Form 8843 filing as Non-Resident Alien after 5 years on F-1 student visa - what should the "statement" include?

Form 8843 statements for students in their 6th+ year are something I've helped with many times. The statement doesn't need to be overly complex, but it should clearly establish your ties to your home country and your intent to return. Your statement should be typed on a separate page titled "Statement for Form 8843, Line 12" and should include: 1. Your name, address, and tax ID number (SSN or ITIN) at the top 2. A clear declaration that you do not intend to permanently reside in the US 3. Specific facts that demonstrate your ties to your home country, such as: - Family connections in your home country - Property or assets you own there - Employment opportunities or job offers waiting for you - Cultural or community ties - Future plans after completing your education No special evidence needs to be attached beyond your written statement - the IRS isn't asking for documentation, just a clear explanation of your intent and circumstances. Sign and date the statement at the bottom.

Hey, I went through this exact situation last year and was super stressed about the Form 8843 statement too. I found this great tool at https://taxr.ai that helped me draft the perfect statement for my situation. I uploaded my previous year's Form 8843 and some basic info about my ties to my home country, and it generated a personalized statement that covered everything needed for line 12. The tool explained exactly what factors matter most to the IRS for the closer connection exception in student cases, and it was way more knowledgeable than any of the tax preparers I talked to. The best part was it included language about maintaining a permanent home abroad and continuing cultural ties that I wouldn't have thought to include. My tax return was processed without any issues or follow-up questions.

Just wanted to update after trying out taxr.ai for my Form 8843 statement. I was skeptical at first but decided to give it a try since I was completely stuck on what to write. The tool asked me specific questions about my ties to my home country (family there, property, bank accounts, cultural connections) and my future plans after graduating. It then generated a really comprehensive statement that covered everything needed for Line 12. What impressed me was how it specifically addressed the "Closer Connection Exception to the Substantial Presence Test for Foreign Students" rather than the general closer connection exception. The statement it created highlighted my ongoing ties to my home country in a way that clearly demonstrated I don't intend to permanently reside in the US. I just filed last week and got confirmation that my return was accepted without any issues. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling with this requirement!

After spending hours on hold trying to reach the IRS about Form 8843 line 12 requirements, I finally discovered https://claimyr.com and used their service to get connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. There's even a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was really skeptical at first but was desperate for answers about my 6th year F-1 status and the closer connection statement. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed that the statement doesn't require supporting documentation, just a detailed explanation of the factors showing I don't intend to permanently stay in the US. The agent gave me specific pointers about mentioning things like maintaining a permanent residence abroad, having a bank account in my home country, possessing a driver's license from my home country, and my intentions after completing my degree. This was way more helpful than anything I found online.

I take back what I said about Claimyr. After another failed attempt to reach the IRS (2+ hours on hold before getting disconnected), I decided to try the service. Within 28 minutes, I was connected to an IRS representative who was incredibly helpful regarding my Form 8843 statement questions. The agent confirmed exactly what components should be in the statement for Line 12 and clarified that I don't need to submit supporting evidence - just a clear written statement. The agent also mentioned that they look for specific factors showing ties to your home country: permanent residence abroad, closer connection to a foreign country than to the US, no application for permanent residency, and future plans to return home after completing your educational objectives. This clarification was exactly what I needed after getting conflicting advice from various sources. Saved me tons of stress and potentially avoiding issues with my tax return. Sometimes it's worth using services that save you time when dealing with complex tax situations.

Just as an additional data point, I submitted Form 8843 with a statement for line 12 last year (my 7th year on F-1). My statement was pretty simple - about one page explaining my ties to my home country (family, property, bank accounts), stating I haven't applied for a green card, and outlining my plans to return after finishing my PhD. I mentioned things like the fact that I go home every summer, maintain my foreign driver's license, vote in my home country's elections, and have a job offer waiting for me there after graduation. My return was processed without any issues, and I received my refund in about 3 weeks. The statement doesn't seem to trigger extra scrutiny if it's straightforward and makes logical sense.

Does anyone know if we have to file Form 8843 electronically or if it has to be mailed in? I've been using TurboTax for my regular returns but I'm not sure if they support attachments for the statement required for line 12.

I just went through this process myself as a 6th year F-1 student. After reading all the helpful advice here, I wanted to add that when drafting your statement, it's important to be very specific about your ties to your home country rather than just making general statements. For example, instead of just saying "I have family back home," I wrote something like "My parents and two siblings reside in [home country], where I maintain close relationships and visit annually during academic breaks." I also mentioned specific details like maintaining a bank account there, owning property jointly with family members, and having professional licensing that's only valid in my home country. The key is demonstrating that your life is genuinely centered in your home country despite your temporary presence in the US for education. I also made sure to mention my specific graduation timeline and concrete post-graduation plans (job offer, research position, etc.) to show that my stay in the US has a definite end date. My return was accepted without issues, so being detailed and specific in the statement definitely seems to work well.