Claiming my sister who is on F1 student visa, as a dependent on tax filings

[vvijayan27]

Hello,

My sister is on a student visa (F1) and joined in the fall 2019 semester. I support her tuition expenses. She has a SSN but does not make an income at the moment & nor did she in 2019. As I file my 2019 taxes,
1) Can I claim her as my dependent?
2) If yes, are there any concerns for her ability in the future to convert from F1 to H1B (when she gets a job) i.e. in short does being claimed as dependent have any negative effect on her immigration profile?

Thank You

[newacct]

You can only claim a US citizen or "resident alien" for tax purposes as a dependent. F1 students are generally nonresident aliens for the first 5 calendar years. So it depends on what year she came to the US on F1, and whether she had been in the US in F or J status previously.