Can I still use Sprintax for taxes while my Green Card application is pending?
So I've been studying in the US on an F-1 visa for about 4 years now. Last October I submitted my Green Card application and I'm still waiting to hear back (the wait is killing me!). I'm trying to figure out my tax situation for this year and I'm confused about what software to use. I've always used Sprintax in previous years since I was clearly a non-resident alien on F-1, but now with my Green Card application pending, I'm not sure if that's still the right choice? I file my taxes separately from my spouse who is a US citizen (that's a whole other story lol). Does anyone know if Sprintax is still appropriate for someone in my situation - F-1 visa holder with pending Green Card application? Or should I be using TurboTax or something else now? Really appreciate any advice from people who've been in similar situations!
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Jamal Anderson
You can definitely still use Sprintax while your Green Card application is pending. Your tax residency status is determined by your current visa status and the substantial presence test, not by applications you've filed for future status changes. Since you've been in the US for 4 years on an F-1 visa, you need to apply the substantial presence test. F-1 students are generally exempt from counting days toward this test for the first 5 calendar years in the US. So you're still likely considered a nonresident alien for tax purposes, making Sprintax appropriate. However, if you've been in the US for more than 183 days in the current year and previous two years combined (using their weighted formula), you might be considered a resident alien for tax purposes regardless of your visa status, in which case you could use regular tax software like TurboTax.
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Mei Zhang
•Thanks for the explanation. I'm also on F-1 but only been here for 2 years. Does the substantial presence test apply differently for me? Also, does filing for adjustment of status (I-485) change anything tax-wise while it's pending?
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Jamal Anderson
•For you as an F-1 student who's only been here 2 years, you're still within that 5-year exemption period, so you wouldn't count days toward the substantial presence test yet. This means you're almost certainly a nonresident alien for tax purposes, making Sprintax a good choice. Filing an I-485 for adjustment of status doesn't change your tax filing status while it's pending. Your tax residency is based on your current status and physical presence, not pending applications. You remain a nonresident alien for tax purposes until either you pass the substantial presence test or your Green Card is actually approved.
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Liam McGuire
I was in your exact situation last year and I found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me figure out my status. I was also on F-1 with a pending green card application and wasn't sure which tax software to use. The tool analyzes your specific immigration situation and tells you exactly what your tax residency status is, which forms you need, and which software would work best for you. It saved me so much stress because it showed me I was still technically a nonresident alien despite having a pending I-485, so I could continue using Sprintax. It also helped clarify which tax treaty benefits I was still eligible for during this transition period. Might be worth checking out!
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Amara Eze
•How does taxr.ai actually determine your tax residency status? Does it just ask you questions or do you need to upload documents? I'm in a similar situation but with J-1 visa instead of F-1.
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Giovanni Ricci
•I'm a bit skeptical. How is this different from just using the IRS substantial presence test calculator? Seems like you could figure this out yourself with a bit of research.
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Liam McGuire
•It asks you a series of questions about your visa history, entries and exits from the US, and any special circumstances. No document uploads needed, though you should have your I-94 travel history and visa documents handy to answer accurately. It works for all visa types including J-1, and actually has specific questions for different visa categories since the rules vary. It goes beyond just the substantial presence test calculator. It also helps determine if any tax treaties apply to your specific country, identifies which forms you need based on your income types, and accounts for exceptions like the closer connection exception. The tool combines all these factors to give personalized guidance, which saved me hours of research.
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Giovanni Ricci
I was super skeptical about taxr.ai when someone recommended it, but I decided to try it since my tax situation was getting complicated with my status change from F-1 to pending permanent resident. I'm honestly impressed with how thorough it was. The tool asked specific questions about my visa history that normal tax software doesn't cover. It confirmed I needed to file as a nonresident for the past tax year, but also gave me a heads-up that my status will likely change for next year's filing based on my timeline. It saved me from making a mistake that could have caused issues with both my taxes and immigration. Unlike generic calculators, it actually explained WHY I still qualified as a nonresident alien despite my pending adjustment of status, which made me feel confident in my filing approach. Worth the few minutes it takes to use it.
