any risk involved here. You did it within the boundary of what LAW says. Worst case, they may ask the tax returns. Give them the copy of the years you used their Tax Ids.

It is just like what you do for your spouse for a H4 visa, give their SSN/TIN with tax return copies.

[vishwak]

Did they stay more than 180 days anytime?

I think if they stay more than 180 days only you can claim as dependent right?

[ubdvit]

Did they stay more than 180 days anytime?

I think if they stay more than 180 days only you can claim as dependent right?

I thought you cannot claim parents as dependents, period. The tax specialist obviously knows better than I do.

[gcseeker2002]

I thought you cannot claim parents as dependents, period. The tax specialist obviously knows better than I do.

There is a clause on the HRblock taxcut that you can use anybody as dependents
if they have stayed with you . Also , I cannot hide the tax id anymore, because
as part of the supporting documents, I am sending them my previous year tax return
where they are listed as dependent with a tax id, so they might get questioned about
it if we dont mention it. So , for now I think we have to put it in the DS160.