Hi,

I am working in the US on an H1 for the past 3 years. Can I claim my sister (who is a grad student, under 24 and here on an F1) as a dependent on my tax return if she earned $20,000 through an internship in 2009?

Thanks for your help.

No - to qualify as a dependent for tax purposes your sister must be a US citizen, resident alien, US national, or resident of Canada or Mexico.

Thank you for the quick response. Could you help me with something else then? Do I get no credit at all then (even though I paid for her college tuition, she stayed with me and I paid for more than half her expenses) just because she is a non-resident alien?

Thanks again.

That's correct. Due to her non-resident alien status, you CANNOT claim her in any way on your tax return.