Question

Wei, an international student from People's Republic of China, received $10,563 of interest income in 2017 from accounts he opened when he first arrived in the U.S. on August 27, 2014. What type of federal income tax return does he need to file?

Answer 1

Answer:

He does not need to file a tax return

Explanation:

International students on F, J, M, or Q visas are considered “exempt individuals,” which means you are excused from the Substantial Presence Test for the first 5 years you are in the US if you are an international student. A substantial Presence test is the criterion used by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) in the US to determine if an individual is a citizen for tax purposes or not. Since Wei came into the United States in 2014, and this is 2017 he has not yet exhausted the 5 year period.