Filing federal income tax forms is the personal responsibility of each international student and scholar. As an international student in the US, it’s important to be aware that you have a tax filing obligation with the IRS each tax cycle.
If you did not work or receive any income in the US, you are legally obliged to file a Form 8843. If you worked or received a stipend, grant or allowance in the US you may also need to file a Form 1040NR.
You are welcome to navigate the IRS website and file on your own.
Helpful videos from Sprintax about filing obligations for international students can be found on YouTube.
Sprintax
Should you choose to utilize a tax service, Sprintax has been approved specifically for F-1 student visa holders. The service will guide you through the tax preparation process, help you to prepare all of the necessary documents and will check if you are due a refund, if you set up an account with them and pay a fee. Some other services such as TurboTax are not equipped to properly file taxes for F-1 student visa holders as the system is for use by U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Systems not equipped for F-1 visa holders can miscalculate holdings and returns and can result in you actually owing more to the US government.
Sprintax was used by over 162,000 international students and scholars in 2019.
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS:
- Register and follow the simple instructions
- Complete the online questionnaire
- Sprintax will prepare your tax forms.
As a reminder you have to print, sign and mail your documents once you complete the preparation process in Sprintax.
If you have any questions, please use 24/7 Live Chat, FAQ's and virtual assistant Stacy function in Sprintax.