Using Sprintax to File Your Nonresident Tax Return: A Walkthrough

Why Sprintax instead of regular tax software

Consumer tax software built for US residents, like the standard version of TurboTax, does not prepare Form 1040-NR, the return most international students need to file. Sprintax is built specifically for the nonresident alien rules the IRS applies to F-1, J-1, and other visa holders, and it is listed as TurboTax's own nonresident partner rather than a competitor.

Get your access code first

Many universities buy a batch of Sprintax codes each year and give them to enrolled international students through the international student office, either free for the federal return or at a discount. Check your school's tax season email or international office webpage before you pay full price.

Gather your documents before you start

• Passport and, if applicable, your visa stamp.

• Form I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) issued by your school program.

• Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, if you have one.

• Form W-2 for any on-campus or authorized wages.

• Form 1042-S for scholarship, fellowship, or treaty-exempt income, if your school issued one.

• Form 1098-T if your school sent one, though nonresidents usually cannot use the education credits it relates to.

• Your US entry and exit dates for the current and prior years, needed for the residency calculation.

Walking through the process

Sprintax starts by asking about your visa history and days present in the US, then uses those answers to confirm you file as a nonresident alien under the substantial presence test . From there you enter income from each document you gathered, and the software checks whether your home country has a tax treaty that reduces or removes tax on some of that income.

At the end, Sprintax generates your completed Form 1040-NR and, if you need it, Form 8843 . Federal returns can often be e-filed directly, while some situations still require you to print, sign, and mail the return to the IRS.

Confirm your residency status before you begin

Sprintax determines your residency status from the days and visa history you enter, so answer the visa and travel questions accurately even when you are unsure how they affect the outcome. Getting a prior visa category or an entry date wrong can push you into the wrong residency bucket and produce an incorrect return.

FICA tax refunds

F-1 and J-1 students who count as exempt individuals generally should not have Social Security or Medicare tax, together called FICA, withheld from their paycheck at all.

If your employer withheld it by mistake, Sprintax also offers a path to claim that money back, separate from your income tax return. Check your pay stub for FICA withholding before you assume your only refund is the income tax one.

Common mistakes inside Sprintax

• Entering a Form 1042-S amount in the wrong box, mixing up gross income with the amount already withheld.

• Skipping the treaty question because you assume your country has no treaty, without checking first.

• Starting a state return without confirming your access code actually covers it.

• Not saving the completed PDF before closing the session, then losing access to it later.

If Sprintax says you are a resident for tax purposes

If your answers show you have crossed into resident alien status, for example after your 5-year F-1 exemption window ends, Sprintax directs you toward resident filing options instead, since it specializes in the nonresident side. Confirm your status early each tax season, since the software and forms you need can change once your exempt years run out.

Sprintax support if you get stuck

Sprintax offers a help center and live chat support for account, technical, and general tax questions as you go through the return. Use it before you guess at an answer you are unsure about, since a wrong answer early in the process can change your entire result.

Do not forget the state return

A federal access code from your school does not always include your state return. Sprintax offers state preparation as a separate step, usually for an added cost, and you still need it if you worked or earned income in a state that collects income tax. Check your school's guidance on whether their code covers the state module too.

Even with zero income, you may still need to file

If you had no US income for the year, you may not need a full return at all. Every exempt individual still needs to submit Form 8843 on its own, and Sprintax offers a lighter, often free, path for students who only need that form. Check which product tier applies to your situation before you pay for a return you do not need.

After you file

Keep a copy of everything Sprintax generates, the forms you uploaded, and any confirmation number from e-filing or a mailing receipt if you filed on paper. You may need these records again for a future visa application, OPT paperwork, or an eventual green card process.