Can a dual status alien file Form 1040EZ instead of Form 1040 as "Dual Status Return", if he is Resident Alien at the end of the year?

[rehan]

I want to file as Dual Status Alien but confused to choose between Form 1040EZ and Form 1040 because according to the IRS "You must file Form 1040 if you are a dual-status taxpayer who becomes a resident during the year and who is a U.S. resident on the last day of the tax year. Write “Dual-Status Return” across the top of the return. Attach a statement to your return to show the income for the part of the year you are a nonresident. You can use Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ as the statement, but be sure to mark “Dual-Status Statement” across the top."

[JohnR1 · Accepted solution]

As a dual-status alien who is a resident alien at the end of the year, you would file Form 1040, writing "Dual-Status Return" on the top of Page 1 of Form 1040, and add either Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ as a statement.

You cannot file a dual-status return on either a Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ, if you are a resident alien at the end of the year.

Please note that you cannot use TurboTax to prepare Form 1040NR (or 1040NR-EZ) - TurboTax does not support either form.

You may want to check out Sprintax, a partner of TurboTax, who are specifically geared towards nonresident aliens with 1040NR filing requirements - for more information visit https://www.sprintax.com/non-resident-alien-tax-1040nr-turbotax.html

For more information about nonresident alien status versus resident alien status, please see IRS Publication 519, US Tax Guide for Aliens:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p519.pdf