Hi,
Myself Mitesh jain,I was in USA (CA) from feb to June 08 on L1B (work permit) visa,I qualify as non resident alien & my W2 form shows FICA tax withholding.
Kindly ans my following Qs :

1.Do I exemted from FICA tax withholding if yes then how will I get the refund ?
2.Do I need to pay any Federal Taxes at all given that I am non-resident alien ?
3.Do I need to pay any state (CA) Taxes at all ?
4.Does filing as non resident alien ll help me getting more returns ?

Regards,
Mitesh Jain.

1. No. You will not get it back.
2. Yes, you must file tax return if income is more than $3500
3. Yes
4. Residents must report worldwide income for the year, while nonresidents only report income earned while in the U.S.

Because your work assignment was LESS than one year, you can file Form 1040NR with Form 2106 to claim daily living expenses during your work tour in California.

That will reduce BOTH your IRS and California tax liability.