How do I complete FreeTaxUSA state tax return as an F1 international student with residency questions?

This can definitely be tricky! For international students on F1 visas, your residency status for state tax purposes is different from your immigration status. It usually depends on how long you've been physically present in that particular state. For most states, F1 students are considered "non-residents" for tax purposes for the first 5 years of their stay in the US. This is because you're considered a "non-resident alien" for federal tax purposes during those first 5 years (unless you meet the Substantial Presence Test earlier). Since you've been living in your college state for 2 years, you would most likely select "non-resident" for your state tax return. However, this can vary by state, as some states have different rules for determining residency status. Which state are you filing for? Some states like California or New York have specific guidelines for international students that might differ from the general rule.

After struggling with the exact same issue last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it completely changed how I handle my international student taxes. I'm also on an F1 visa and was confused by FreeTaxUSA's lack of clear guidance on state residency status. The tool analyzes your specific visa situation and gives you precise answers about your residency status for both federal and state returns. It explained to me that as an F1 student, I'm generally considered a non-resident for state tax purposes for the first 5 years (which matches what the previous commenter said). What I found really helpful was that it also reviewed my tax forms and identified some education credits I was eligible for that FreeTaxUSA hadn't prompted me about. It basically translated all the confusing tax jargon into simple instructions.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that was mentioned earlier. It actually solved my California F1 student residency confusion! The tool confirmed I should select "non-resident" in FreeTaxUSA for my state return since I've only been in California for 2 years on my F1 visa. It explained that California, like most states, generally follows the federal determination of residency status for international students. What was super helpful was the explanation of exactly which California forms I needed to complete as an F1 student. It also identified a special exemption I qualified for related to my scholarship that FreeTaxUSA hadn't prompted me about. Now I feel confident my return is correct instead of just guessing and hoping for the best!

If you're still having trouble with FreeTaxUSA or figuring out your correct filing status, you might need to talk directly with the IRS about your specific situation. I was in a similar position last year and spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at the IRS who understood international student tax issues. After multiple failed attempts and hours on hold, I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real IRS agent in under 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent was able to confirm my correct filing status as an international student and answered all my specific questions about state residency requirements. Much better than guessing or relying solely on internet advice for something as serious as tax filing.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I tried the Claimyr service mentioned above and it actually worked. I was extremely skeptical (as you can see from my previous comment), but after struggling with FreeTaxUSA's international student options for days, I was desperate enough to try anything. The service got me through to an IRS representative in about 20 minutes, which is practically a miracle considering I'd previously spent 2+ hours on hold multiple times without ever reaching anyone. The agent confirmed that as an F1 student in my 3rd year, I should still file as a non-resident for my state return. They also explained why FreeTaxUSA doesn't explicitly ask about visa status (apparently it's designed primarily for resident taxpayers). Saved me hours of frustration and potentially filing incorrectly. Sometimes you need to speak directly with a human who knows the tax code.

Another international student here! One thing nobody mentioned yet is that some international students might need to file Form 8843 separately, even if using FreeTaxUSA for everything else. The software doesn't always make this clear. Form 8843 is required for F1 students even if you don't have income and don't need to file a tax return. It's a statement that establishes you're exempt from the substantial presence test due to your student visa status.

Just be careful with FreeTaxUSA. I used it last year as an international student and had to amend my return because it didn't properly account for tax treaty benefits. Does your country have a tax treaty with the US?

One other tip from another F1 student: for state residency in FreeTaxUSA, after selecting "non-resident," make sure you're only reporting income that was earned in that specific state. The software should limit taxation to state-source income, but sometimes you need to verify this manually. In my case, I had a summer internship in a different state from where my university is located. Had to file as a non-resident in both states, but only report the income earned in each respective state.