Estimated Tax Form 1040-ES (NR): U.S. Taxes for Noncitizens (2025 IRS Guide)

This guide covers “Estimated Tax Form 1040-ES (NR)” within u.s. taxes for noncitizens. The following material presents the IRS treatment of this topic, including the qualifications, exceptions, and examples in the source section. Read the rules alongside the facts of your own situation before deciding what to report, deduct, or document.

Adapted from Publication 519 (2025), U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens, published by the Internal Revenue Service. This guide retains the source edition’s years, amounts, deadlines, and examples. It is guidance for that edition, not a statement that the same figures apply to every tax year.

Estimated Tax Form 1040-ES (NR)

You may have income from which no U.S. income tax is withheld. Or the amount of tax withheld may be less than the income tax you estimate you will owe at the end of the year. If so, you may have to pay estimated tax.

Generally, you must make estimated tax payments for 2026 if you expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax and you expect your withholding and certain refundable credits to be less than the smaller of:

1. 90% (0.90) of the tax to be shown on your 2026 income tax return, or

2. 100% (1.00) of the tax shown on your 2025 income tax return (if your 2025 return covered all 12 months of the year).

If your adjusted gross income for 2025 was more than $150,000 ($75,000 if your filing status for 2026 is married filing separately), substitute 110% (1.10) for 100% (1.00) in (2) above if you are not a farmer or fisher. Item (2) does not apply if you did not file a 2025 return.

A nonresident alien should use Form 1040-ES (NR) to figure and pay estimated tax.

How to estimate your tax for 2026.

If you filed a 2025 return on Form 1040-NR and expect your income and total deductions for 2026 to be nearly the same, you should use your 2025 return as a guide to complete the Estimated Tax Worksheet in the Form 1040-ES (NR) instructions. If you did not file a return for 2025, or if your income, deductions, or credits will be different for 2026, you must estimate these amounts. Figure your estimated tax liability using the Tax Rate Schedule in the 2026 Form 1040-ES (NR) instructions for your filing status.

Note:

If you expect to be a resident of Puerto Rico during the entire year, use Form 1040-ES.

When to pay estimated tax.

Make your first estimated tax payment by the due date for filing the previous year’s Form 1040-NR. If you have wages subject to the same withholding rules that apply to U.S. citizens, you must file Form 1040-NR and make your first estimated tax payment by April 15, 2026. If you do not have wages subject to withholding, file your income tax return and make your first estimated tax payment by June 15, 2026.

If your first estimated tax payment is due April 15, 2026, you can pay your estimated tax in full at that time or in four equal installments by the dates shown next.

If your first payment is not due until June 15, 2026, you can pay your estimated tax in full at that time or pay:

1. ½ of your estimated tax by June 15, 2026;

2. ¹/₄ of the tax by September 15, 2026; and

3. ¹/₄ by January 15, 2027.

Tip:

You do not have to make the payment due January 15, 2027, if you file your 2026 Form 1040-NR by February 1, 2027, and pay the entire balance due with your return.

Fiscal year.

If your return is not on a calendar year basis, your due dates are the 15th day of the 4th, 6th, and 9th months of your fiscal year, and the 1st month of the following fiscal year. If any date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, use the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

Changes in income or deductions.

Even if you are not required to make an estimated tax payment in April or June, your circumstances may change so that you will have to make estimated tax payments later. This can happen if you receive additional income or if any of your deductions are reduced or eliminated. If so, see the Form 1040-ES (NR) instructions and Pub. 505 for information on figuring your estimated tax.

Amended estimated tax.

If, after you have made estimated tax payments, you find your estimated tax is substantially increased or decreased because of a change in your income or exemptions, you should adjust your remaining estimated tax payments. To do this, see the Form 1040-ES (NR) instructions and Pub. 505.

Penalty for failure to pay estimated income tax.

You will be subject to a penalty for underpayment of installments of estimated tax except in certain situations. These situations are explained on Form 2210.

Using the guidance

Keep the documents that establish the dates, amounts, and circumstances described above. References to other chapters, forms, worksheets, or earlier and later sections refer to the linked IRS publication. Check the full publication and its updates before relying on a rule for a different tax year or a situation not addressed here.

Sources and further reading

• Publication 519 (2025), U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens: Paying Tax Through Withholding or Estimated Tax — Estimated Tax Form 1040-ES (NR) — Internal Revenue Service; 2025 edition.

The cited U.S. government text is in the public domain. Source accessed October 28, 2026. Fynoptic has organized this material for educational use and is independent of, and not endorsed by, the IRS.