Hello, I have two simple questions and would be really grateful if someone helped me. 1) I am an international student in the US, and I plan to go back to my country. I want to trade US stocks online but I don't know which online broker will accept my application. I tried TradeKing and they told me that they needed my SSN number (and I don't have that). So, which brokers offer services to foreign citizens? 2) If I start trading while I am in the US and after I go back to my country, whom should I pay income taxes? the USA or my country? Should I fill any forms for IRS? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE
If you have been for more than 6 months in the USA, then you are a resident (legal or illegal) and you pay to the IRS. Less than 6 months you are NOT a resident. You can open an account just with your country ID and/or passport. Just fill the W8BEN form and you pay your taxes in your country. I an not an US citizen/resident, opened an account with optionsxpress with absolutely no problems. Now I'm about to move to thinkorswim (TOS), as they charge less options/ETF commissions, and they have futures and forex to trade. I've heard TOS is foreigner friendly.