Please note that ISSS staff are not tax professionals, and ISSS is not able to provide you with any tax guidance or assistance. If you have any questions you must speak with a tax professional.
All international students are required to file some kind of tax paperwork each year you are in the U.S.. Filing tax paperwork does not always mean that you will owe money.
The tax year in the U.S. is based on the calendar year, so from January 1 through December 31 per year. Traditionally, tax paperwork is due in April to cover the previous calendar year. An example: Tax paperwork filed for the calendar year of January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 would be filed by April 2021.
Every year, you must file the Form 8843 whether or not you have earned any income. This tells the government how long you have been inside the U.S. and in what status (F, J, etc.). If you earned income, you also are required to file federal taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
We recommend that you keep copies of all forms you mail and send them using USPS Certified Mail so you have proof of when you sent them and the address where you sent them. DO NOT SUBMIT FORMS TO ISSS.
Need Help?
- ISSS recommends you find a tax accountant who is proficient in immigration tax regulations. You will need to pay for assistance from any tax accountant or tax service.
- For your convenience, ISSS has teamed up with Sprintax to provide you with easy-to-use tax preparation software designed for non-resident students and scholars. The company website is listed in the Resources section.
Resources
- State and Federal Tax Filing:
- Sprintax (F-1's and J-1's)
- IRS information for F-1s and J-1s
- Federal Income Tax Forms and Publications:
- New York State Tax Forms:
- Tax Forms From Other States:
- Social Security information:
- Additional Tax Information:
- 1040NR-EZ Instructions
- IT-201 Instructions
- IT-203 Instructions
- US Tax Treaties Information (If your home country has a tax treaty with the U.S. and you are working on campus, contact Payroll)
