Why can't I file electronically with a spouse who is a non-resident alien and I am filing married separate.

In fact you can file electronically in TurboTax even if your spouse does not have a tax number. You just need to indicate that the spouse's state of residence is a foreign country or US Possession when you enter your spouse's Information. On the next page you will see an option to indicate the your spouse was a non-resident alien at any time during the year on the screen that says Select Any that Apply. Then, you will be able to e-file without the taxpayer ID number. 

@crhtaxmom 

[edited 4/4/22 at 3:37 PM PST]

Thanks for your response. 

So how do you influence the IRS to accept a return where the foreign spouse has no need to get a US id number and the instructions are to write NRA on the form and send a paper return.  And the income level is pretty low so technically the person could efile for free.  I know other individuals in the same situation.  And I hear the IRS is underwater typing in returns by hand.

Appreciate your correcting my understanding about TaxAct - I had read someplace that it would work.

Thanks again

Thanks but I am still having trouble getting this to resolve no entry in the Social Security Field.

I had to go to forms view and make sure I had a personal work sheet for spouse - entered residence as FC (foreign Country).  Then tried the click box for non-resident Alien.  I must still have something off - it still is asking for a social security for the spouse who is a resident of Sweden.  Any more tips to get this to resolve - the return has a US filing address.

If you don't have a Social Security Number for your spouse, leave that blank since you will need to mail in your return.  Here are your complete instructions for completing the return.

1. Prepare your return in TurboTax.
2. When you get to the Let’s get ready to e-file screen, select File by Mail.
3. Attach a statement to your return, signed by each of you that states that one of you is a U.S. citizen and the other is a nonresident alien and that you’re electing to both be treated as U.S. residents for tax purposes. Include the full name, address and Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) of each spouse. This won’t affect the immigration status of the nonresident alien.
4. Mail the return to the address on the instruction sheet that prints with the return.

If your spouse doesn’t have a Social Security number or ITIN, you’ll need to apply for one when you mail in your return. To do this, follow steps 1–3 above and then do this:

1. Fill out Form W-7 and attach it to your return, as well as all necessary documentation.
2. Mail the return to the address specified in the Form W-7 instructions.

Note: TurboTax will give you an error regarding the missing Social Security number for your spouse. You can ignore the error since you’re printing and mailing your return.

@crhtaxmom

Your team gave me this answer yesterday.  Note the spouse is not resident in the US and does not need a tax id number.  I get that I may have to print and mail - just trying to make sure that e-file is not an option.  There is a US address (family member) that can be used for filing but the US citizen taxpayer is a resident of Sweden with both Swedish earned income and US investment income, married to a Swedish citizen/resident.

ThomasM125,  thanks for your tip. I am having a hard time figuring out where to input the spousal address. I dont see it in the Turbo Tax step by step process. Can you clarify?

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@BridgeHall555 wrote:

thanks for your tip. I am having a hard time figuring out where to input the spousal address. I dont see it in the Turbo Tax step by step process. Can you clarify?

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The only address you can enter on a tax return is the mailing address where you can be contacted if ever necessary by the IRS.  There is no such spousal address on a tax return.

Got it. I misread ThomasM125's suggestion on how to efile when the spouse is a non resident alien. I thought he suggested inputing an address, which as you said is impossible. I think fiddling around checking a non resident alien box, Turbo Tax still asks for a spousal SSN and throws an error when one is not input. With an error I cant see how one can efile? It seems to me the return has to be mailed in with the SSN filed marked as Non Resident Alien. Additonally even if the return can be transmitted by efile without the SSN, it seems to me the IRS will send notice asking about the SSN. Nowhere on the return does one see that the spouse is a non resident alien living abroad. Do you agree?

Agree.  You cannot e-file a tax return using TurboTax if your spouse is a nonresident alien and does not have either a Social Security number or an ITIN issued by the IRS.  You will have to file as Married Filing Separately.  

