ivanidea

My wife, USC, lives and works in the US.

I currently live and work in the UK, with a CR1 application in process, so still a UK tax payer and not yet a LPR.

We married last summer, so she is trying to file her tax (separately), as married.

TurboTax requires spouse SSN or tax code. It will not accept any other text. She does not want to use any other software or method to filer her tax form.

She is under the impression that I need to fill in form W-7 and apply for a tax code. I'm not sure that I need (or want) to do this, since I shall be getting a SSN when I immigrate.

There might also be the option of deferring the filing until August, by which time I could have my SSN.

I'm sure we are not the first to have this problem, so would like to hear how others have worked around it.

Phyzz

My situation was slightly different, in that I was adding my wife and children as dependents, but I do not think it was possible when using TurboTax online.

In order to apply for the ITIN the W7 form had to be attached and submitted with the return. I prepared my filing using TurboTax, but then printed the package and took this with me to the IRS.

nun

If you have no US income, are not filing a US return yourself and are not claimed as a dependent on another US tax return then your spouse can claim you as an exemption on a married filing separately return. You can apply for an ITIN and use that or simply print out the form a write in "NRA Spouse" and mail the return.

theOAP

Your wife may defer filing until mid-October. See form 4868. Any tax due will still be calculated as due April 15.

Cook_County

You can apply for an ITIN if your wife thinks that this will save her tax. You'll have to send original documents along with her paper return to the IRS ITIN Unit.