@webster4live wrote:
I'm not a US citizen. My visa class is F1. Does the earlier explanation still apply?
If you are on an F visa and have been in the US less than 5 years, you are considered a non-resident and must file a 1040-NR. Turbotax does not prepare the 1040-NR, you will need to find another tax software provider. You only report and pay income tax on US-source income, and not your world-wide income.
A non-resident alien cannot use the married filing jointly or head of household filing status. You have to file married filing separately. Your spouse does not file a US tax return unless they have "US source" income, in which case they also would be required to file separately.
Note, however, that you are exempt from the substantial presence test only if you comply with the terms of your visa. If you violate your visa requirements (such as, you work outside your educational allowance, or you lose your educational status and stay in the country illegally) then you may pass the substatial presence test and be considered a US resident, and be required to file a US tax return to pay tax on all your world-wide income. In that case you could make the election to treat your wife as a US person for taxes. But I wouldn't recommend violating the terms of your visa just to be able to file jointly.
Review
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-519
and
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040nr.pdf
and
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/substantial-presence-test
