Amit:

If you are on F-1 visa status for only one day in 2005, you are technically required to file Form 8843.

That said, the IRS' enforcement of this policy is rather lax, so if you are on F-1 status for less than half of the year, you would file as a resident alien and filing the Form 8843 is no really necessary in the eyes of the IRS because the filing of the resident alien form (Form 1040/1040A/1040EZ) would confirm that you have changed to a different visa, months likely H-1.

If you are on H-1 or H-1B visa in 2006, you will will as a resident alien (Form 1040/1040A/1040EZ) and will not have to file Form 8843 for Tax Year 2006.

AtlantaTaxExpert
I Guess that rounds off most of my doubts, I will use all the info from this messageboard to fill up my taxes (Hopefully soon... and also hope that won't run into trouble while actually filling up the forms)
Thanks a lot AtlantaTaxExpert
Amit

Glad to help!

AtlantaTaxExpert
I need your help with my friends case... you have been really helpful and I guess u would be the same this time too... so let me thank you intiially for all this... my friends income is less than the standard deduction and the exemption amount, so the line 12 and line 14 have negative values... i.e his income was 3792.. the deduction and exemption are total 8200 so line 14 calculates out to be -4408... should he put it as the negative number or just leave it as 0.
On another topic I went to H & R block and they had me fill up 8833 also.. although finally looking that I knew more about india-tax treaty (thanks to you).. the lady said don't pay H & R block $150 for nothing... as I had also accurately calculated my tax before but still wanted to fill up the taxes with pro services.. so finally I didn't use H & R block and will be filling in my taxes on my own... I owe this to u
thanks a lot
amit

Leave it at zero!

Glad to help! Feels good to be helpful!

Hey AtlantaTaxExpert
I hope your doing fine.. same here.. had one more query.. more of a query than a question.What is this 8833 form? Do you think I need to fill that form up? I haven't seen anyone fill up the form and no one evrs speaks about it. I guess you are the only one who can put some light on the issue.
Thanks
Amit

Form 8833 is used to explain detailed citations from tax treaties. It may be needed if you have a complicated treaty exemption, but most people do not need it.