Married American filing taxes - wife still lives in Canada

[IcezMan_IcezLady 582]

Normally if you're close to the NVC stage I wouldn't suggest doing MFJ because you have to send the beneficiary's passport to get the W-7.

You can send a certified copy of the passport.

[Love To Teach 161]

My awful reality is that my husband has two businesses that he owns (self-employed) in two different countries. Talk about an IRS nightmare....If we file jointly, it appears that he will have to pay self-employment taxes here. However, we would double our tax refund. He is going to the US embassy to get his Passport certified there and he will also send his signed W-7 to me. Then we will decide what to do. He's already paid self-employment taxes in both countries...what a pain...BTW, somebody on VJ was kind enough to steer us in the right directions...

[NikLR 13,227]

You can send a certified copy of the passport.

I know........

[Birzun 0]

Ok guys, I finally got around to calling the IRS. It was an automated number prompt. After annoyingly pressing like 20 buttons to get to "general tax information for an individual" (that was the closest thing related to my situation), it just said "general tax information can be found on our website, www.irs.gov. Then it hangs up on me. I scoured the site for an hour and found nothing about being able to just file a paper return and just writing "NRA" in the SSN spot for my wife. As far as I can tell on their site, you have to apply for an ITIN.

1) Are you guys absolutely sure I can just write NRA if I mail it in?

2) I've never mailed in my taxes. Can I just print out the form or do I need a special version mailed to me or something?

3) I e-filed as married filing separately (didn't submit it) using a bogus SSN for her. I have the PDF of my e-file return. Can I just copy all that info by hand onto my paper version?

Thanks!

[Thozelle 16]

Ok guys, I finally got around to calling the IRS. It was an automated number prompt. After annoyingly pressing like 20 buttons to get to "general tax information for an individual" (that was the closest thing related to my situation), it just said "general tax information can be found on our website, www.irs.gov. Then it hangs up on me. I scoured the site for an hour and found nothing about being able to just file a paper return and just writing "NRA" in the SSN spot for my wife. As far as I can tell on their site, you have to apply for an ITIN.

1) Are you guys absolutely sure I can just write NRA if I mail it in?

2) I've never mailed in my taxes. Can I just print out the form or do I need a special version mailed to me or something?

3) I e-filed as married filing separately (didn't submit it) using a bogus SSN for her. I have the PDF of my e-file return. Can I just copy all that info by hand onto my paper version?

Thanks!

1. 1040 instructions pg 14 under married filing seperately.

You can send a certified copy of the passport.

There is list of other docs that can be used. Passport is not only option.

[Birzun 0]

1. 1040 instructions pg 14 under married filing seperately.

"Be sure to enter your spouse's SSN or

ITIN on Form 1040. If your spouse

doesn't have and isn't required to have

an SSN or ITIN, enter “NRA.” "

Thank you! That's exactly what I needed!

Any help for the other questions?

[aliwasif01 2]

Sorry, you can't efile right now if you're doing any sort of married option, which technically you are required to do as you are married.

I did married filing jointly and sent in the W-7 with my husband's passport copy. I just sent it with the tax return. I don't know if that delayed it or not - we had our return in about 4 weeks.

I know it sucks not efiling! But you can next year with the ITIN if there's no social security number yet. We did the paper form for 2014 taxes but I was able to efile 2015 with the ITIN.

what date we suppose to enter for entry date section on W-7 Form. Thanks!