[webpotter]

I am a foreign national and living in overseas. I was in USA from 1988 to 2001/2002 on F1 (student) and H1 (work visa) . I moved out of USA in 2001/2002. During that period I always worked and my previous employers withhold my Social Security and Medicare taxes.

I understand that I can get the refund for social security and Medicare taxes in a lump sump amount since I moved out of USA permanently and not eligible for benefits. How do I go about it? Thanks in advance.

[ravindrah]

Hi
For the period you are on F1 VISA you can claim back FICA( social security and Medicare taxes). Ideally your employer needs to refund this.
Go through below link

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8316.pdf

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

Sorry, you can get NOTHING back from the taxes withheld for Social Security and Medicare.

While you were under the H-1 visa, you were legally liable to pay Social Security and Medicare, even though you would never qualify for benefits under either program.

While you were under the F-1 visa, your salary was exempt from Social Security and Medicare. However, there is a time during which you had to request the refund using Form 843. The deadline for submitting Form 843 has long since expired.

Sorry!