NEED HELP? Find Resources

Search

Tax Help Guide for Foreign Students

DIY Taxes (Online)

This is the main option for Foreign Students. Prepare and file your own tax return with online help from our IRS-Certified tax preparers. Sign up for a Zoom session to get on-on-one help while preparing your tax return.

All international students must complete and submit tax forms to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) if you lived in the U.S. for any part of the tax year. Besides being a legal requirement, it is often to your advantage to file a tax return! (Some of your tax withholdings may be refunded.)

 

STEP #1: GATHER DOCUMENTS TO BRING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT!

 

  • Passport
  • Original Social Security card
  • All tax documents you received for the tax year (W-2, 1099-MISC, 1095-A, 1042-S etc.). If you only have an online copy of your W-2 or 1099-MISC, please print out a physical copy.
  • Routing number, as well as savings AND checking account numbers, if you want direct deposit of any refund or electronic transfer of any amount due.
  • Form 13614NR Non-Resident Intake/Interview Sheet completed to the best of your knowledge.
  • Your AGI (adjusted gross income) amount from last year’s tax return, if you filed a return last year.
  • It is oftentimes helpful to bring your entire last year’s tax return, if you filed last year.

Please do not make an appointment until you have received all your tax forms! This includes tax documents from all sources of income you received during the tax year (W-2, 1099-MISC, etc.). For example, if you had more than one part-time job or internship, please wait until you receive tax documents from all of them (or follow up with your respective employer) before coming to get your taxes done.

 

STEP #2: FIND A TAX SITE WHO CAN HELP YOU REMOTELY!

 

Remember that the income limit for the program is $64k! There are a limited number of tax sites certified to help you, as your tax situation is unique. The list of local tax sites designated/certified to help Foreign Students is here:

 

East Bay (Alameda County)
Site Name

SparkPoint / Bay Point Works ECC

3105 Willows Pass Road #3, Bay Point

Contact: 925-655-3726

Hours / Dates

Monday – Friday
9:30am – 4pm

1/16 – 10/14
(closed 2/19, 4/1, 5/27, 6/9, 7/4, 9/2)

Site Type & Notes

Appointments available, call 925-655-3726.
Walk-ins are also allowed.

In-person / drop-off, Virtual tax preparation

Languages

English, Spanish, Tongan

 

East Bay (Alameda County)
Site Name

CSU East Bay

25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard, Hayward

Contact: email

Hours / Dates

Fridays & Saturdays
1pm – 4pm

2/16 – 4/13
(closed 4/1- 4/11)

Site Type & Notes

Appointments required, email them here

DIY Taxes

Languages

English, Mandarin

Site Name

EBALDC – Asian Resource Center

310 8th Street
Oakland

Contact: 510-390-2345 or email

Hours / Dates

Tuesday – Wednesday 2:30pm – 6:30pm

Saturday – Sunday
10:30am – 4:30pm

1/24 – 4/7

Site Type & Notes

Appointment required, schedule here

In-person / drop-off, In-person / same-day tax preparation

Languages

English, Cantonese, Mandarin

Site Name

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

Hours / Dates

Saturdays 1pm – 4pm

2/4 – 4/13

Site Type & Notes

Walk-in
(no appointment needed)

In-person / same-day tax preparation

Languages

English, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin, Vietnamese

 

 

Santa Clara County
Site Name

Catholic Charities of Gilroy

9300 Wren Avenue,
Room 8
Gilroy

Contact: email

Hours / Dates

Mondays 10:30am – 1:30pm

2/5, 2/12, 2/26 – 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25 – 4/1 (Holiday closed), 4/8

Site Type & Notes

Schedule an appointment here

In-person / same-day tax preparation, In-person / drop-off

Languages

English, Hindi, Spanish, Vietnamese

Site Name

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

2625 Zanker Road
2nd Floor
San Jose

Contact: email

Hours / Dates

1/27 – 4/13
Tuesdays & Thursdays
5pm – 8pm
Saturdays 9am – 12pm

5/1 – 10/14
Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – 2pm

Site Type & Notes

Schedule an appointment here
Walk-ins are also allowed.

In-person / same-day tax preparation, In-person / drop-off

Languages

English, Cantonese, Hindi, Spanish, Vietnamese

Site Name

DeAnza Community College

Virtual Only

Contact: email

Hours / Dates

Wednesdays
10:30am – 1:30pm

2/7 – 4/10

Site Type & Notes

Schedule an appointment here

Virtual tax preparation, DIY Taxes / Facilitated Self Assistance (FSA)

Languages

English, Mandarin

Site Name

UWBA DIY Virtual

Hours / Dates

Tuesday 2/27 3pm – 6pm

Tuesday 3/12 12pm – 3pm

Site Type & Notes

Schedule an appointment, (link coming soon)

DIY Taxes, virtual only

Languages

English,Spanish

 