When completing your tax return and the TurboTax program asks for the spouse's Social Security number enter 999-88-9999.  After completing the tax return you will have print the return for mailing.  On the printed Form 1040 erase the Social Security number for your spouse and write in NRA.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for printing a tax return for mailing when using the online editions - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/printers-printing/print-mail-return-turbotax-online/L5bwuqXGy_US_en_US?uid=l8ivk3da

However, if you decide to file your tax return as Married Filing Jointly you must apply for an ITIN with the tax return and you would need to be providing a statement with your tax return that you want your Nonresident Alien Spouse Treated as a Resident.  See IRS Publication 54 Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad page 7 - https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p54.pdf

Go to this IRS website for ITIN information - https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/general-itin-information

Thank you for making this thread same again. IMO Thomas125M is posting erroneous information.  And I dont see why TurboTax does not fix this and allow inputting NRA in the SSN field and efiling the return.

That doesn't work - TurboTax goes into an infinite loop during e-file asking for the SSN/ITIN of spouse even if spouse is marked as non resident.

According to this article you CANNOT e-file if your spouse does not have an SSN/ITIN https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/filing-married-foreign-non-resident-spouse/00/1291250

This is a major flaw in TurboTax, can someone fix this so it's not required in the future to E File? Reps did not have an answer for this when I asked. This is such a small thing can be resolved in the software

The IRS requires a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for electronic filing. This is mentioned in IRS 1040 instructions.  This is what is used to verify your identity by matching names that are in the Social security database.  This is not strictly a Turbo Tax requirement.

Thanks for that information, that sucks. Seems like an inefficiency on the IRS part. 

Would be nice to avoid mailing it.

Also it would be nice to have documentation explaining that and how to print it off within TurboTax instead of us having to search for it outside the platform

You should be able to print and mail your return.  Here are the steps in Turbo Tax Online.

1. Sign in to TurboTax.
2. To open your return, select Continue or Pick up where you left off.
3. Select File in the menu.
4. You'll see 3 steps. Complete Steps 1 and 2 if you haven’t already, then select Start or Revisit next to Step 3.
5. On the We've determined the easiest way to file your taxes screen, select Change next to the return you want to file by mail, and select File by mail on the next screen. Be sure to Save.
   • If the File by mail option isn’t available, you probably previously selected to pay your TurboTax fees through your tax refund. To file by mail, you’ll need to instead pay with a credit or debit card. Here’s how to change your payment method from pay by refund, to pay by credit or debit card. Once you change your payment method, you'll see the File by mail option as described above. Select this and continue to the next step.
   • Note: You’ll need to pay any tax balance due by check when you file by mail.
6. Update the payment method for your TurboTax fees for all of the tax returns you wish to file by mail.
7. Follow the instructions to print your return(s). If you haven't already paid any outstanding TurboTax fees, you'll be prompted to do so before you can print.

For Turbo Tax Desktoip.

1. With your return open in TurboTax, select the File tab, then select Continue.
2. On the next screen, E-file Your Federal Return for FREE, select File by mail and Continue.
3. Continue through the screens until you get to the Print Tax Return for Mailing screen. Select Continue.
4. Windows users: On the next screen, select Print Returns to Mail, then select Preview Print Copy. Once the preview has opened, select the printer icon..
5. Mac users: After the printing graphic finishes loading, select Print.
6. When finished, select Continue in TurboTax and follow any additional onscreen instructions.

Once you print your returns, there should be instructions on how to file and where to mail your returns.

@drewg2009 

If your spouse is neither a U.S. citizen nor a U.S. resident within the meaning of IRC section 7701(b)(1)(A) and you file a joint or separate return, your spouse must have either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). To get an SSN for your spouse, apply at a social security office or U.S. consulate. You must complete Form SS-5. You must also provide original or certified copies of documents to verify your spouse's age, identity, and citizenship. If your spouse is not eligible to get an SSN, they can file Form W-7 with the IRS to apply for an ITIN. Refer to Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN) for more information. The instructions are in the irs.gov website here NON RESIDENT SPOUSE 

You can also find instruction on TIN applicatrions on TurboTax iwebsite here: https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/irs-tax-return/who-needs-an-itin-or-individual-tax-identification-number/L3ElmpDCN

TurboTax Tip:

You can apply for an ITIN either before your income tax return is due or at the time of filing.

