Can't make online IRS account living abroad (re tax transcripts)?

[karppi 6]

Hello,

 

My partner and I have filed an i-130 in May 2021. In advance of NOA2 we are looking at the documents we will need for the NVC stage. 

 

I am trying to gather my tax transcripts from the past three years and the IRS portal won't allow me to make an online account and therefore I cannot pull my transcripts. I have since requested by mail at least 6 times and I've only received one set in the mail. 

 

Has anyone else had trouble creating an online IRS account because they work abroad? Is there a way to get your transcripts through the mail that will actually work? I'm worried this will delay us sending in our AOS when the time comes. 

[karppi 6]

Update: I have since noticed they now have an ID authenticator app to make an online account. I got my transcripts!

[Redro 4,611]

1 minute ago, karppi said:

Update: I have since noticed they now have an ID authenticator app to make an online account. I got my transcripts!

Is ID authenticator app on the IRS website? We managed to get our transcripts via mail but being able to create an online account when you live abroad would be extremely handy. 

[karppi 6]

1 minute ago, Kor2USA said:

Is ID authenticator app on the IRS website? We managed to get our transcripts via mail but being able to create an online account when you live abroad would be extremely handy. 

Yes, I just noticed. I think it's new. So much handier, I've been stressing for months on how to them!

 

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

 

Click on Get Online Transcript, and then choose the ID.me option. You'll need a US phone number to authenticate though FYI.

[Redro 4,611]

7 minutes ago, karppi said:

Yes, I just noticed. I think it's new. So much handier, I've been stressing for months on how to them!

 

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

 

Click on Get Online Transcript, and then choose the ID.me option. You'll need a US phone number to authenticate though FYI.

Oh~ that's not helpful as we don't have a US number (that was the issue when we tried to make an online account last time)... 

Edited November 17, 2021 by Kor2USA

[karppi 6]

37 minutes ago, Kor2USA said:

Oh~ that's not helpful as we don't have a US number (that was the issue when we tried to make an online account last time)... 

To be honest, you only need a US to verify your account and then you can go in and download the transcripts. I know when I have been abroad before with no US number, I've put in my mother's number to verify a different online account and she sent me the code. So if you can use another US number for the time being to just create the account you don't need it again. 

[Redro 4,611]

3 minutes ago, karppi said:

To be honest, you only need a US to verify your account and then you can go in and download the transcripts. I know when I have been abroad before with no US number, I've put in my mother's number to verify a different online account and she sent me the code. So if you can use another US number for the time being to just create the account you don't need it again. 

Ah~ it has changed~. When I tried before you needed a US mobile phone number in your name... we've used a US phone number in someone else's name for verification so I'm aware of that procedure. 

Thank you so much for this info. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by Kor2USA

[Redro 4,611]

1 hour ago, karppi said:

Hello,

 

My partner and I have filed an i-130 in May 2021. In advance of NOA2 we are looking at the documents we will need for the NVC stage. 

 

I am trying to gather my tax transcripts from the past three years and the IRS portal won't allow me to make an online account and therefore I cannot pull my transcripts. I have since requested by mail at least 6 times and I've only received one set in the mail. 

 

Has anyone else had trouble creating an online IRS account because they work abroad? Is there a way to get your transcripts through the mail that will actually work? I'm worried this will delay us sending in our AOS when the time comes. 

P.S I find it strange you were only able to get one set via mail. We applied for 4 transcripts (2017-2020) and all 4 arrived on the same day. 

[Sammy.NZ 45]

10 hours ago, Kor2USA said:

P.S I find it strange you were only able to get one set via mail. We applied for 4 transcripts (2017-2020) and all 4 arrived on the same day. 

Yea same here - I had the same issue where I couldn't make an online account, no US credit card, or whatever else they required.

Ended up requesting by mail & all 3 I requested came together (quicker than I expected as well). Had my parents scan them to me. Still was frustrating not being able to make an account though.

[Scandi 4,166]

4 hours ago, Sammy.NZ said:

Yea same here - I had the same issue where I couldn't make an online account, no US credit card, or whatever else they required.

Ended up requesting by mail & all 3 I requested came together (quicker than I expected as well). Had my parents scan them to me. Still was frustrating not being able to make an account though.

Definitely make an account for future use. If you can't get verified to create an account, they will send out an activation code via mail so you can create your account that way.

 

I had to do that as I had no loans, credit cards, no phone number registered in my name etc, soI couldn't be verified. They sent the code instead and I have used my account several times for both ROC and naturalization. Definitely makes life easier having an account for that stuff.

[Katientsm 16]

21 hours ago, Kor2USA said:

Is ID authenticator app on the IRS website? We managed to get our transcripts via mail but being able to create an online account when you live abroad would be extremely handy. 

I was able to get my transcripts online using a VPN to create an account and verify my identity with the ID.me. I had verify with a live agent because I don't have a U.S. phone number though and it took forever because they kept rejecting my documents and i had to try different ones.

[Justus Forever 85]

Good Morning, just FYI you only need the most recent transcript which would be 2020 but if your not at the nvc stage by April you will need 2021 transcripts

[karppi 6]

I have requested by mail so many times and only one set showed up. So glad they changed it with ID.me now! It's good to have access to that information via an account going forward.