# US CITIZENS: Problems with IRS "Get My Payment" portal with UK address?



## dmcelroy23 (Apr 19, 2020)

Hello,

Are there any other US citizens living in the UK who are having trouble tracking the status of their economic impact payment (i.e. stimulus check) on the IRS website? The "Get My Payment" portal will not work for me, consistently locking me out for 24 hours because it will not recognize my UK address, which is what appears on my 2019 tax return.

Has anyone else had this problem? Or, has anyone with a UK address been able to use the portal successfully and can give me some tips for making it work? I am assuming the issue has to do with post code. I've literally copy and pasted my address directly from the tax return, so I feel this must be correct. However, the portal states that ZIP or postal code is required for countries which have them, but it also specifies that you should enter a 5 digit code (which, obviously, my UK post code is not).

Would appreciate any insight or ideas on what to try next! Thanks!


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## CURTGS (Apr 20, 2020)

Hello,
You cannot log in to the Get My Payment site with a foreign address; it will accept neither a foreign postal code, a US postal code, five zeros, nor the empty string. Democrats Abroad have written a letter on April 17 to the Treasury Department/IRS concerning this very issue (amongst other things). (As this is my first comment here, apparently I can't post the link to Democrats Abroad letter.)

If that were not enough, "zero-filers" like myself---i.e., those who neither owe tax nor are owed a refund---cannot enter their direct deposit information when using the IRS tool, as you must provide one or the other amount and neither field accepts 0 (zero) as a numerical value.

Of course, the chances of the IRS fixing these deficiencies before checks are sent in the mail to low AGI folks (below $10,000) are vanishingly small.


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## gailmargolis (Jun 23, 2018)

CURTGS said:


> .....Of course, the chances of the IRS fixing these deficiencies before checks are sent in the mail to low AGI folks (below $10,000) are vanishingly small.


And sadly, some of those are the people who might need it the most.


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## PWExpat (Apr 25, 2020)

dmcelroy23 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Are there any other US citizens living in the UK who are having trouble tracking the status of their economic impact payment (i.e. stimulus check) on the IRS website? The "Get My Payment" portal will not work for me, consistently locking me out for 24 hours because it will not recognize my UK address, which is what appears on my 2019 tax return.
> 
> ...


Having exactly the same problem. No matter what I try I can't get into the Get My Payment app. I've tried a space on the post code, no space, etc. Nothing works. I have already filed my 2019 tax return and wanted to add a US bank account for the check deposit. 

I've received no letter in the post yet. Or any emails. I filed using Free Forms and have received the confirmation email that my return was accepted. So I know they have my email address. 

If any other UK expat receives any communication from the US Gov on this, please do post.

Thanks


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## Tom brighton (Apr 27, 2020)

Yeah, I'm having the same problem. Tried various combinations to no avail.


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## FunkyShadyNasty (Apr 28, 2020)

Although disappointing that the IRS is not serving expats with the 'Get My Payment' tool, I am happy to know that the foreign address (Ireland) may be the root of the problem and that it is not a user error I am making.


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## ryancfogarty (Apr 28, 2020)

Has there been any update on this? I still can't enter my foreign address in the "Get My Payment" tool.


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## BrianEngland (Apr 29, 2020)

Hi guys — same issue for me. Have had a UK address for the past 2 US tax cycles and none of those addresses have worked. I have seen some sparse media coverage on this though and suggest this is a story marketwatch or one of those publications would pickup given that 9m+ Americans live abroad and I’d wager a good percentage of those are due a stimulus check, though sadly probably too few vote regularly enough to be influential. I’d suggest if they received several tips from expats abroad, a journalist would be inclined to write something. If we want the president to do anything about it — I’d suggest we write to Fox News...


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## CURTGS (Apr 20, 2020)

ryancfogarty said:


> Has there been any update on this? I still can't enter my foreign address in the "Get My Payment" tool.


I gave it another shot yesterday and received the same "your information does not match our records" error on the log in page that I've gotten since day one.

On a reddit thread where a filer from abroad in our situation managed to reach the IRS by telephone, the civil servant on the line acknowledged the foreign address snafu, particularly delicate, apparently, for those with foreign postal codes matching a domestic US zip code (which happens to be my case). When it rains, it pours.

Good luck.


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

I've just received mine in the post (to my current UK address). I didn't do anything at all to force it, but I DID file my 2019 income tax already, so they must have my UK address from that


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## Pallykin (Mar 30, 2014)

I heard on the radio that you need to enter your address in capital letters. This was not specific to foreign addresses but might be worth a try.


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## digbr2003 (May 8, 2020)

*Finally Worked*

Hi I found this on another tread and it worked like a charm.

So we all know the "Get my Payment" has been a big mess since launch day; constantly with the "payment status unavailable" and lockouts for 3 failed attempts.

Anyways, i figured a few things out that may be helpful for when you attempt again.

1) You need to type in the social security number with the "-". May seem like a no-brainer, but the description says type in the 9 digit SS number, and doesn't indicate breaks for the dashes. So it should look like XXX-XX-XXXX as you type it in the box.

