Amending 2019 Tax Return from 1040 to 1040-NR as International Student

You definitely need to use the 2019 versions of both forms. When amending a return for a specific tax year, all forms must be from that same tax year. The IRS processes amendments based on the original tax year's rules and forms. To amend your 2019 return, you'll need: 1) Form 1040X from 2019 2) Form 1040-NR from 2019 On the 1040X, you'll explain you incorrectly filed Form 1040 instead of 1040-NR as a nonresident alien student. Complete the 1040-NR with the correct information, and attach it to your 1040X. Make sure to include any supporting documents that verify your nonresident status for 2019, like a copy of your visa or I-20 form. While it's been several years, it's good you're addressing this now. The IRS can be understanding of honest mistakes, especially for international students navigating US tax systems for the first time.

I just went through almost the exact same situation last year! I used taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to help me figure out my amended international student tax return and it saved me so much stress. I uploaded my documents and my visa information, and they analyzed everything and walked me through what forms I needed and how to fill them out correctly. Their system even flagged some international tax treaty benefits I could claim on the 1040-NR that I had completely missed. They explained exactly how the amendments work for international students and what versions of the forms to use (yes, you need the 2019 versions!). Definitely worth checking out if you're confused about how to handle this situation.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai that was mentioned above for my similar international student tax situation, and it really was helpful! I was skeptical at first (as I am with most things online), but their system actually detected that I had been using the wrong tax form for two years. They analyzed my visa status and identified that I qualified for a tax treaty between my home country and the US that saved me about $1,800! They provided complete instructions for filling out both the 1040X and 1040-NR forms and explained exactly what supporting documents I needed to include. The interface was straightforward and their explanations were in plain English instead of confusing tax jargon. Just submitted my amendment last week and feeling much better about the whole situation now!

If you're having trouble getting answers from the IRS about your amendment (which is likely with these complicated international situations), you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent weeks trying to reach someone at the IRS to ask about my amended 1040-NR, and kept getting stuck in phone trees or disconnected. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than 20 minutes, which was amazing after weeks of frustration. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was able to confirm exactly how to submit my amendment and got clarification about some specific deductions that applied to my student visa status. The agent even gave me a direct reference number for my case so I could follow up easily.

I need to apologize to the group for my skepticism above. After waiting on hold with the IRS for nearly 3 hours yesterday and eventually getting disconnected, I broke down and tried Claimyr this morning out of desperation. I'm honestly shocked - I got connected to an actual IRS tax specialist in about 25 minutes! I was able to ask specific questions about my international student status and the agent walked me through exactly how to amend my return from 1040 to 1040-NR. They even explained which tax treaty articles applied to my scholarship income and how to document everything properly. Completely worth it and saved me from making some serious errors on my amendment. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong, and I was definitely wrong about this service.

Just want to add something important - make sure you're actually a non-resident for tax purposes before filing the 1040-NR! The substantial presence test can sometimes qualify international students as residents for tax purposes if you've been in the US long enough. Generally, F-1 students are considered non-residents for their first 5 calendar years in the US, but it gets complicated. If 2019 wasn't your first year in the US, you might have correctly filed the 1040. Double check before amending!

Has anyone successfully received a refund after amending from 1040 to 1040-NR? I'm in a similar situation but from 2021, and wondering if it's worth the hassle if I'm owed money back.