New International Number for the Taxpayer Advocate Service

Starting on Monday, April 17 the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) will have a new international number that anyone outside the U.S. can call and will be able to get support from either the Puerto Rico or Hawaii office. The line is programmed to automatically route the caller to Hawaii or Puerto Rico, depending on the caller’s country of origin and TAS business hours.

The New Number is Voicemail Only

The number will be +1 (515) 564 6827, and it will be voicemail based only. This means that you will need to leave a phone number for them to call you back on. They usually call back in a few days, but when they’re overloaded, it will take them up to 2 weeks to call you back, so unfortunately you’ll need to be patient for a response.

If you have called the Taxpayer Advocate Service, left your voicemail, and it’s been 2 weeks and no one has called you back, drop me an email on tapinternational1 at gmail dot com and I will do my best to get you a callback as soon as possible.

Check You Qualify For Assistance First

Don’t forget, you can always use the Taxpayer Advocate Service Qualifier Tool to help you determine by yourself if you can use the Taxpayer Advocate Service to help you with your problem or issue with the IRS.

TAS helps taxpayers whose tax issues fall into one of 3 main categories:

• Financial Hardship
• IRS System Issue
• Fair & Equitable Treatment

If you qualify, then you need to submit Form 911 to request a case be opened for you.

How To Submit Form 911 For Assistance

The best and fastest way to send Form 911 to open your case is by fax (that’s right! You heard right! Fax!) You can use online software to send a fax for up to 10 pages for free by using the website Fax.Plus.

Expect A Callback From Puerto Rico Or Hawaii In 2 Weeks

Once you fax Form 911, you should get a phone call from the Taxpayer Advocate Service within 2 weeks. If you are based in the US, Canada, Europe, South America, Africa, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Aruba, or the Caribbean, then your case will be most likely be assigned to the Puerto Rico office. If you are based in Asia, the Middle East, or Russia then your case will most likely be assigned to the Hawaii office. If you require assistance in Spanish, then your case will automatically be assigned to the Puerto Rico office regardless of your global location.

You will receive a call during the Puerto Rico or Hawaii office hours which are listed below. Keep in mind that your might receive a call from an unknown or blocked number, and it might not be during your country’s business hours, so once you submit Form 911 just keep an eye on your phone and be aware you might receive a call. If they do not get through the first time, they will attempt to call you again a few times.

• Puerto Rico office hours are 8am to 4pm Eastern Time (ET)
• Hawaii office hours are 8am to 4pm Hawaii Time (HT)

If you don’t get a call within 2 weeks, drop me an email on tapinternational1 at gmail dot com and I will do my best to help you get a callback as soon as possible.

TAS will only ever initiate initial contact with you for your case by phone call. If your case requires additional information, this will be requested from you when your caseworker calls you. Once you have had this initial phone call, you can request a direct line number to your caseworker and depending on your circumstances, a way of transmitting documents directly to your caseworker by secure email or fax.

Have a Suggestion to Improve IRS Processes or Customer Service?

If you have a suggestion on how the IRS can improve processes or customer service for people living outside the United States with a U.S. tax obligation, please consider submitting a suggestion on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel’s website here: https://www.improveirs.org/submit-a-suggestion/

About the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel

The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is a United States Federal Advisory Committee whose mission is to listen to taxpayers, identify taxpayers’ issues and make suggestions for improving IRS service and customer satisfaction. TAP is comprised of approximately 75 members who volunteer to serve a three-year term, and represent all 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and a member to represent U.S. Citizens living or working abroad.

About the International Member of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel

I am originally from Ohio, went to college in Wisconsin, and moved to London, United Kingdom to do my masters and upon completion was offered a job, and so I stayed. 16 years later, I am married to a Brit, run a UK company, and volunteer to help Americans abroad in tax advocacy work. My three-year Taxpayer Advocacy Panel term started in 2022. I serve on the Special Projects Committee for TAP, which is the committee that handles international issues within the IRS. I am not an accountant, which makes me a minority on TAP, in addition to being the only member on TAP not in the United States, my unique perspective helps bring clarity to the issues, prioritize problems, and provide solutions. You can contact Rebecca on tapinternational1 at gmail dot com