QUESTION: I am a Canadian Citizen and I spent most of last year in United States, I have been waiting for the process of my application on the Adjustment of Status of Permanent Resident since my marriage to my husband late last year. However, since I don't have a social security number yet, I am not sure how I am going to file for my tax for the year 2003. Beside, since I was not authorized to work in US, I didn't have any income during my stay. Shall I still proceed filing my personal income tax in US? Please kindly advise. =============================== david ingram replies: You and your husband should almost certainly file a US joint tax return on form 1040. They have changed the rules about ITINs (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) and as of Dec 17, 2003, you will not be able to get one until you file the return. We need a filled in W7 form http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/fw7.pdf to attach to the return. I would be glad to assist you and your husband with this first return as a married couple. You will have trouble finding any one local to deal with this situation and we do fifty or sixty of them a year. If you had any earnings in Canada, they must be dealt with as well with a Canadian return and likely a foreign tax credit (form 1116) on the US return. Contact numbers are below. David Ingram's US/Canada Services US / Canada / Mexico tax, Immigration and working Visa Specialists US / Canada Real Estate Specialists 4466 Prospect Road North Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V7N 3L7 Res (604) 980-3578 Cell (604) 657-8451 (604) 980-0321 New email to [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> www.centa.com <http://www.centa.com/> www.david-ingram.com <http://www.david-ingram.com/> Disclaimer: This question has been answered without detailed information or consultation and is to be regarded only as general comment. Nothing in this message is or should be construed as advice in any particular circumstances. No contract exists between the reader and the author and any and all non-contractual duties are expressly denied. All readers should obtain formal advice from a competent and appropriately qualified legal practitioner or tax specialist in connection with personal or business affairs such as at www.centa.com <http://www.centa.com> . If you forward this message, this disclaimer must be included." Be ALERT, the world needs more "lerts" This from "ask an income tax and immigration expert" from www.centa.com <http://www.centa.com/> or www.jurock.com <http://www.jurock.com/> or www.featureweb.com <http://www.featureweb.com/> . David Ingram deals on a daily basis with expatriate tax returns with: multi jurisdictional cross and trans border expatriate problems for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, China, New Zealand, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, Georgia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Scotland, Ireland, Hawaii, Florida, Montana, Morocco, Israel, Iraq, Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mali, Bangkok, Greenland, Iceland, Cuba, Bahamas, Bermuda, Barbados, St Vincent, Grenada,, Virgin Islands, US, UK, GB, and any of the 43 states with state tax returns, etc. Rockwall, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston Texas Denmark, Finland, Sweden Norway Bulgaria Croatia Income Tax and Immigration Tips, Income Tax and ImmigrationWizard Income Tax and Immigration Guru Income Tax and Immigration Consultant Income Tax and Immigration Specialist Section 216(4) 216(1) NR6 NR-6 NR 6 Non-Resident Real Estate tax specialist expert preparer consultant expatriate anti money laundering money seasoning FINTRAC E677 E667 4789 4790 TDF-90 Reporting $10,000 cross border transactions Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Garland, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon. Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Rockwall, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec City, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Yukon and Northwest and Nunavit Territories, Mount Vernon, Eumenclaw, Coos Bay and Dallas Houston Rockwall Garland Texas Taxman and Tax Guru and wizzard wizard - consultant - expert - advisor -advisors consultants - gurus - Paris Prague Moscow Berlin Lima Rio de Janeiro, Santaigo