My spouse is a non-resident alien, should we file jointly or separately?

If your spouse is not a US citizen and has no Green Card, then he/she does not need to be included on your tax return. Instead, you should file as “Married Filing Separately” or “Head of Household” – if you have US citizen dependents.

This is usually the case for Americans who live outside of the United States and are married to a non-US Citizen.