Revised Country Travel Information for Algeria / U.S. Tax Information for Americans Abroad 8 March 2015
Dear American Citizens:
We wanted to share two items of interest for you:
- Updated travel information
- IRS tax information for Americans abroad***
Updated travel information
The U.S. Embassy has updated its Algeria Country-Specific Travel Information, with updates to the sections on Safety & Security, Crime, Disaster Preparedness, LGBT Rights, Health, and Traffic Safety & Road Conditions.***
IRS Tax Information for Americans Abroad
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has provided the following guidance for U.S. citizens abroad preparing for the 2015 tax filing season. This IRS guidance is posted under Federal Benefits and Obligations on travel.state.gov.
Who Must File?
All U.S. citizens and resident aliens must file a U.S. individual income tax return, even if they permanently live outside the United States and may not owe any tax because of income exclusion or tax credit.
When is the 2014 Federal Tax Return Due?
Due date for Form 1040: April 15, 2015
Extensions:
- An automatic extension to June 15, 2015, is granted for taxpayers living outside the United States and Puerto Rico. No form is required; write “Taxpayer Resident Abroad” at the top of your tax return.
Caution: This extension applies only for filing your tax return, not for payment. If you owe any taxes, you’re required to pay by April 15, 2015. Interest and penalties will generally be applied if payment is made after this date.
- To request an additional extension to October 15, 2015, use Form 4868.
· Caution: This extension applies only for filing your tax return, not for payment. If you owe any taxes, you’re required to pay by April 15, 2015. Interest and penalties will generally be applied if payment make after this date.
- Other extensions may be available on IRS.gov.
Can I Mail My Return and Payment?
You can mail your tax return and payment using the postal service or approved private delivery services. A list of approved delivery services is available on IRS.gov. If you mail a return from outside the United States, the date of filing is the postmark date. However, if you mail a payment, separately or with your return, your payment is not considered received until the date of actual receipt.
Can I Electronically File My Return?
You can prepare and e-file your income tax return, in many cases for free. Participating software companies make their products available through the IRS. E-File options are listed on IRS.gov.
What Forms May I Need?
- 1040, U.S Individual Income Tax Return (PDF 188 KB)
– Instructions to Form 1040 (PDF 2.9 MB) - 1116, Foreign Tax Credit (PDF 119 KB)
– 2013 Instructions to Form 1116 (PDF 359 KB)– 2014 instructions will be available soon, please check on www.irs.gov - 2350, Application for Extension of Time to File U.S. Income Tax Return (for U.S. citizens and residents abroad) (PDF 504 KB)
- 2555, Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (PDF 220 KB)
– Instructions to Form 2555 (PDF 287 KB) - 2555-EZ, Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (PDF 148 KB)
– Instructions to Form 2555-EZ (PDF 171 KB) - 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (PDF 514 KB)
- 8802, Application for United States Residency Certificate (PDF 161 KB)
– Instructions to Form 8802 (PDF 145 KB) - 8938, Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets, (PDF 184 KB)
– Instructions to Form 8938 (PDF 271 KB) - 14653, Certification by U.S. Person Residing Outside of the United States for Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures (PDF 40 KB)
How Do I Pay My Taxes?
You must pay your taxes in U.S. dollars.
- Direct pay. You can pay online with a direct transfer from your U.S. bank account using Direct Pay, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, or by a U.S. debit or credit card. You can also pay by phone using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or by a U.S. debit or credit card.
- Foreign wire transfers. If you have a U.S. bank account, you can use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. If you do not have a U.S. bank account, ask whether your financial institution has a U.S. affiliate that can help you make same-day wire transfers.
- Foreign electronic payments. International taxpayers who do not have a U.S. bank account may transfer funds from their foreign bank account directly to the IRS for payment of their tax liabilities.
Other Reporting?
You also may have to file FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR), by June 30, 2015.
Does the IRS Provide Help in Other Languages?
The IRS provides tax information in Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Go to www.irs.gov and use the drop down box under “Languages” on the upper right corner to select your language.
Where Can I Get Help?
Contact the International Taxpayer Service Call Center by phone or fax. The International Call Center is open Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).
Tel: 267-941-1000 (not toll-free)
Fax: 267-941-1055
You may also contact the IRS office in London, Paris, or Frankfurt. For addresses and telephone numbers, contact my local office internationally.
I Received a Notice from the IRS – What Do I Do?
If you receive a notice from the IRS and need to contact the IRS, call the number listed on the notice or the International Taxpayer Service Call Center (see above).
Where Can I Get More Information?
For information on the IRS website about international taxpayers, see this page.
For general information about international taxpayers, see Publication 54, “Taxation of U.S. Citizens and Residents Abroad.”
For information on the Affordable Care Act and taxpayers outside the United States, see Publication 5187 (PDF 917 KB), “Health Care Law.”
I Haven’t Filed All My Tax Returns – What Can I Do?
If you have not filed all the returns required of you and want to catch up on your filing obligations, see this announcement: IRS makes changes to offshore-programs.
***
We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Algeria enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at travel.state.gov. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy to contact you in an emergency. If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the U.S. Embassy in Algiers.
Regularly monitor the State Department’s website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, including the Travel Warning for Algeria, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information for Algeria. For additional information, refer to the“Traveler’s Checklist” on the State Department’s website.
Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to have travel information at your fingertips.
The U.S. Embassy is located at 5 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi in the El Biar district of Algiers, and is open 0800-1630, Telephone [213] (0) 770-08-2000. If you are a U.S. citizen in need of urgent assistance outside of business hours, the emergency after-hours number for the U.S. Embassy/Consulate is [213] (0) 770-08-2200.
