Form 8843 Filing Help for International Student from Canada

The days you need to count for Form 8843 depends on your specific situation. For line 4a, you should include ALL days you were physically present in the US during 2023, regardless of your visa status. This includes both your F1 days and days you were here as a tourist/visitor. For line 4b, you're asking about the days to exclude. Since you're on an F1 visa, you can exclude days you were present in the US as a student (the 150 days on F1 status). The form is basically asking you to identify which days should NOT be counted toward the Substantial Presence Test. So based on your description, for line 4a you would put 185 days (total days in US). For line 4b, you would put 150 days (days present as an F1 student). Make sure to complete the rest of the form accurately, especially Part I with your personal information and Part III since you're on an F1 visa.

I had similar confusion with Form 8843 last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was a lifesaver! It's specifically designed to help international students and non-residents with US tax forms. Upload your documents and it analyzes which days you should count for Form 8843 based on your entry/exit records. I was going back and forth between Canada and the US like you, and it helped me calculate the exact days for lines 4a and 4b without having to manually count everything. Their system understands the difference between F1 days and visitor days automatically.

I was initially skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it after struggling with Form 8843. I'm also a Canadian student with frequent border crossings and it was incredibly helpful! The interface lets you upload any documentation you have (I-94 records, passport stamps, even screenshots of Google Maps timeline) and helps fill in gaps where documentation was missing. It correctly separated my tourist days from F1 days and calculated lines 4a and 4b accurately. Ended up saving me hours of manually counting days and prevented mistakes that could have led to filing errors. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the same situation.

Hey there! I was in the exact same situation last year and kept getting the runaround from the IRS when I called with questions. After waiting on hold for HOURS multiple times, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which actually got me through to a real IRS agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed exactly how to count the days for Form 8843. It's a service that navigates the IRS phone system for you and calls you back when they have an agent on the line. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent I spoke with clarified that I needed to count ALL days physically present (both tourist and F1) for line 4a, and then only the F1 days for line 4b. Saved me from potentially filing incorrectly and having problems later.

Alright, I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate for help with my Form 8843. Within 20 minutes (not kidding), I got a call back with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent went through my specific situation with all my border crossings and confirmed exactly what days to count on lines 4a and 4b. They even explained how this works for future years when I'll have been here longer. I would have wasted DAYS trying to get this information on my own. For anyone dealing with complicated international student tax situations, this service is legitimately helpful.

Alright, I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate for help with my Form 8843. Within 20 minutes (not kidding), I got a call back with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent went through my specific situation with all my border crossings and confirmed exactly what days to count on lines 4a and 4b. They even explained how this works for future years when I'll have been here longer. I would have wasted DAYS trying to get this information on my own. For anyone dealing with complicated international student tax situations,

Don't forget to also complete Part III of Form 8843 since you're on an F1 visa! You'll need to provide details about your academic institution, visa type, and director of your program. Make sure to have your academic institution's EIN (Employer Identification Number) handy - you can usually get this from your international student office or tax documents like your 1098-T if you received one.

Also worth noting that Form 8843 is ONLY an informational form. It doesn't go with your tax return if you're filing one - it's submitted separately. And there's no payment associated with it. The deadline is still April 15, 2024 for the 2023 tax year though.

Just wanted to add one more important point - make sure you keep copies of all your documentation! Since you're crossing the border frequently from Canada, I'd recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet or calendar tracking your entries and exits. Even if you don't have perfect records now, start documenting going forward. Also, if you're unsure about any specific dates, you can request your I-94 travel history from CBP's website (i94.cbp.dhs.gov). This will show your official entries and exits which can help fill in gaps in your records. As a Canadian, some of your crossings might not show up if you didn't go through formal inspection, but it's still worth checking. The key thing is to be as accurate as possible on Form 8843 since it establishes your tax residency status. Good luck with your filing!