# to marry or to wait?



## perfectdey (Jun 10, 2009)

My fiance is from Scotland,a UK citizen. He works in Singapore. I was born in the US and am a US citizen living in Houston,TX. We were thinking of getting married in August of this year, but he has at least 3 years left on his Singapore contract. Does anyone know if we got married now, in the US but he still lived and worked in Sing would he have to pay taxes here in the US even if he did not apply for his green card right off? Also if we married now and he applied in 3 years time would he have to pay back taxes for the years we were married before he applied for his green card? HELP!!:juggle:


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

As long as your fiance/husband is resident outside the US, he won't be subject to US income taxes just for having married you. If you go to join him in Singapore, however, you will continue to have to file US taxes, if you have income over the threshold level. Like the rest of us Americans married to foreigners, you'll have to file as "married filing separately" - which has some disadvantages, but on the whole is manageable.

Once he moves to the US, his tax liability starts - and you can start filing a joint return. But there is no back tax for any period he wasn't resident in the US.

To get him a visa to join you in the US, however, you will have to "sponsor" him and it's a good idea for you to have filed your tax returns in the meantime.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

perfectdey said:


> My fiance is from Scotland,a UK citizen. He works in Singapore. I was born in the US and am a US citizen living in Houston,TX. We were thinking of getting married in August of this year, but he has at least 3 years left on his Singapore contract. Does anyone know if we got married now, in the US but he still lived and worked in Sing would he have to pay taxes here in the US even if he did not apply for his green card right off? Also if we married now and he applied in 3 years time would he have to pay back taxes for the years we were married before he applied for his green card? HELP!!:juggle:


If you marry now, there's no tax penalty until he moves here.

Also, it will give you the advantage of an unconditional green card on entry since he will have been married at least 2 years by the time you petition him.

If he's entering on the VWP for marriage, be sure he is well prepared to prove he is returning to Singapore after the wedding. It's perfectly legal to use the VWP in this way but the onus is on him to prove that he will not be staying.


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