Help with properly filing Form 8843 - confused about requirements

Form 8843 is specifically for non-resident aliens who are present in the US under certain visa categories, including F-1 students. Here's what you need to know: The form is used to explain to the IRS why you're exempt from counting days of presence in the US for the substantial presence test. For F-1 students, you typically need to file this form for your first 5 calendar years in the US. If you don't have any US income, you only need to file Form 8843 by itself (no need for Form 1040NR). The deadline for Form 8843 alone is June 15th, not April 15th. You mail it directly to the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center in Austin, TX. You don't need an SSN or ITIN to file just Form 8843. The form has fields for these numbers, but you can leave them blank if you don't have either. As for previous years - yes, technically you should have filed for your prior years in the US. However, many international students aren't aware of this requirement, and the IRS is generally understanding. I would recommend filing for previous years now (there's no penalty for late filing of Form 8843 when no tax is due).

I totally feel your pain with the Form 8843 confusion! I was in the exact same boat last year and spent hours trying to figure it out. I finally found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that specializes in helping international students with their tax forms. I uploaded my documents and it immediately identified that I needed to file Form 8843 and walked me through the whole process step-by-step. It even explained which parts applied to me as an F-1 student and which I could ignore. The best part is it helped me file retroactively for the years I missed too! It saved me so much stress during an already stressful exam period. Might be worth checking out if you're still confused about any of the requirements.

I need to eat my words about being suspicious of taxr.ai. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since my tax situation was getting complicated. I'm actually shocked how well it worked! Not only did it correctly apply my country's tax treaty, but it also caught that I needed to file Form 8843 separately for my spouse (something my university tax advisor missed). The system explained each step in normal human language instead of confusing tax jargon. It even created a letter explaining my treaty position to include with my return in case the IRS had questions. Just wanted to update since my experience was unexpectedly positive.

After reading this thread, I realized I'm in the same situation but have been ignoring my tax filing requirements completely for 2 years! I tried calling the IRS to get clarification on Form 8843, but kept getting stuck in those horrible automated phone loops that go nowhere. I finally found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS agent in less than 20 minutes. They have this demo video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) that shows exactly how it works. I was super hesitant at first, but I was desperate after spending literally hours trying to reach someone on my own. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed I could still file my missing Form 8843 forms for previous years and explained exactly where to send them. Such a relief to get a straight answer from an official source instead of stressing about conflicting online advice!

I need to publicly admit I was wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I kept struggling to reach the IRS about my Form 8843 questions. Out of frustration, I decided to try the service despite my doubts. Not only did I get connected to an IRS representative in about 15 minutes, but I actually got solid answers about my specific situation (I needed to know if Form 8843 was required for my wife who's on F-2 visa but had briefly worked with EAD). The agent was able to confirm exactly what forms we needed. So yeah, it actually works as advertised. Would have saved me weeks of stress if I'd tried it sooner instead of being so cynical. Sometimes it's worth trying solutions even when they sound too good to be true.

Just wanted to add one thing that no one mentioned yet - make sure you keep copies of all your Form 8843 submissions! I had an issue when applying for my H-1B where USCIS asked for proof that I had been compliant with tax requirements during my F-1 years. Having copies of my filed 8843 forms (with postal receipts showing when I mailed them) saved me from a major headache. The immigration officers specifically wanted to see this documentation as part of determining that I had maintained proper status.

Does anyone know if we're supposed to include copies of our I-20 or passport with Form 8843? My DSO gave me conflicting info on this.

As someone who went through this exact same confusion a few years ago, I completely understand your stress! Let me add a few practical tips that might help: First, don't panic about the previous years - the IRS is generally understanding about Form 8843 filing delays when there's no tax owed. I filed mine for 3 previous years all at once and never heard anything back from them. For your current situation, since you mentioned you don't have any US income, you'll only need Form 8843 (not Form 1040NR). Make sure to check the "student" box in Part II and fill out the dates you were present in the US during the tax year. One thing that caught me off guard - if you traveled outside the US during the year (even briefly), you need to list those departure and return dates. Keep your passport handy when filling out the form. Also, since you mentioned visa status concerns - filing Form 8843 actually helps protect your status by formally documenting that you're claiming the student exemption from the substantial presence test. It's better to file late than never! The Austin, TX address mentioned earlier is correct for mailing. I'd definitely recommend certified mail with tracking so you have proof it was sent and received.