An alien is any individual who is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. national. A nonresident alien is an alien who has not passed the green card test or the substantial presence test.
If you are any of the following, you must file a return:
NOTE: If you were a nonresident alien student, teacher, or trainee who was temporarily present in the United States on an "F,""J,""M," or "Q" visa, you are considered engaged in a trade or business in the United States. You must file Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return only if you have income that is subject to tax, such as wages, tips, scholarship and fellowship grants, dividends, etc. Refer to Foreign Students and Scholars for more information.
You must also file an income tax return if you want to:
A nonresident alien's income that is subject to U.S. income tax must generally be divided into two categories:
Effectively Connected Income, after allowable deductions, is taxed at graduated rates. These are the same rates that apply to U.S. citizens and residents. Effectively Connected Income should be reported on page one of Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return. FDAP income is taxed at a flat 30 percent (or lower treaty rate, if qualify) and no deductions are allowed against such income. FDAP income that is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business should be reported on Schedule NEC (Form 1040-NR), Tax on Income Not Effectively Connected With a U.S. Trade or Business PDF .
Nonresident aliens who are required to file an income tax return must use Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return.
If you are an employee and you receive wages subject to U.S. income tax withholding, or you have an office or place of business in the United States, you must generally file by the 15th day of the 4th month after your tax year ends. For a person filing using a calendar year this is generally April 15.
If you are not an employee or self-employed person who receives wages or non-employee compensation subject to U.S. income tax withholding, or if you do not have an office or place of business in the United States, you must file by the 15th day of the 6th month after your tax year ends. For a person filing using a calendar year this is generally June 15.
File Form 1040-NR at the address shown in the instructions for Form 1040-NR.
If you cannot file your return by the due date, you should file Form 4868 to request an automatic extension of time to file. You must file Form 4868 by the regular due date of the return.
To get the benefit of any allowable deductions or credits, you must timely file a true and accurate income tax return. For this purpose, a return is timely if it is filed within 16 months of the due date just discussed. The Internal Revenue Service has the right to deny deductions and credits on tax returns filed more than 16 months after the due dates of the returns. For additional details, refer to When To File in the Filing Information chapter of Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.
Before leaving the United States, all aliens (with certain exceptions) must obtain a certificate of compliance. This document, also popularly known as the sailing permit or departure permit, must be secured from the IRS before leaving the U.S. You will receive a sailing or departure permit after filing a Form 1040-C, U.S. Departing Alien Income Tax Return, or Form 2063, U.S. Departing Alien Income Tax Statement.
Even if you have left the United States and filed a Form 1040-C on departure, you still must file an annual U.S. income tax return. If you are married and both you and your spouse are required to file, you must each file a separate return, unless one of the spouses is a U.S. citizen or a resident alien, in which case the departing alien could file a joint return with his or her spouse (Refer to Nonresident Spouse Treated as a Resident).