Can we do deductions for medical surgery expenses paid in India

[manishpandeylsg]

I m currently working in US through H1B visa. Last year i had to pay around 50,000$ for my dad's medical and surgery expenses in India

Does my father qualify as a dependent for medical expense deductions, even though he doesn’t live with me in the U.S.?

Are foreign medical expenses eligible for deduction under IRS rules? (by tax treaty)

[Vanessa A · Accepted solution]

Have you met the substantial presence test?  If not, then you would need to file a 1040NR which has different rules than the 1040.  TurboTax does not support the 1040NR but our partner Sprintax.com does. 

No, your father would not count as a dependent since he is in India even if you did pay his medical expenses. 

To claim someone as a dependent, they must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien or national or a reside...

[xmasbaby0]

Sorry--no, you cannot claim your father as a dependent, nor can you deduct his medical expenses on your tax return.

Qualifying relative

• They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).
• They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
• They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
• They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
• They lived with you the entire year (exceptions apply).
• They made less than $5050 in 2024 (not counting Social Security)
• You provided more than half of their financial support.