Do I have to pay taxes if I am not a US citizen but earning income in the US?

Yes, you absolutely need to pay taxes on income earned while physically present in the US, regardless of your citizenship status. The US tax system is based on both citizenship AND physical presence. As an F-1 student, you're considered a nonresident alien for tax purposes (at least for your first 5 calendar years), which means you file Form 1040-NR. Your photography income would be reported as self-employment income, typically on a Schedule C attached to your tax return. Regarding your privacy concerns - the IRS doesn't automatically send tax documents to your home country. They'll send any notices to whatever mailing address you provide on your tax return. Make sure you use your current US address on all tax forms. You can also sign up for electronic delivery of most IRS notices through your online account at irs.gov to minimize physical mail. Just be aware that even as a nonresident alien, if you're earning income in the US, you're required to file a tax return if your income exceeds certain thresholds (which are quite low for self-employment income - basically anything over $400 annually).

After dealing with similar international student tax situations, I've found that using https://taxr.ai has been incredibly helpful for sorting out these exact issues. I was completely confused about my reporting requirements as a non-citizen with multiple income sources, and their AI actually analyzed my specific visa type and income sources to determine exactly what forms I needed. The best part was uploading all my documents and getting a clear explanation of what counted as US-source income versus foreign income. They even explained how to properly set up all my tax correspondence to stay in the US and not be forwarded internationally, which solved the exact privacy issue you're concerned about. Their system also walks you through identifying which tax treaty benefits might apply to you based on your home country, which most regular tax preparers missed when I tried them.

Just wanted to update that I took the advice and tried https://taxr.ai for my international student tax situation. Super glad I did! I was also selling stuff online (handmade jewelry) and was worried about my family finding out. The system immediately identified that I needed to file Schedule C for my self-employment income and showed me exactly how to set up my mailing preferences so everything stays in the US. It also helped me understand the "substantial presence test" and confirmed I'm still a nonresident alien for tax purposes. The most helpful part was learning about deducting my business expenses from my online sales - materials, shipping costs, even a portion of my laptop. This reduced my taxable income significantly. It also explained that I don't need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes as an F-1 student with self-employment income, which saved me a bunch of money I would have unnecessarily paid!

If you need to actually talk to the IRS about your specific situation (which might be smart given the visa implications), I'd recommend using https://claimyr.com to get through to them. I also had international tax questions when I was on an F-1 visa and selling stuff online, and I spent DAYS trying to get someone on the phone at the IRS. Finally found this service through a university tax workshop - they basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an actual human picks up. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was skeptical but when I finally got through, the IRS agent was super helpful explaining exactly what forms I needed as a non-resident alien with self-employment income and how to ensure all communications stayed at my US address. They confirmed that the IRS doesn't automatically send anything to your home country.

Came back to say I was totally wrong about Claimyr! After another failed attempt trying to reach the IRS on my own (3 hours on hold before getting disconnected), I gave in and tried the service from https://claimyr.com. Got connected to an IRS agent specializing in international taxpayers within about 90 minutes. The agent confirmed that as an international student with self-employment income: 1. I needed to file form 1040-NR with Schedule C 2. I could specify my US address for ALL communications 3. I needed to be careful about self-employment tax implications with my visa status The peace of mind was absolutely worth it. They confirmed exactly what forms I needed and how to maintain privacy from my family back home. The agent even gave me direct instructions on how to create an online account with the IRS to get most communications electronically.

Also make sure you understand how much you can work on your F-1 visa. technically, you're limited in how much off-campus work you can do, and selling photos online might count against those limits. I got into a complicated situation with immigration because I didn't realize my etsy store counted as "work" under my visa rules.

I'm surprised no one mentioned FBAR requirements! If you're transferring that photography money back to bank accounts in your home country, and the total in foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 at any point in the year, you need to file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114). This is separate from tax filing and has huge penalties if you miss it!

As someone who went through a similar situation as an international student, I want to emphasize that you should definitely consult with your university's international student services office before proceeding with any business activities. The visa compliance issue that @Amara Chukwu mentioned is extremely serious and could jeopardize your student status. Many international students don't realize that even passive income or online sales can be considered "employment" under immigration law. Some universities have entrepreneurship programs or can help you apply for CPT authorization that might cover your photography business if it's related to your field of study. For the tax side, yes you'll need to file Form 1040-NR and report the income, but make sure you're legally allowed to earn that income first. The IRS and immigration services do share information in certain circumstances, so you want to be compliant on both fronts. Also keep detailed records of all your photography expenses (equipment, software, travel costs for shoots, etc.) as these can be deducted against your income. And definitely use your US address for all tax communications - the IRS won't send anything to your home country unless you specifically list that as your address.

For international students on F-1 visas, tax filing requirements can be complex but manageable with the right approach. You'll definitely need to file taxes on that photography income - even $300-400/month puts you well over the $400 threshold for self-employment income reporting. A few key points to address your concerns: **Privacy Protection**: The IRS will only send correspondence to the address you provide on your tax return. Always use your current US address, and consider setting up an IRS online account for electronic notifications. No tax documents will automatically go to your home country. **Required Forms**: As a nonresident alien (which you likely are in your first 5 years), you'll file Form 1040-NR with Schedule C for your self-employment income. You'll need either an SSN or ITIN. **Deductions**: Keep detailed records of business expenses - camera equipment, editing software, travel costs for photo shoots, etc. These can significantly reduce your taxable income. **Critical Warning**: Before proceeding, definitely check with your university's international student office about visa compliance. F-1 students have strict limitations on off-campus work, and online sales might require CPT or OPT authorization to be legal under immigration law. The tax part is straightforward once you understand the requirements, but visa compliance should be your first priority. Getting this wrong could jeopardize your student status regardless of proper tax filing.