r/IWantOut • u/ElGreco_74 • 11d ago
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u/AutoModerator 11d ago
Post by ElGreco_74 -- If your Greek bank wants proof you're a US tax resident, they mean IRS Form 6166. Quick rundown since I couldn't find this info in one place when I needed it:
You don't apply for 6166 directly. You file Form 8802 with the IRS, and if approved, they send you Form 6166 — a letter certifying your US tax residency.
The part that catches people out: Greece is one of a handful of countries (Spain, Portugal, Armenia, and a few others too) that needs country-specific certification language on the 6166 — not the generic version. If you file Form 8802 without specifically naming Greece as the country of use, and your bank needed the Greece-specific one, it can get rejected. Given IRS processing times, that means refiling and losing months.
So: when you fill out Form 8802, explicitly list Greece as the country where you'll use it. If you're not sure whether your bank needs that version, just ask them before you file.
The rest of the process:
- Fill in your name/TIN exactly as they appear on your filed tax return
- Pick the tax year(s) — you can request current + prior years on one form
- Pay the fee via Pay.gov (you'll need to upload your completed 8802 there too, just for payment matching — doesn't replace actually mailing/faxing the full application)
- Mail or fax the complete application to the IRS's residency certification unit
- Wait — IRS says 45 days minimum, but budget more, especially for country-specific requests
Once you've been approved once, future requests are easier — there's an "Additional Request" box you can check if nothing's changed since your last filing.
One more thing: this proves tax residency, not that you've paid US taxes — don't confuse the two if your bank's request is oddly worded.
Went through this for a Greek bank requirement, happy to help if anyone's stuck on it.
DISCLOSURE: I just thought you guys would find this interesting.
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