While Tax Day in the United States usually falls on April 15 annually, this year income taxes must be filed by Monday, April 18.
As a J-1 exchange visitor, you are subject to federal and state income taxes on the wages you earn in the United States, and to do so you must file income tax returns annually with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You can do this using the W-2 form, which you can receive from your employer or from your sponsor. You may file anytime between receiving your W-2 and the IRS deadline in April.
J-1 exchange visitors are generally considered non-residents, and so you will need to report your income using Form 1040-NR (U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return). You must also fill out Form 8843 (Statement for Exempt Individuals and Individuals With a Medical Condition) even if you have received no U.S. income. If you are being paid by a foreign employer or if you are coming from one of the countries that has a bilateral income tax treaty with the U.S. concerning students/trainees or teachers/researchers, all or part of your income may be exempt from taxation.
More information on taxation of J-1 exchange visitors can be found here: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/taxation-of-alien-individuals-by-immigration-status-j-1
While the typical deadline to have your tax return filed in the U.S. is April 15, this may change if that day falls on a holiday or a weekend, in which case the deadline will be moved to the next business day. Since this year’s April 15 falls on the Washington D.C. holiday of Emancipation Day, the deadline for filing a tax return on your 2021 income is Monday, April 18, 2022, for everyone except residents of Maine and Massachusetts. Because those states legally observe Patriots’ Day on Monday, April 18, their tax filing deadline is pushed to Tuesday, April 19. If you can’t file your report by the due date, you may file Form 4868 by the due date instead to request an automatic extension.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at info@gravityintprog.com. Stay safe and healthy!
