Physical Presence Test (2024)

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Learn more about the Physical Presence Test to qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion with the Expat tax experts at H&R Block.

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If you’re a U.S. citizen living abroad, you should get familiar with the physical presence test. The physical presence test is one of two tests you can take to determine whether you’re eligible to exclude foreign income from your U.S. tax liability. It’s important to get the details right when trying to pass the physical presence test, so we’ll walk you through what you need to know in order to set yourself up right.

Ready to file? No matter where in the world you are, H&R Block Expat Tax Services has a tax solution for you — whether you want toDIY your expat taxesorfile with help from an advisor.

What is the physical presence test?

As its name suggests, the physical presence test helps the IRS determine if you spent enough time overseas to qualify for theforeign earned income exclusion(FEIE), which is a tax tool expats can use to lower their U.S. tax liability.

To pass the test, you must spend more than 330 full days overseas within a rolling 12-month period. Pay attention to that “full day” requirement of the 330-day rule — it can trip up unsuspecting expats who haven’t tracked their time properly. For tax purposes, the IRS considers a “full day” as 24 hours starting at midnight, and to qualify you need to be within a foreign country for every single minute of those 24 hours.

Here’s where it gets tricky — if you spend any of those 24 hours in international air pace, it doesn’t count. So, say for example your plane touched down in Paris at 12:01 am, and then you’re back in the air flying over a different country at 11:45 pm that night, that would not count as a full day. In the same way, if you leave the U.S. at 5:00 pm on Friday the 10th and are in international air space until 5:00 pm on Saturday the 11th, your first full day in France would begin at 12:00 am on Sunday the 12th.

So, if I live abroad for 330 days do I automatically qualify for the foreign income exclusion?

To put it shortly, no. Although residing overseas for 330 days is a requirement, there are other factors that help determine if you qualify for the foreign income exclusion under the physical presence test.

First, you must be considered a U.S. citizen or Green Card Holder. Second, in addition to spending at least 330 days overseas, you must be able to prove you have a foreign tax home.

Here are two examples of situations in which you would and wouldn’t pass the physical presence test:

Let’s say you recently accepted a job in Japan with a 3-year contract. You and your family move into your new Japanese home on November 1, 2020. On July 30, 2021 you return to the U.S. for business meetings and arrive back in Tokyo on August 30, 2021, where you stay for the remainder of the year. The IRS will consider you to have lived in Japan for 330 days during the 12-month period of November 2, 2020, through November 1, 2021, and thenyou would pass the physical presence test.

Now let’s say all the above apply, but you were permanently transferred back to the U.S. on October 1, 2020. You’ve lived in Japan for less than 330 days within the 12-month period of November 2, 2020, through November 1, 2021, because you spent 31 days in the US from July 30, 2020 through August 30, 2020, and you were in the U.S. again from October 2, 2020 through November 1, 2020, which is an additional 31 days spent in the U.S. In this caseyou would not pass the physical presence test.

Note: The foreign earned income exclusion does not apply to the wages of military and civilian employees of the U.S. government.

What is the difference between bona fide residence test and physical presence test?

The second way you may qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion is by passing the bona fide residency test. While the physical presence test and thebona fide residency testare similar, they have a few distinct differences.

  • The bona fide residency test has more to do with your social and economic ties to a country. You must have established some kind of residency in that country and not have any plans on leaving in the foreseeable future.
  • The physical presence test is only based on how long you stay in a foreign country. It doesn’t matter if you’ve established any kind of residency there or if you have intentions of returning to the U.S.

Something to note is that if you choose to qualify for the FEIE by passing the physical presence test is that you will not be able to come back to the States for vacations and extended holidays exceeding 35 days.

Here are two examples of qualifying for the physical presence test vs. the bona fide residency test:

Sue agrees to a three-year contract with a company in the U.K., after which she will move back to the States. She arrives in the U.K. April 5, 2020 and spends 12 consecutive months there without leaving. Because she spent a period of time in the UK that did not include an entire calendar year,she may only pass the physical presence test.

Dan gets a job teaching English in Korea. His wife is Korean, and it’s been their dream to move there permanently. He sells all his belongings and purchases a new home in Korea, as well as sets up new bank accounts and health insurance. He remains in Korea for 12 consecutive months without leaving. Because he has established economic ties to Korea, has family there, and he has no plans to return to the U.S.,he may pass both the physical presence test and the bona fide residency test.

Confused about passing the physical presence test as a U.S. expat? H&R Block is here to help.