2) For the address, you need to leave out all the commas, periods, dashes, etc. You can leave the # symbol where necessary, but that's it. 123 super, duper st. = 123 super duper st

3) If you are overseas (like me), you need the ENTIRE address thats on your filing return. Everything. Mine looks kinda like the following "xxxx building, yyyy district, zzzz city, zipcode, country," It's a looong address and it doesn't follow their instructions to leave out city, state, township, etc. It doesn't matter - for foreign addresses they literally just copy/past as is, because they don't know what's crucial and what's not I suppose.

4) Foreign addresses leave out the Zipcode. only the 5 digit U.S. zip codes matter from what I can tell.

Hope it helps out it did for me.


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## rodgersu (May 10, 2020)

After numerous failed attempts, I followed digbr2003's advice regarding typing in entire foreign address and it worked like a charm, thanks!


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## hippoman (Mar 20, 2017)

My wife's cheque arrived in the post today. She had filed her 2019 taxes back in March, but she mailed it them in so we were a little surprised to receive the cheque so soon. Now just to figure out how to deposit it...


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## JammyK (Mar 8, 2018)

My check came in the post today. I couldn't get the portal to work either. And I didn't file 2019 taxes yet but did file 2018 - albeit very late. I didn't try the whole address together, but good to know that has worked for some. Does anyone have experience cashing such a check in the UK? I'm a bit concerned the UK bank will take a sizeable fee for converting. Thoughts welcome! Good luck getting your checks.


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## hippoman (Mar 20, 2017)

JammyK said:


> Does anyone have experience cashing such a check in the UK? I'm a bit concerned the UK bank will take a sizeable fee for converting. Thoughts welcome! Good luck getting your checks.


My wife has a US bank account still and was able to cash the cheque using the bank's app - it all worked surprisingly well. I have had experience banking a US cheque with Barclays into my account, it took forever and some money was lost to fees/exchange rate - although I can't remember how much. Probably not entirely helpful and I think banks are closed at the moment, so I'd suggest ringing yours and finding out more.


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

Yeah I have a TDBank account which I opened a few years ago in the US, it has a mobile deposit feature to take a photo of the front/back of the cheque. It's worked well enough and is one of the main reasons I chose this bank. It's amazing to me that the Dept of Treasury still uses paper cheques... The US is so behind the UK in terms of taxes and revenue...

You should also be able to deposit a cheque via post to your bank's address


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## asn234 (Feb 22, 2012)

Hi, I just followed digbr2003's advice as well and I finally got into the site! It said my check was mailed on the 1st of May. I did file 2018's taxes last year but have yet to send in 2019. Thank you again.


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## teddyblanstone (May 13, 2020)

*Solution for Italy*

I have an old IRS check lying around and checked the format. My street address has no punctuation, for one. For two, it is formatted like this (ALL CAPS):

STREET NO.
POSTALCODE CITY (PROV)
ITALY
700

The 700 has absolutely nothing to do with my address so far as I know, but that was accepted as the postal code on Get My Payment tool.


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## ryancfogarty (Apr 28, 2020)

I also received mine in the post, filed my 2019 income tax ASAP (like February I believe)


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## digbr2003 (May 8, 2020)

ryancfogarty said:


> I also received mine in the post, filed my 2019 income tax ASAP (like February I believe)


Did you try the "get my payment"? If not can your try and see if there was a date the check was mailed. Trying to get an idea how long it takes in the mail.

If you can thanks.


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## Ztephanie (Apr 7, 2017)

hippoman said:


> My wife has a US bank account still and was able to cash the cheque using the bank's app - it all worked surprisingly well. I have had experience banking a US cheque with Barclays into my account, it took forever and some money was lost to fees/exchange rate - although I can't remember how much. Probably not entirely helpful and I think banks are closed at the moment, so I'd suggest ringing yours and finding out more.


This is probably a bit late for most people, but I had mine deposited into my Transferwise account and it sent seamlesly to my Barclays account in like 5 minutes, it was only a £4 transaction fee as well.


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## asn234 (Feb 22, 2012)

I received a letter from IRS informing me that a check will be mailed but there was no check included in the letter! Will a check me sent separately? The letter is dated May 1st and the Get my payment website said the check was mailed on 1st of May. Annoying they managed to misspell my address.


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## hippoman (Mar 20, 2017)

asn234 said:


> I received a letter from IRS informing me that a check will be mailed but there was no check included in the letter! Will a check me sent separately? The letter is dated May 1st and the Get my payment website said the check was mailed on 1st of May. Annoying they managed to misspell my address.


My wife received her letter from the IRS informing her that her cheque was on its away two weeks *after* her cheque arrived, I'm sure yours will arrive soon.


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## asn234 (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks. Still haven't received it but looks like I have to wait until early July (9 weeks since the scheduled date it was mailed) before I can request a payment trace. irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment-frequently-asked-questions#lost


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