Skip to content

No Income? Tax Form 8843

What is Form 8843?

Form 8843 (pdf) is not an income tax return. Form 8843 is merely an informational statement required by the U.S. government for certain nonresident aliens (including the spouses or dependents of nonresident aliens).

Who Must File Form 8843?

All nonresident aliens present in the U.S. under F-1, F-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status must file Form 8843 “Statement for Exempt Individuals and Individuals With a Medical Condition”—even if they received NO income during the tax filing year. Form 8843 must be filed if an individual is:

  • present in the U.S. during the tax filing year
  • a nonresident alien
  • present in the U.S. under F-1, F-2, J-1, or J-2 status

If an individual meets all three qualifications, the individual must file Form 8843, regardless of the individual’s age and even if the individual is not required to file a U.S. income tax return (Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ).

Do I Need a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to File Form 8843?

If you already have an SSN or ITIN, the number must be included on Form 8843, regardless of your age, and even if you are not required to file a U.S. income tax return (Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ).

How Do I Submit Form 8843?

Form 8843 is typically attached to an income tax return.

If, however, you have NO income and are ONLY filing Form 8843, you can use Glacier Tax Prep to generate the 8843 form:

Access Glacier Tax Prep

You must print, sign, and mail it to
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service Center
Austin, TX 73301-0215
USA

(There is no street address needed)

Each individual who has NO income and files ONLY a Form 8843 MUST send the form in a separate envelope. Do not include more than one Form 8843 per envelope.

For example, Juanita Garcia is present in the U.S. under F-1 immigration status with her husband and 3-year-old daughter (both present in F-2 immigration status). Juanita is the only person in the family who received U.S. source income during the tax year. Therefore, Juanita will file an income tax return (Forms 1040NR/1040NR-EZ) with Form 8843 attached. Juanita’s husband will file Form 8843 and mail it in a separate envelope. Juanita must complete Form 8843 for her daughter and must submit her daughter’s Form 8843 in a separate envelope.

ARCTIC INTERNATIONAL LLC 2010. All rights reserved.

Updated March 2023