Hi All,

I am a research scholar from Australia on a J1 Visa. I arrived in the US in February 2008 and this is the first time I have worked here. I previously spent time in the US as a student for one semester on a J1 visa from the end of 2003 to May 2004. During my time as a student in the US I did not work, pay tax, or receive any income from anyone in the US.

Am I able to get a federal tax exemption? I read on a university site that J1 Scholars can claim their first two calendar years OR two calendar years within their first six years.

Can anyone help me with this?

THANK YOU!

Unfortunately, I believe your first stint in 2003 - 2004 under the J-1 visa USED UP the two-year exemption that is normally granted to all J-1 visa holders.

Contact your University HR department and have them research the issue.

Thanks for your fast response! I actually have contacted the HR department, and it has taken them 3 months to give me any useful information. They are hard to communicate with, so I thought I would try and investigate it myself to make sure. It seems crazy that although I haven't worked in the US I still have to pay the same as those that have been here for 2 years. *sigh* Oh well.. :)

No one has EVER said the tax laws for foreign nationals are fair.

But they ARE the law!