2025 Tax Filing Status Question (NRA vs. Married Filing Jointly)

[AnnieBersch]

Hello!

I have a tax question related to my immigration status. I’ve been in the U.S. since 2022 on an F-1 visa and have been filing taxes as a nonresident alien. I married a U.S. citizen in 2025 and we are currently preparing to file my green card application.

For the 2025 tax return, we were told we should file Married Filing Jointly, which would require me to be treated as a U.S. resident for tax purposes.

From your experience, which option typically results in lower overall taxes?

• Continue filing as a nonresident alien (Married Filing Separately), or

• Make the choice to be treated as a resident and file Married Filing Jointly with my U.S. citizen spouse.

We are both graduate students, if that helps.

[Bsch4477]

Married jointly is almost always better. You could try it both ways and compare.