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NeonNomad
If you're having trouble getting answers directly from the IRS about your specific situation (which is super common for those of us with complicated immigration status), I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was stuck in limbo trying to figure out if I needed to file a 1040 or 1040NR with my pending green card application, and couldn't get through to the IRS for weeks. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. Check out how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent confirmed that my pending green card application doesn't change my tax status - only actually receiving the green card does. So I could keep using Sprintax until my status officially changed.
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
•Wait, so this service just gets you through to an IRS agent faster? How does that even work? I've been on hold forever trying to ask about my international student tax situation too.
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Dylan Mitchell
•Yeah right. No way this actually works. I've tried everything to get through to the IRS, and nothing works. They just don't pick up, especially for complicated international student questions. If this worked, everyone would be using it.
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NeonNomad
•Yes, it literally just gets you through to an IRS agent faster. They use some kind of automated system that continuously calls and navigates the phone tree until it gets a human, then it calls you to connect. I was skeptical too but it worked exactly as advertised - I went from waiting for hours to getting a call back when an agent was on the line. No magic tricks involved - they're just persistent with the calling when most of us would give up. And for international student questions specifically, the IRS agent I spoke with was surprisingly knowledgeable once I finally got through. They deal with these situations all the time, we just rarely get to actually speak with them.
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Dylan Mitchell
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I tried Claimyr yesterday after reading about it here, and I'm shocked. After two weeks of trying to get through to the IRS about my F-1 to green card transition tax questions, I got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed that I should continue filing as a nonresident alien with Sprintax until my green card is actually approved, not just applied for. They also explained that I'll need to file a dual-status return for the year when my status actually changes, which was something I hadn't even considered. For anyone in visa/immigration limbo wondering about their tax status, being able to actually talk to the IRS directly is incredibly valuable. I was 100% wrong about this service and I'm glad I tried it despite my skepticism.
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Sofia Martinez
Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this last year. I used Sprintax while my green card was pending and it worked perfectly. The key thing to remember is that you file based on your CURRENT status, not what you've applied for. One thing to watch out for: once your green card is approved, you'll be a resident alien for tax purposes from that date forward. So if it gets approved mid-year, you might need to file what's called a "dual-status return" for that tax year, which can be complicated. That's when I had to switch from Sprintax to a regular tax preparer.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Did you do the dual status return yourself or hire someone? I'm worried my green card might be approved in the middle of this tax year and I hear dual status returns can't be e-filed.
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Sofia Martinez
•I ended up hiring a tax professional for the dual-status year because it got pretty complicated. You're right that you can't e-file a dual-status return - it has to be paper filed. The preparer essentially had to prepare both a 1040NR for the part of the year I was a nonresident and portions of a 1040 for when I became a resident. If your case is simple (just W-2 income), you might be able to handle it yourself, but I had scholarships, some investments, and a side gig, so I didn't want to risk making mistakes. The peace of mind was worth the cost, especially since tax issues can potentially affect immigration cases.
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Ava Thompson
Something no one mentioned yet - make sure you're correctly handling any FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare). As an F-1 student, you're normally exempt from these taxes, but once your green card is approved, you'll need to start paying them. If your employer mistakenly withheld these taxes while you were still on F-1, you can claim a refund. Conversely, if they didn't withhold after your status changed, you might owe money.
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CyberSiren
•This is super important! My university payroll department automatically started withholding FICA taxes when I told them about my green card APPLICATION (not approval), and it took months to fix. Is there a specific form to request a refund for incorrectly withheld FICA?
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Ava Thompson
•Yes, if your employer incorrectly withheld FICA taxes while you were still on an F-1 visa (and within your 5-year exemption period), you need to first try to get a refund from your employer. If they refuse or are unable to refund you, you'll need to file Form 843 "Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement" along with supporting documentation. Make sure to include a statement from your employer showing the amount of incorrectly withheld Social Security and Medicare taxes, a copy of your visa documentation, and a statement explaining why you're exempt. This is another area where Sprintax can help - they generally have guidance on completing these forms for international students.
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