Should I file as single?

[jiggs224]

I got married outside US in Dec 2016. My Wife has never been to US yet, she doesn't have SSN or ITIN. Should I file as Single?

[NatalieC]

If you are married, you cannot file single. 

There are only three ways a married person can file

• married filing jointly (MFJ)
• married filing separately (MFS)
  
• head-of-household (HOH).

The IRS requires married couples, whether together or separated, that are filing as married filing separately to provide their spouse or ex-spouse's social security number because they want to compare the two returns.

 The IRS requires all tax software companies to request the other spouse's social security number.

  If for some reason a person does not want to give or does not have the other spouse's social security number, they would not be able to efile their tax return, but instead would have to paper file their return by printing, signing, dating and mailing.