As far as I know it is exempt if you are a student. However, if you are on OPT, you have to pay SS and Medicare taxes. Only the assistantships (graduate, teaching etc) are exempt of SS and Medicare taxes. Please correct if I'm wrong. I am not sure, but I guess if you have already paid the FICA taxes, it is highly unlikely that you will be refunded. You will get social security credits though.

Sparty · Apr 4, 2013 7:25 AM

 mero ni kaatiraa chha. when i asked the payroll office they told me that starting the 5th year in the U.S., we (F-1s) are considered "Resident Alien" and are required to pay SS and Medicare taxes. but i've some friends who have been in the U.S. for longer than me and they don't pay a dime towards SS and medicare tax. don't know how the system works, man. let me know if you find out a way to not pay these taxes and/or get the money back for the amount that was taken from your paycheck. i too, am sick of paying 1/5th of my gross income for taxes for detailed information: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals... Last edited: 04-Apr-13 08:08 AM

jantare1 · Apr 4, 2013 8:03 AM

If you are planning for applying green card ( staying ), it does not help for green card, but will help for your social security benifit once you retire in this country. Last edited: 04-Apr-13 11:40 AM

MaGorkhe1 · Apr 4, 2013 9:08 AM

 @Jantare, I have been to the states since Fall 2010 (Almost 3 years), I think I am not a resident alien for two more years . Tomorrow, I am going to get a first paycheck after my complain to payroll company. I will let u know if I get exempted on these taxes.  @ Magorkhe, I wonder how it is goint to help for applying green card? I have no idea about it. I am just been in OPT for couple of months. I am going to extend my OPT for 17 more months before applying H1B. And what will be the diffenrece if I got exempted by now and I go to apply for H1B/Greencard after a year? @Sparty, I think USCIS website clearly stated that for all students (F-1) status, the FICA taxes are exempted if they are staying in the states less than 5-years. I am not sure, there might be other conditions on which I am not awere of it. Lets see how it goes.

underline · Apr 4, 2013 10:05 AM

 If you haven't been in the US for more than 4 years, you don't need to pay these taxes. I was in a similar situation last year. Talk to your payroll people, they should be able to refund it (mine did).  If they don't, there is a way to get it refunded from the government as well. I'm sure if you google it, you will find a way. Getting it done through payroll is much easier and hassle free though. 

durbarmargnepal · Apr 4, 2013 11:05 AM