Have more questions about passing the physical presence test? Ready to file? No matter your situation, we’ve got a tax solution for you — whether you want to be in the driver’s seat with ourDIY online expat tax servicedesigned for U.S. citizens abroad or want to let one of ourexperienced tax advisorstake the wheel.Head on over to ourWays to Filepage to choose your journey and get started.

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Physical Presence Test (2024)

FAQs

How do you pass the physical presence test? ›

Generally, to meet the physical presence test, you must be physically present in a foreign country or countries for at least 330 full days during a 12-month period including some part of the year at issue. You can count days you spent abroad for any reason, so long as your tax home is in a foreign country.

How do I know if I pass the substantial presence test? ›

If your "Total Days of Presence" is 183 or greater, then you pass the Substantial Presence Test and are a resident alien for tax purposes. For more information on the Substantial Presence Test, see the IRS website.

Does the IRS check physical presence test? ›

What is the physical presence test? As its name suggests, the physical presence test helps the IRS determine if you spent enough time overseas to qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion (FEIE), which is a tax tool expats can use to lower their U.S. tax liability.

How do you satisfy the substantial presence test? ›

The individual must use the following calculation to satisfy the substantial presence test: ALL of the days physically present in the U.S. in the current calendar year. PLUS 1/3 the number of days physically present in the U.S. during the first preceding year.

What counts as physical presence? ›

Physical presence refers to the number of days the applicant must physically be present in the United States during the statutory period up to the date of filing for naturalization.

What is physical presence test easy? ›

The physical presence test allows taxpayers to exclude a certain amount of their foreign earned income. If you are a U.S. citizen or a resident alien of the United States and you live abroad, you are taxed on your worldwide income.

What is proof of substantial presence test? ›

IRS Substantial Presence Test generally means that you were present in the United States for at least 31 days in the current year and a minimum total of 183 days over 3 years, using the following equation: 1 day = 1 day in the current year. 1 day = 1/3 day in the prior year. 1 day = 1/6 day two years prior.

What is the non resident 5 year rule? ›

Even though you may be deemed non-resident for income tax purposes, you are treated as temporarily non-resident for capital gains tax purposes for up to 5 years. Certain gains made during that time are taxed in the year you return to the UK if within five years.

What is the substantial presence test for 5 years? ›

Substantial Presence Test:To satisfy the Substantial Presence Test: A student, temporarily present in the United States under an "F" or "J" visa, must be in the U.S. for five (5) calendar years (counting all or part of a year as a full year) plus 183 days in the current year.

Do IRS agents visit your home? ›

IRS criminal investigators may visit a taxpayer's home or business unannounced during an investigation. However, they will not demand any sort of payment.

What red flags does the IRS look for? ›

Some red flags for an audit are round numbers, missing income, excessive deductions or credits, unreported income and refundable tax credits. The best defense is proper documentation and receipts, tax experts say.

What triggers IRS investigation? ›

What triggers an IRS audit? A lot of audit notices the IRS sends are automatically triggered if, for instance, your W-2 income tax form indicates you earned more than what you reported on your return, said Erin Collins, National Taxpayer Advocate at the Taxpayer Advocate Service division of the IRS.

Which is better bona fide residence or physical presence test? ›

To sum it up, the Bona Fide Residency test has to do with your economic and social ties, whereas the Physical Presence Test has to do with the number of days you spend outside the U.S. If you're unsure of how your days shake out, use the IRS Physical Presence Test calculator to help you figure it out.

What type of payment is not considered miscellaneous? ›

Nonemployee compensation is now separate from miscellaneous information. Instead of reporting independent contractor payments on Form 1099-MISC, report them on Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation.

What is the substantial presence test for h1b? ›

The Substantial Presence Test is a mechanical test based on counting a nonimmigrant alien's days of physical presence in the United States under a 3-year “look-back” formula.

What is the 7 year rule for immigration? ›

The new immigration registry bill would replace the 1972 cutoff date with a rolling eligibility, allowing individuals to apply for registry after living continuously in the United States for at least seven years and meeting certain admissibility requirements.

What is the 5 year rule for immigration? ›

A. Continuous Residence Requirement

An applicant for naturalization under the general provision must have resided continuously in the United States after his or her lawful permanent resident (LPR) admission for at least 5 years prior to filing the naturalization application and up to the time of naturalization.

Can I apply for citizenship before 5 years? ›

You may file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, 90 calendar days before you complete your continuous residence requirement if your eligibility for naturalization is based upon being a: Permanent resident for at least 5 years; or. Permanent resident for at least 3 years if you are married to a US citizen.

How important is physical presence? ›

Being physically present allows you to listen, communicate, and observe people and things firsthand — without any filtering by your organization… an organization that is, after all, designed to filter. Also, physical presence allows you to visually inspect.

