Forgot to file Form 8843 with my Federal tax return - can I still submit it after e-filing?

You can definitely still submit Form 8843 separately! This happens more often than you'd think with international students using different tax software. Since your tax return has already been accepted, you should complete Form 8843 on paper and mail it to the IRS with a brief cover letter explaining that you already e-filed your return but need to submit this additional required form. Make sure to include your name and tax ID number on every page. Mail it to the same IRS processing center where you would normally send a paper return based on your location. No need to amend your tax return as Form 8843 is an informational form, not one that affects your tax calculation. Just be sure to get it postmarked before the filing deadline.

I was in this exact situation last year! After researching for hours and panicking, I finally found https://taxr.ai which was a lifesaver for my international student tax issues. I uploaded my already-filed return and my visa documents, and they confirmed that I could send Form 8843 separately with a simple explanation letter. They even generated the letter for me. The coolest thing was that they flagged a deduction I had missed related to my educational expenses that actually ended up saving me over $400! They explained exactly what documentation I needed to keep for my records too, which gave me peace of mind since international student tax situations can get complicated.

Just wanted to update that I tried https://taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it was incredibly helpful! I was stressing about my forgotten Form 8843 and whether I needed to amend my return or if I could just send it separately. The service confirmed I could mail it separately and provided a template letter to include with my submission. They also reviewed my entire tax situation and found I had incorrectly reported my scholarship income (I had included the non-taxable portion). They guided me through filing an amended return which will actually get me an additional $780 refund! Definitely worth checking out if you're an international student dealing with tax confusion. The peace of mind alone was worth it.

I had this same issue but also spent hours on hold trying to reach the IRS to confirm what to do. After multiple failed attempts, I found https://claimyr.com and used their service to get a callback from the IRS in under 2 hours (you can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed that I could mail Form 8843 separately after e-filing, and that it wouldn't affect my already processed return since it's an informational form. She also mentioned that many international students face this exact issue every year, so they're familiar with receiving these forms separately. Saved me days of stress trying to reach someone at the IRS directly!

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was still struggling to get through to the IRS about my missing Form 8843 and other tax questions. Out of desperation, I decided to try the service. To my complete surprise, I got a call back from an actual IRS representative in about 90 minutes. The agent confirmed I could just mail the Form 8843 separately with a cover letter explaining the situation, and also helped clear up confusion about my scholarship reporting. They even gave me a reference number for the call which I could reference if there were any questions about my submission later. I'm still shocked it actually worked - saved me hours of frustration!

Just wanted to add that if you're mailing Form 8843 separately, make sure you're using the CURRENT year's form! I made the mistake of downloading and submitting last year's version because it came up first in my Google search. Had to resubmit with the correct form which delayed everything. Also, don't forget that if you have dependents who are also non-resident aliens, they each need to submit their own Form 8843 even if they don't have any income or file a tax return. Found that out the hard way last year.

I'm confused why this form is even required if it doesn't affect your tax liability? I'm also an F1 student and my tax software didn't prompt me for this form either...

Just a heads up - I talked to my international student advisor about this exact issue last semester. She said that technically Form 8843 is supposed to be attached to your tax return, but submitting it separately isn't a major issue. The most important thing is making sure it gets submitted before the filing deadline. She also mentioned that some students who forget to file it have submitted it in later years without penalty, but obviously it's better to do it on time. The key is that Form 8843 establishes your non-resident status for tax purposes, which can matter in the long run for immigration purposes.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago and can confirm that mailing Form 8843 separately after e-filing is completely fine! I was panicking just like you are now, but it turned out to be much simpler than I thought. Here's what I did: I printed out Form 8843, filled it out completely, and included a brief cover letter stating "Please find attached Form 8843 for tax year [YEAR]. My federal tax return was already e-filed and accepted on [DATE]." I included my name, SSN/ITIN, and address at the top of the letter. I sent it via certified mail to the IRS processing center for my state and got the delivery confirmation about a week later. Never heard anything back from the IRS, which in this case is good news - it means they received it and processed it without issues. The important thing is to get it postmarked before the tax deadline (April 15th). Since you're on OPT, maintaining proper tax compliance is definitely important for your status, so good on you for catching this and taking action. Don't stress too much - this is a common oversight and the IRS is used to receiving these forms separately from international students.