My spouse is not with me; she lives in Bangladesh. What can I do to continue the tax return without her SSN?

rafiq — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:20:37 GMT

Re: My spouse is not with me; she lives in Bangladesh. What can I do to continue the tax return without her SSN?

DoninGA — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:29:49 GMT

See this TurboTax support FAQ if your spouse is a nonresident alien - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/file-taxes-spouse-nonresident-alien/L4AuRKrMd_US_en_US

Re: My spouse is not with me; she lives in Bangladesh. What can I do to continue the tax return w...

CatinaT1 — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:46:22 GMT

It depends. Does she have a SSN or an ITIN? Do you have a dependent that lives with you?

Here are your options:

You can file as Married Filing Separately.

In TurboTax, you will still be asked for your spouse's SSN or ITIN. If she doesn't have either or if you don't know the number and can't get it, you will not be able to e-file. However, when you paper-filing, you simply write "NRA" (for Non-Resident Alien) in the box for her SSN (assuming she is a NRA). If you use the Standard Deduction, it will be $15,750. With this filing status you will not be able to claim some credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit or Education Credits, and your tax brackets are less favorable.

Note: If you choose this route, enter 999-00-9999 as a temporary placeholder for her SSN, just remember to cross that out on your paper copy and change it to "NRA" before you mail it in.

You can file as Married Filing Jointly.

This is usually the most beneficial because you get the full $31,500 standard deduction. However, it requires an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) for your wife. You fill out an ITIN application (Form W-7) and mail it physically along with your completed tax return and her certified identity documents (like a passport). You cannot e-file the first year you apply for an ITIN. You would also need to report both your worldwide incomes. So if she earns any money in Bangladesh, all of it must be reported on your U.S. tax return.

You might be able to file Head of Household.

If you have a child or another qualifying relative living with you in the U.S., the IRS allows you to file as Head of Household even though you are married. If this is the case, let us know and we can make sure they qualify you for Head of Household. The benefit to this filing status is you get a $23,625 standard deduction and you can still e-file.

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My spouse is not with me; she lives in Bangladesh. What can I do to continue the tax return without her SSN?

Re: My spouse is not with me; she lives in Bangladesh. What can I do to continue the tax return without her SSN?

Re: My spouse is not with me; she lives in Bangladesh. What can I do to continue the tax return w...