[Reviewed 2/6/2024]
Information on this page is for those who were here on an F or J Visa but have now left the United States and have questions about how to file their required tax forms.
In addition to the following, see this blog post by Sprintax.
You should submit IRS form 8843 for each year in which you were
present in the U.S. on your F or J Visa
and your status was nonresident alien.
See this page for assistance with completing and filing the 8843. If you also have income to report you will submit the 8843 with your federal return (1040-NR).
You should submit IRS form 1040-NR for each year in which you were
present in the U.S. on your F or J Visa
and your status was non-resident alien
and in which you had income that is taxable by the U.S.
You should also submit the appropriate state form for each state in which you worked or had other income.
If you are not able to complete the required tax forms without assistance, you can use a service such as Sprintax for completing your nonresident tax forms. (There may be other services as well; just make sure the service is preparing nonresident forms -- 1040-NR -- for your federal return.) If the service is not able to e-file your return, you will have to mail the forms. The preparation service will give you instructions for where to mail each form.
See a list of some options that may work for you.
If you are filing taxes for a tax year in which your status is resident alien, the 8843 is not needed. You will complete IRS form 1040 (for citizens and residents) to report all income (worldwide) and as well as the appropriate state form for each state in which you worked. See this page for more information about filing as a resident alien.
If you have not received your W-2 for any work performed, when you leave the United States to return home, make sure you update your address with any company or college/university you worked for in the current or previous year.
If you have already received W-2(s) from each company/school for each tax year in which you worked for them, either by mail or by downloading from their website, then you don't need to update them about future address changes.