Will my spouse have to file a US and Canadian tax return every year now that they will have an ITIN?

If you make this choice (election to treat your nonresident spouse as a US resident for tax purposes), the following rules apply:

• You and your spouse are treated, for federal income tax purposes, as U.S residents for all tax years that the choice is in effect. However, for Social Security and Medicare tax withholding purposes, the nonresident spouse may still be treated as a nonresident. Refer to Individuals Employed in the U.S. – Social Security Taxes .
• You must file a joint income tax return for the year you make the choice (but you and your spouse can file joint or separate returns in later years).
• Each spouse must report their entire worldwide income for the year you make the choice and for all later years unless the choice is ended or suspended.
• Generally, neither you nor your spouse can claim tax treaty benefits as a resident of a foreign country for a tax year for which the choice is in effect. However, the exception to the saving clause of a tax treaty might allow a tax treaty benefit on certain specified income.

See Nonresident Spouse   @drewg2009 

The IRS requires me to put my spouses' information down on my return even though I'm filing as single-married status, she doesn't live in the US (we live in Canada full time), and she has no job or income from the US. 

So why would my spouse be required to pay tax every single year just because I have to put them down once for my filing? That doesn't make any sense. That means my spouses' tax costs just doubled each year because they have to file for 2 countries even though they only work and live in one

@drewg2009 When you file as Married Fling Separately that filing does not in anyway require your spouse to file a US tax return.

If you are a US citizen or US resident and your spouse does not have a Social Security number or an ITIN and you are not applying for an ITIN with the tax return then you can only file your tax return as Married Filing Separately.  Where asked to enter the spouse's Social Security number enter 999-88-9999.  You can only print and mail your tax return, it cannot be e-filed.  When you print the tax return erase the Social Security number for your spouse and manually enter NRA for non-resident alien.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for the procedure to print and mail a tax return using the online editions - https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1944348-how-do-i-print-and-mail-my-return-in-turbotax-online

See this TurboTax support FAQ - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/file-taxes-spouse-nonresident-alien/L4AuRKrMd_US_en_US?uid=m7jhv066

I did file as Married Fling Separately. I put all 9's for the social security number when filling it out online. 

However when it asks me to print I cannot erase that. Even if I had a PDF editor, it can't erase that because it wasn't entered that way. I could black it out or something if that's allowed and then put NRA. But is there an easier way to do this?

The link shared is broken, does not load for me.

@drewg2009 Yes you can use white-out or some other procedure to blank out the SSN that you entered and then write in NRA.

This is the valid link for printing and mailing a tax return - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/printers-printing/print-mail-return-turbotax-online/L5bwuqXGy_US_en_US?uid=m80cuhu1

Also see this TurboTax Support FAQ when filing a spouse who is a nonresident alein - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/file-taxes-spouse-nonresident-alien/L4AuRKrMd_US_en_US?uid=m7jhv066

There is a checkbox in TurboTax where you can indicate that your spouse is a Nonresident Alien.  When it asks if you want to treat her as a resident for tax purposes say NO.  Then ignore the warnings about the missing Tax ID, and file your return electronically.  If it rejects you will have to mail it, but you should not have any issues as long as you have checked the nonresident alien box for your spouse in My Info.

Even selecting nonresident alien for your spouse, when yo get to the end, "let's make sure everything is accurate" comes with two options: File by mail or Fix Federal Return. When selecting Fix Federal Return, you're stuck in a loop trying to enter a SSN for your NRA spouse. 

Had no choice but to file by mail. 

TurboTax needs to fix this for people filing MFS