Taxes and a Vietnamese Non Resident Spouse

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly 0]

Has anyone who is married to a Vietnamese National done this? It appears to be possible. I see that a ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is required and any income the spouse made in thier home Country would have to be counted towards the total income. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Edited January 20, 2009 by IgnatiusJ.Reilly

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly 0]

P.S. We are married under Vietnamese law and she is still there.

[Mr. Leggs 0]

here ya go: http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq/0,,id=199673,00.html

[rin and john 71]

Has anyone who is married to a Vietnamese National done this? It appears to be possible. I see that a ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is required and any income the spouse made in thier home Country would have to be counted towards the total income. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Not Vietnam, but we did for tax year 2006. Rin did not receive her visa (from Thailand) until April 2007. You will need an ITIN for your spouse, can file MFJ, and will have to include your spouses foreign income (although some if not all can be excluded from US taxes).

FYI - another tax thread with links:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2574002

[Melrose Plant 1]

IgnatiusJ.Reilly, you are SO busted! You've been idling for WAY more than five minutes.

[toan_thi 0]

Has anyone who is married to a Vietnamese National done this? It appears to be possible. I see that a ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is required and any income the spouse made in thier home Country would have to be counted towards the total income. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, you can file your tax return as married. The new law has changed for spouse without social security number. In order to get the ITIN for your wife, you will need your wife original vietnamese Passport or Vietnamese Identification card ( Chung Minh Nhan Dan ), copy of your marriage certificate license. Then file your tax as married joint return, just leave your wife social security number blank, sign your tax returns with both signature, you and your wife. You can sign for your wife. Make sure you include all documents as I stated with your returns and send it to Philadelphia. I don't remember the address but you can look it up under IRS.gov. After they received your tax returns they will process your tax and issued ITIN for your spouse as same time. Good Luck.

[toan_thi 0]

Has anyone who is married to a Vietnamese National done this? It appears to be possible. I see that a ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is required and any income the spouse made in thier home Country would have to be counted towards the total income. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I just want to clarified on the address where to send your tax returns. It depends on where are you live. Go into the irs.gov and look under How to obtain ITIN for your wife and follows the instructions. It is very straight forward. And Just a extra note, if you do have a refund; make sure you do direct deposit into your checking or saving account, otherwise; you might run into problem with deposit the paper check into your bank account, because the check it will have both name, you and your wife name appeared on the paper check, that requires two signature.

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly 0]

IgnatiusJ.Reilly, you are SO busted! You've been idling for WAY more than five minutes.

Thanks for the responses everybody.

[Teacher Mark 53]

Well it's true. I took my taxes to Block Head and confirmed it. The only drawback is having to mail in the return. It will take 5 to 7 weeks (allegedly) with direct deposit.

To future readers:

You need form W-7 and verifying documents. Here's the link:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf

You also need a Power of Attorney to sign for your Spouse.

[bryonm4 0]

I plan to file jointly once I get married I don't think I can get her original password but I know I can get a copy of it and have her do a W7. I'm not sure if you can collect on the stimules money or not I have heard some people say yes others say no.

Here is a link for more reading you might be able to go back and amend your last years return also if you were married then

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35061

[Old Dominion 26]

I plan to file jointly once I get married I don't think I can get her original password but I know I can get a copy of it and have her do a W7. I'm not sure if you can collect on the stimules money or not I have heard some people say yes others say no.

Here is a link for more reading you might be able to go back and amend your last years return also if you were married then

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35061

Stimulus money is available only when both spouses have Social Security numbers. An ITIN won't do it.

[bryonm4 0]

Has anyone who is married to a Vietnamese National done this? It appears to be possible. I see that a ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is required and any income the spouse made in thier home Country would have to be counted towards the total income. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, you can file your tax return as married. The new law has changed for spouse without social security number. In order to get the ITIN for your wife, you will need your wife original vietnamese Passport or Vietnamese Identification card ( Chung Minh Nhan Dan ), copy of your marriage certificate license. Then file your tax as married joint return, just leave your wife social security number blank, sign your tax returns with both signature, you and your wife. You can sign for your wife. Make sure you include all documents as I stated with your returns and send it to Philadelphia. I don't remember the address but you can look it up under IRS.gov. After they received your tax returns they will process your tax and issued ITIN for your spouse as same time. Good Luck.

Do you send her original Passport or Identification card to the IRS along with the W7? I assume the IRS will send them back so I can return them to her in Vietnam. I just worry about them getting lost in the mail even if I send it Fed Ex.

[Teacher Mark 53]

I wouldn't send the I.R.S. a passport. Get her a copy of her I.D. and her Birth Certificate notarized at the Consulate and a Power of Attorney.

[rin and john 71]

I plan to file jointly once I get married I don't think I can get her original password but I know I can get a copy of it and have her do a W7. I'm not sure if you can collect on the stimules money or not I have heard some people say yes others say no.

Here is a link for more reading you might be able to go back and amend your last years return also if you were married then

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35061

If you were not married by 12/31/2008, then you were single (or HOH if you had dependents in your home) for TY 2008. You can file MFJ for TY 2009 (next year). The stimulus was for TY 2008, so you will not receive any further rebate when you file this year (unless you did not receive the $600 for yourself in 2008).

And yes, SSN's are required for the stimulus rebate. For those who can, get a SSN before filing your 2008 taxes. IF you cannot get a SSN by April 2009, get an extension (can get 6 months without any reason specified) if you think you will have the SSN by October 2009. The other option would be to file by April 15th, then file a 1040X (amended return) once your spouse has their SSN.

[tom&tata 2]

Has anyone who is married to a Vietnamese National done this? It appears to be possible. I see that a ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is required and any income the spouse made in thier home Country would have to be counted towards the total income. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, you can file your tax return as married. The new law has changed for spouse without social security number. In order to get the ITIN for your wife, you will need your wife original vietnamese Passport or Vietnamese Identification card ( Chung Minh Nhan Dan ), copy of your marriage certificate license. Then file your tax as married joint return, just leave your wife social security number blank, sign your tax returns with both signature, you and your wife. You can sign for your wife. Make sure you include all documents as I stated with your returns and send it to Philadelphia. I don't remember the address but you can look it up under IRS.gov. After they received your tax returns they will process your tax and issued ITIN for your spouse as same time. Good Luck.

Do you send her original Passport or Identification card to the IRS along with the W7? I assume the IRS will send them back so I can return them to her in Vietnam. I just worry about them getting lost in the mail even if I send it Fed Ex.

If she lives close to US consulate, make a copy of valid passport & have it certified/notarized there at the consulate. This notarized copy is what you sent along with W-7 form