San Francisco County
Site Name

Chinese Newcomers Service Center

777 Stockton Street,
Suite 104,
San Francisco

Contact: 415-421-2111 or email

Hours / Dates

Monday – Friday
9am – 4pm

Saturdays
8:30am – 4pm

1/22 – 10/1
(closed on all federal holidays)

Site Type & Notes

Appointment required,
call 415-421-2111 or click here to email

In-person / same-day tax preparation, In-person / drop-off, Virtual tax preparation

Languages

English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese

Site Name

SFSU Beta Alpha Psi/ VITA

San Francisco State University,
1600 Holloway Avenue (Creative Arts Room #116), San Francisco

Contact: 415-338-1079 or email

Hours / Dates

Tuesdays 9am – 12pm & 12:30pm – 6:30pm,

Wednesdays 12:30pm – 6:30pm,

Thursdays 9am – 12pm & 12:30pm – 6:30pm.

Do-it-Yourself guided self-preparation on Fridays 9am – 3pm.

1/30 – 4/12
(closed during spring break 3/26 – 3/29)

Site Type & Notes

Appointment required,
schedule here

In-person / same-day tax preparation, DIY Taxes

Languages

English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Vietnamese

 

Disclaimer: Even though you are very likely eligible for our free tax services, we may not be able to help you with your taxes due to unforeseen circumstances with obscure tax law, site-specific limitations, or the availability of sufficient volunteers.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

At an in-person site, do you hold on to any of my original documents?

No. Remember to take everything with you after you leave the tax site.

Do I need to file a return if I did not have any income?

No, but you should complete the IRS Form IRS Form 8843 (PDF)< in order to establish your non-residency with the IRS by telling the IRS how many days you were present in the US as a non-resident, your visa / immigration status, etc.

How long will it take to prepare my return?

It depends on the complexity of your specific tax situation. On average, it will take 1-1.5 hours to prepare a tax return.

Is ALL of the information on the Intake and Interview sheet needed?

Yes. To complete your tax return, please come prepared with all the information on the IRS Form 13614-NR intake sheet(PDF), including date first entered the U.S., visa status, the exact number of days present in the U.S. each year, and school information.

Can I e-file my tax return?

Yes, international students can e-file their federal and state tax returns. However, if you need to mail it, it will generally take the IRS and CA Franchise Tax Board 4 to 6 weeks to process your tax return from the time you mail it. If you opted for direct deposit of your refund, it will be another week after that to see it appear in your bank account.

I already filed a return through Turbotax and found out later that it was incorrect. What can I do?

You’ll have to prepare an amendment (IRS Form 1040X)(PDF) of your original tax return! The tax sites generally only process amendments AFTER the tax deadline of April 15th though and tax sites don’t generally do amended returns if you didn’t do the original return with them. Amendments in general are by appointment only since they often take several hours to prepare. The site would will need to see a copy of your incorrect return and all of your tax documents. Note that you may end up owing some money back to the IRS if you took erroneously took education credits on the IRS 1040 federal return AND/OR the renters credit on the CA 540 state return. The amendment must be mailed and only after the incorrect return has been processed. Note that it generally takes the IRS roughly 8-12 weeks to process an amendment.

What if incorrectly withheld?

IF YOU HAD SOCIAL SECURITY OR MEDICARE TAXES WITHHELD from your paycheck (this should be easy to tell by looking at Boxes 3, 4, 5 and 6 of your W-2’s), first try to contact your employer to get your money back (before you get your taxes done) so that by the time you get to your tax site, they will know if you need to file an IRS Form 843(PDF).


If you’re unsuccessful in getting your employer to get you a reimbursement, you can use our 843 PACKET GUIDE (which highlights the instructions in IRS PUB. 4011 – PDF PAGE 18 and IRS PUB. 519 – CHAPTER 8). To summarize:


Wait 6 weeks after filing your tax return.


Attach the following documents:


  • Form W-2
  • Copy of your Form 1040NR (or Form 1040NR-EZ)
  • Copy of visa
  • Completed IRS FORM 8316 (statement that refund could not be obtained)
  • Other documents as needed (e.g. pay stubs, I-797, I-94, I-20, DS-2019, EAD, etc.).

Mail the Form 843 along with supporting documentation to the IRS, per the “REFUND OF TAXES WITHHELD IN ERROR” SECTION IN PUB. 519 Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury, Ogden, UT 84201-0038

Are Foreign / International Students who file as non-residents eligible to use the IRS’ Direct File tool this year?

No unfortunately -- you can’t do non-resident tax returns using the IRS Direct File tool this year (2024). The IRS is only piloting their new tool with a limited population. It’s possible they will continue to expand the tool’s capabilities in future years. The tool looks promising!

DIY Taxes (Online)

This is the main option for Foreign Students. Prepare and file your own tax return with online help from our IRS-Certified tax preparers. Sign up for a Zoom session to get on-on-one help while preparing your tax return.

DIY