NRA spouse - my return failing checks without his number

[Cheshirekat]

How do I file - married, filing separately - having a NRA spouse who has no American income?! It asks for ITIN/SSN but he has none, and I don’t think will ever get one as he will never file. This presents a problem as it’s getting me stuck in the final checks, as I’m not going to invent a number for him but the site won’t let me proceed with a blank number. I’ve tried writing NRA as I would on paper, to no avail.

I am feeling very frustrated. After years of paper filing because of this issue, I would hope it would be resolved and I could efile. I feel like I’m just going to revert to downloading the PDFs from the IRS as this software just isn’t fit for purpose. 

[Vanessa A]

Unfortunately, if you are married and your spouse does not have a Social Security Number, the IRS will not accept your return, so the only way for you to file is to download print and mail as you have in years past. 

If you want to use TurboTax to fill out the forms for you to print and mail, you will simply need to enter a 9 digit number for the SSN in TurboTax, then white it out, write NRA in the space then print and mail. 

[Java lover]

I have helped someone do their taxes who's spouse is a nonresident alien.  She is a US citizen.  We did apply for an ITIN for her spouse so that she could file Head of household.  It helps tremendously with the outcome of the tax return.  But without it you will have to do as was suggested by another commenter, put in a #, print the return and then white out the number and write NRA in that space.

[DaveF1006]

Yes, here are the options for filing the return. 

1. Attach a statement to your tax return, signed by both spouses, that states that one spouse is a nonresident alien and the other is a U.S. citizen or resident, and you are choosing to both be treated as US residents for the tax year.
2. List the name, address and Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification number) of each spouse.  You will need to complete a Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf).  This form will be attached to your tax return.  Turbo Tax does not support the Form W-7.  You can complete it outside of Turbo Tax.  You will have to print, sign and mail your return in if you are using Form W-7. If you haven't received an ITIN or Social Security number prior to filing, leave the Social Security number blank and you will need to file this return by mail.
3.  For the first year you make the choice, you have to file a joint return. In later years you can file joint or separate returns. Married Filing Jointly will give you a higher standard deduction and has other benefits that are not available using a married filing separately status, but you do have to include your spouse’s worldwide income in joint income.

You can also file Married Filing Separate by:

1. Prepare your return in TurboTax by choosing the option as Married Filing Separately.
2. When you get to the Let’s get ready to e-file screen, select File by Mail.
3. TurboTax will give you an error regarding the missing Social Security number or ITIN for your spouse. Proceed to print with the error, but write Nonresident Alien or NRA in the space for your spouse’s Social Security number before mailing in your return.
4. Mail the return to the address on the instruction sheet that prints with the return.

Perhaps this is the year your spouse can apply for the ITIN and you can file jointly. You will need to mail this in the first year but file electronically once your spouse has received an ITIN or SSN.

@Cheshirekat