MyExpatTaxes Help Center | How do I know if my tax return got approved by the IRS?

There are 3 ways to check if your tax return was successfully approved by the IRS.

Option 1: Check on the IRS website

The IRS website allows you to check your status through the “Where’s My Refund” section of their website. You can use this method even if you are not expecting a refund.

Visit the IRS Where’s My Refund website.
Select “Check My Refund Status”.
Once selected, you’ll need to input:

Your Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)
Your filing status
The exact refund amount on your return

If you are expecting a refund, the amount can be found on your 1040 Form on line 35a.
If you are not expecting a refund, enter $“1” as the Refund Amount. This will allow you to check if your return was successfully submitted. Note that your return will not display as fully “processed” as, in this case, there is no refund to process.

Example of $1 entered into the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund” tool.

Option 2: Call the IRS Helpline

You can call the IRS International Hotline directly to confirm if your tax return has been approved.

To contact the IRS go to Help with tax questions - International taxpayers or Contact my local office internationally.

We recommend this IRS phone number: +1 267-941-1000 for international callers or overseas taxpayers, Option #1, #4, #1 to speak to an IRS Agent specifically about your case.

Option 3: IRS Get Transcript

By registering through the IRS’s Get Transcript tool, you’ll be able to view, print, or download your tax return transcript. Once your tax return is available through the Get Transcript tool, it means that it has been successfully approved by the IRS.

Option 1: Check on the IRS website

The IRS website allows you to check your status through the “Where’s My Refund” section of their website. You can use this method even if you are not expecting a refund.

Visit the IRS Where’s My Refund website.

Select “Check My Refund Status”.

Once selected, you’ll need to input:

Your Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)
Your filing status
The exact refund amount on your return

If you are expecting a refund, the amount can be found on your 1040 Form on line 35a.
If you are not expecting a refund, enter $“1” as the Refund Amount. This will allow you to check if your return was successfully submitted. Note that your return will not display as fully “processed” as, in this case, there is no refund to process.

Example of $1 entered into the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund” tool.

Option 2: Call the IRS Helpline

You can call the IRS International Hotline directly to confirm if your tax return has been approved.

To contact the IRS go to Help with tax questions - International taxpayers or Contact my local office internationally.

We recommend this IRS phone number: +1 267-941-1000 for international callers or overseas taxpayers, Option #1, #4, #1 to speak to an IRS Agent specifically about your case.