Expat Exchange Community
3 years ago
US stimulus checks
3 years ago
Hello, this is regarding US citizens living abroad who are eligible for the stimulus payment.
Unfortunately the IRS website has had a number of technical glitches which still haven't been solved even after two months. For example, the Non-Filers form doesn't seem to work properly. For some reason the form asks for a state ID, which presumably means a state driving license number. If you don't have a state driving license, it says you can leave the field blank if you don't have one. But then it won't accept the form and you can't proceed. Completely illogical, considering that whenever you deal with the IRS you need only your social security number and not a state driving license. At least this is my experience and I've been living abroad for 22 years.
The Get my Payment tool on the IRS site, which tracks the payment, has also generated a lot of complaints, though I haven't used it yet since I haven't been able to submit the form anyway.
Also, since the deadline for receiving a direct deposit payment to a bank account passed on 13th May, (and that was only possible if you had a bank account in the US, direct deposit is not available to foreign acounts), now the only way to receive it is to have a paper check sent through the USPS. Obviously for those of us abroad, this could take a very long time, especially under the present conditions.
And the help line +1 800 919 9835 is only a recording with menu options, even though it was supposed to have a live person available on the line.
The stimulus payments are available up to 31st December. But if they can't fix these problems with their website, millions of people might never be able to get it.
In fact, they say that 159 million checks have been sent out, but apparently many were never received because of changes of address, or other logistical problems.
Bottom line, I don't know anyone, in or out of the US, who has actually received their stimulus payment even though they are eligible.
At this point it looks a lot like a unicorn.
Personally I would welcome any information that sm might have about 1. How to use the Non-Filers form without a state ID (I do have a passport of course but they ask for state ID)
and
2. If anyone has received a check abroad, how long did it take?
It would be great to hear from anyone out there who knows these things.
Thanks JC
Unfortunately the IRS website has had a number of technical glitches which still haven't been solved even after two months. For example, the Non-Filers form doesn't seem to work properly. For some reason the form asks for a state ID, which presumably means a state driving license number. If you don't have a state driving license, it says you can leave the field blank if you don't have one. But then it won't accept the form and you can't proceed. Completely illogical, considering that whenever you deal with the IRS you need only your social security number and not a state driving license. At least this is my experience and I've been living abroad for 22 years.
The Get my Payment tool on the IRS site, which tracks the payment, has also generated a lot of complaints, though I haven't used it yet since I haven't been able to submit the form anyway.
Also, since the deadline for receiving a direct deposit payment to a bank account passed on 13th May, (and that was only possible if you had a bank account in the US, direct deposit is not available to foreign acounts), now the only way to receive it is to have a paper check sent through the USPS. Obviously for those of us abroad, this could take a very long time, especially under the present conditions.
And the help line +1 800 919 9835 is only a recording with menu options, even though it was supposed to have a live person available on the line.
The stimulus payments are available up to 31st December. But if they can't fix these problems with their website, millions of people might never be able to get it.
In fact, they say that 159 million checks have been sent out, but apparently many were never received because of changes of address, or other logistical problems.
Bottom line, I don't know anyone, in or out of the US, who has actually received their stimulus payment even though they are eligible.
At this point it looks a lot like a unicorn.
Personally I would welcome any information that sm might have about 1. How to use the Non-Filers form without a state ID (I do have a passport of course but they ask for state ID)
and
2. If anyone has received a check abroad, how long did it take?
It would be great to hear from anyone out there who knows these things.
Thanks JC
