Knowledge Base/Form 8843

Form 8843

This is general information, not professional tax advice. For your specific situation, please consult a qualified tax professional.

Who Files

  • EVERY au pair on a J-1 visa must file Form 8843, even if they had no US income.
  • This form is how the au pair claims "exempt individual" status to exclude their days from the substantial presence test.

What to Fill In

Part I — General Information

  • Name and SSN/ITIN
  • Type of US visa: J-1
  • Country of citizenship and tax residence
  • Current immigration status
  • Date of last arrival in the US
  • Number of days present in the US for current year and 2 prior years

Part III — For J-1 Visa Holders (not students)

  • Au pairs fill Part III, NOT Part II (which is for students).
  • Name of program sponsor (e.g., Cultural Care, InterExchange, Au Pair in America, AuPairCare)
  • Program sponsor's address
  • Program sponsor's EIN (if known)
  • Whether the au pair substantially complied with the requirements of their visa

Common Au Pair Program Sponsors

  • Cultural Care Au Pair
  • Au Pair in America (AIFS)
  • InterExchange Au Pair USA
  • AuPairCare
  • EurAupair
  • Go Au Pair
  • Agent Au Pair
  • Pro Au Pair
  • Au Pair International

Filing

  • If the au pair has income and is filing Form 1040-NR, attach Form 8843 to the tax return.
  • If the au pair has NO income, file Form 8843 by itself — mail to: Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Austin, TX 73301-0215.

Sources