@steevbe , the first year choice just pulls forward your status as a resident for tax purposes that is :
1. you become a Resident for tax purposes from Nov 1st ( when you were admitted into the USA ) 2019 instead of April 2020 ( or thereabouts )
2. You are dual status person --- Jan 1st through Oct. 31st a Non-Resident Alien and taxed ONLY on your US sourced / connected income AND world income from Nov 1st. through the end of the year.
3. You cannot file the request ( with all the info and as detailed on page 8 of the Publication 519) till you have met the substantial presence test -- April 2020
4. Whether you make the first year choice or not , your foreign income from Jan 1st through Oct. 31st 2019 is not taxed by the USA.
5. You are not eligible to be treated as a resident for the whole year -- see page 9 of the pub 519
6. Technically you would be a dual status and SHOULD file form 1040-NR/EZ for the first part of the year ( note that this not supported by TurboTax ) and file form 1040 for the rest of the year. To achieve this you either use the services of the tax professional, SprinTax ( TurboTax partner ) or similar but what you have to do ( if you want to do it yourself ) -- Download the form 1040-NR/EZ from the IRS website, fill it out ( showing zero income and therefore this is just a formality ), then prepare your form 1040 with TurboTax, print it out sign / date and file by mail -- attach the 1040-NR/EZ in the back. On the first page of form 1040 -- print by Hand Dual Status Taxpayer. Send the whole thing to the IRS
7. from the eligibility requirements, you should be able to get the stimulus payment but I have no idea if this will indeed bear out because IRS has not put out any rules on this situation ( i.e. for dual status tax payers). However, if you do not make the choice, you are clearly in-eligible, in addition to being taxed at a higher flat rate of 30% ( on the plus side though your foreign income , if any during your presence in the USA, would be protected from the USA taxation )
Good Luck
pk
