If you are on a J-1 visa, you will be exempt from the Substantial
Presence Test for the first 2 (if
non-student) or 5 (if student) calendar years that you are in the US. This
means that you are considered a non-resident aliens for US tax purposes.
You will need to file a Form 1040NR to report your US
source income. TurboTax does not support Form 1040NR. You may want to try https://www.sprintax.com/ which is specifically designed to help
international student nonresident aliens with their US tax returns.
Here
is a link to the IRS website for Form
1040NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return
Click this link for more information from the IRS on US Tax Guide for Aliens
Additionally, if you had Social Security taxes taken
out in error, you can file a separate form with the US government for a refund
of these social security taxes.
Refund of Taxes Withheld in Error
If social security
or Medicare taxes were withheld in error from pay that is not subject to these
taxes, contact the employer who withheld the taxes for a refund.
If you are unable to
get a full refund of the amount from your employer, file a claim for refund
with the Internal Revenue Service on Form 843, Claim for Refund and
Request for Abatement (PDF). Attach the following items to Form 843:
- A copy of your Form W-2 to
prove the amount of social security and Medicare taxes withheld,
- A copy of the page from your
passport showing the visa stamp,
- INS Form I-94,
- If applicable INS Form I-538,
Certification by Designated School Official, and
- A statement from your
employer indicating the amount of the reimbursement your employer provided
and the amount of the credit or refund your employer claimed or that you
authorized your employer to claim. If you cannot obtain this statement
from your employer, you must provide this information on your own
statement and explain why you are not attaching a statement from your
employer.
- If applicable, Form 8316, Information Regarding Request for
Refund of Social Security Tax Erroneously Withheld... (PDF)
File Form 843 (with
attachments) with the IRS office where your employer's Forms 941 returns were
filed. You can locate the IRS office where your employer files his Form 941 by
going to Where
to File Tax Returns
