Hi Guys,
I am married and was on a H1B visa and had been filing taxes as a resident alien before moving to India in Mar 2020. Since then i have been living in India and i do not intend to return to USA.
Can i file my taxes as a Resident alien for the tax year 2020? I was reading about filing as a dual status alien, but what i understood was that it's totally optional to file that way and i can decide whether:
1) I want to file 1040 as a resident alien for full year or
2) I can file 1040 as a resident for Jan-Mar and then 1040 NR as a non-resident for the remaining portion of the year.
Is it correct understanding that i can make the decision on whether i want to go with option #1 or #2?
Also if i go with #1, would i be able to get the standard deduction (for full tax year 2020) and child credit when filing jointly with my spouse?
