All F and J visa students must report their presence in the U.S. If you worked or earned income in the U.S. during the calendar year, you are also required to file a federal income tax form
International Education staff cannot provide tax advice. The information below is for general information purposes only.
- F and J students who earned income in 2025, may choose to use Sprintax, a paid tax preparation software designed for non-resident students. The deadline to file is April 15, 2026
- Using Sprintax is optional, but it is one of the few trusted services for non-resident tax filing.
Common Tax Forms/Documents
W-2 Form – This form reports your wage earnings if you worked in 2025. You must have a W-2 form from each employer you worked for in 2025. Contact your employer(s) if you do not have your W-2.
Form 1099-INT – This form reports miscellaneous income such as interest income from a U.S. bank, saving, credit union, etc.
Form 1098-T– Most F-1/J-1 visa students do not need this form if they are filing a nonresident tax return, because they are ineligible to claim education expense tax credits.
Some students may be eligible if they are:
- Married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- Claimed as a dependent by a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- If they have been in the U.S. for more than 5 years and filing as a resident.
Bellevue College may send your 2025 Form 1098-T via postal mail or digitally via ctcLink.
- How to View 1098-F in ctcLink
- Email general Form 1098-T questions to 1098Help@bellevuecollege.edu
Again, F or J visa students who meet the above conditions may use this form for their resident tax return. Students filing nonresident tax return cannot use it to claim credits.
Form 8843 – F-1/J-1 students and all their dependents who were physically present in the U.S. during the calendar year 2025 should complete and mail this form to Internal Revenue Service Center.
Form 1040 – Some F-1/J-1 students who have earned U.S. source income in 2025 and have been in the U.S. for more than 5 years use this form to file resident tax return.
Three Common Tax Situations for F and J Student Visa Holders in the US. All international F and J students must file certain tax form(s).
If you were physically present in the U.S. and DID NOT earn U.S. source income during the calendar year 2025 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2025). Complete Form 8843 only and mail it to IRS by June 15, 2026
- Form I-20 for F-1 students or Form DS-2019 for J-1 students
- Passport
- F-1 or J-1 visa
- Most recent I-94 record
- Your current U.S. and foreign addresses
- Travel records to identify your U.S. entry and exit dates in 2025
Make a copy of your completed Form 8843 and store it with your other important documents. Send it to this address via U.S. postal mail:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service Center
Austin, TX 73301-0215
June 15, 2026
Sprintax software is not required if you are filing Form 8843 only.
Other resources:
If you were physically present in the U.S. and EARNED U.S. source income during the calendar year 2025. Complete Form 8843 AND Form 1040NR and send both to IRS by April 15, 2026.
- Form I-20 for F-1 students or Form DS-2019 for J-1 students
- Passport
- F-1 or J-1 visa
- Most recent I-94 record
- Your current U.S. and foreign addresses
- Travel records to identify your U.S. entry and exit dates in 2025
- Form W-2* from each of your employer
- Form 1099 if any. Example: Form 1099-INT is an IRS form issued by banks to show any interest you may have earned in a year
- Your social security number
(*) Your employer should have mailed your W2 to your local address or issued it electronically. If you do not have your W2 form from each employer, contact them immediately.
April 15, 2026
It is not required, but it is helpful. Create login and password to use Sprintax software and services.
Sprintax charges $54.95 for Form 1040NR. Pay directly to Sprintax.
Use this form to request a $5.00 discount code while supplies last.
Request a Sprintax Discount Code for Nonresident Income Tax Filing – Collaboration
- Watch a short video from Sprintax for instructions about your residency status for tax purposes.
- Read “Residency for tax purpose” by Sprintax
- Read “Determining an individual’s tax residency status” by IRS
Generally, F and J students are considered as nonresident aliens for tax purposes for the first 5 years in the United States. Other F or J visa students are considered resident for tax purposes if they pass the Substantial Presence Test.
More information about the Substantial Presence Test:
Understanding the Substantial Presence Test: Are you a nonresident for tax purposes?
No. Sprintax is for nonresident tax filing. TurboTax is a popular tax preparation software for U.S. resident tax return.
Last Updated April 9, 2026