How to File Your Taxes
How you file a tax return depends on multiple factors, including the following:
- Whether you are a non-resident alien or resident alien in the United States
- If you have or have not received income in the past year
- If your country has or does not have a聽聽with the United States
Instructions on filing your taxes are organized by the following:
Non-Resident with US Income
- Have been in the U.S. as an聽F-1聽or聽J-1聽Student for聽less聽than 5 calendar years (arrive in the US in the year 2020 or later)
- Have been in the U.S. as a聽J-1聽non-student聽(Research Scholar/ Professor)聽for聽less聽than 2 calendar years (arrived in the year 2023 or later)
- Have been in H-1B status for less than 183 days during the past year
- Did not obtain Permanent Residency status (Green Card)聽at any time in the past year
- Did not obtain US Citizenship聽at any time in the past year
Non-Resident with No US Income
- Have been in the US as an聽F-1/F-2聽or聽J-1/J-2聽Student for聽less聽than 5 calendar years (arrive in the US in the year 2020 or later)
- Have been in the US as a聽J-1/J-2 non-student聽for less than 2 calendar years (arrived in the year 2023 or later)
- Have been in H-1B status for聽less聽than 183 days during the past year
- Did not obtain Permanent Residency status (Green Card)聽at any time in the past year
- Did not obtain US Citizenship聽at any time in the past year
Residents with No Tax Treaty Benefit
- Have been in the U.S. as an聽F-1聽or聽J-1 Student聽for聽more than 5 calendar years聽(arrived in the US in the year 2019 or earlier)
- Have been in the U.S. as a聽J-1 non-student聽(Research Scholar/Professor) for聽more than 2 calendar years聽(arrived in the year 2022 or earlier)
- Have been in聽H-1B聽status for聽183 days or more聽during the past year
- Obtained Permanent Residency status (Green Card)聽at any time in the past year
- Obtained US Citizenship聽at any time in the past year
Residents with a Tax Treaty Benefit
- Have been in the U.S. as an聽F-1聽or聽J-1 student聽for聽more than 5 calendar years聽(arrived in the US in the year 2019 or earlier)
- Have been in the U.S. as a聽J-1 non-student聽for聽more than 2 calendar years聽(arrived in the year 2023 or earlier)
- Have been in聽H-1B聽status for聽183 days or more聽during the past year.
- Obtained Permanent Residency status (Green Card)聽at any time in the past year
- Obtained US Citizenship聽at any time in the past year