The U.S. Federal Income Tax system can be intimidating so it is very important that you understand it.
All international students are required to file at least one tax form each year, even if you have not worked.
Why File Your Taxes?
- Filing taxes meets the requirements of your student visa.
Do I have to file taxes if I have not worked?
- Students who have not received any type of income from the U.S. are required to file IRS Form 8843
International Students who have worked and received income from the U.S. must complete IRS Form 8843 AND:
- IRS Form 1040NR-EZ for working F-1 students with no dependents
- IRS Form 1040NR for working F-1 students WITH dependents (you must obtain a taxpayer ID number for your dependent if they do not have a social security number). See this website for information on how to obtain a taxpayer ID number.
What is considered taxable income?
The amount of taxes you will pay will depend on the type of income you receive and your tax status in the United States. For information on taxable income, visit: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=129427,00.html
Is there a deadline to file taxes?
- Form 8843 is due by June 15th
- Form 1040NR-EZ or Form 1040NR is due April 15th
How do I obtain these forms?
- Find the form 8843 online: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8843.pdf
- Form 1040NR-EZ : http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040nre.pdf
- Form 1040NR: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040nr.pdf
All tax forms must be mailed to this address:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service Center
Austin, Texas 73301-0215
Contact a tax professional or a tax VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) site for assistance with these forms.
- Austin area Vita sites: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/eitc/vitasite.html
- The University of Texas at Austin is a VITA site: http://world.utexas.edu/isss/tax/