Does substantial nexus imply or require a substantial physical presence? ›

Economic Nexus legislation generally requires an out-of-state retailer to collect and remit sales tax once the retailer meets a set level of sales transactions or gross receipts activity (a threshold) within the state. No physical presence is required.

What is the physical presence test for Form 673? ›

The physical presence test requires you to be physically present in a foreign country for at least 330 full days during a 12-month period. The bona fide residence test requires you to be a resident of a foreign country for an uninterrupted period that includes a full calendar year.

What is the difference between bona fide and physical presence? ›

The main difference between the two tests is that the Physical Presence Test relies on the time spent out of the U.S. while the Bona Fide Residence Test looks more into your intentions and activities while out of the country.

Who is exempt from the substantial presence test? ›

Exempt Individual

A teacher or trainee temporarily present in the U.S. under a "J" or "Q" visa, who substantially complies with the requirements of the visa. A student temporarily present in the U.S. under an "F," "J," "M," or "Q" visa, who substantially complies with the requirements of the visa.

How does IRS count days? ›

The IRS generally considers someone to have been present in the U.S. on a given day if they spent any part of a day there. But there are some exceptions. Days that do not count as days of presence include: Days that you commute to work in the U.S. from a residence in Canada or Mexico if you do so regularly.

How long can a non-resident alien stay in the US? ›

183 days during the 3-year period that includes the current year and the 2 years immediately preceding the current year. To satisfy the 183-day requirement, count: All of the days you were present in the current year, One-third of the days you were present in the first year before the current year, and.

Am I resident alien after 5 years? ›

F-1 and J-1 Students

After your 5th calendar year in the United States you become a resident for tax purposes. We recommend you work through the initial steps of the Sprintax process to confirm your tax residency so you can correctly file your taxes.

What is the 8 year rule green card? ›

A lawful permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 8 of the last 15 years who ceases to be a U.S. lawful permanent resident may be subject to special reporting requirements and tax provisions. Refer to Expatriation Tax.

What is substantial presence test for 2023? ›

You will be considered a United States resident for tax purposes if you meet the substantial presence test for the calendar year. To meet this test, you must be physically present in the United States (U.S.) on at least: 31 days during the current year, and.

What is the substantial presence test 10 day rule? ›

An alien individual may be present in the United States for up to 10 days without triggering the residency starting date (for purposes of the substantial presence test) or extending the residency termination date (for purposes of the substantial presence test) if the individual is able to establish that, during that ...

Who qualifies for the Bona Fide Residence Test? ›

You meet the bona fide residence test if you are a bona fide resident of a foreign country or countries for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year. If you are a calendar year taxpayer, an entire tax year is from January 1st through December 31st.

Can the IRS listen to your phone? ›

Conversations are not monitored or recorded. The special agent has limited cover. The purpose of the cover is to protect the integrity of the surveillance. Local special agents are used.

Can the IRS talk to your neighbors? ›

In general, the IRS can't contact third parties such as your employer, neighbors or bank, to get information to adjust or collect the tax you owe unless it gives you reasonable notice in advance.

Does the IRS listen to phone calls? ›

Even in the unlikely event that they do wire tap your phones, any conversation with the tax attorney must be deleted by them and cannot be used in their investigation. As soon as they hear words like “I am a tax attorney” the IRS has clear instructions that they must hang up and not listen to the conversations.

What is the IRS whitewash rule? ›

Q: How does the wash sale rule work? If you want to sell a security at a loss and buy the same or a substantially identical security within 30 calendar days before or after the sale, you won't be able to take a loss for that security on your current-year tax return.

How far back can the IRS audit you? ›

How far back can the IRS go to audit my return? Generally, the IRS can include returns filed within the last three years in an audit. If we identify a substantial error, we may add additional years. We usually don't go back more than the last six years.

Does the IRS catch every mistake? ›

Does the IRS Catch All Mistakes? No, the IRS probably won't catch all mistakes. But it does run tax returns through a number of processes to catch math errors and odd income and expense reporting.

How much money triggers an IRS audit? ›

Under the Bank Secrecy Act, various types of businesses are required to notify the IRS and other federal agencies whenever anyone engages in large cash transactions that involve more than $10,000.

How does the IRS monitor your bank account? ›

When you receive more than $10 of interest in a bank account during the year, the bank has to report that interest to the IRS on Form 1099-INT. If you have investment accounts, the IRS can see them in dividend and stock sales reportings through Forms 1099-DIV and 1099-B.

What happens if you get audited and don't have receipts? ›

You may have to reconstruct your records or just simply provide a valid explanation of a deduction instead of the original receipts to support the expense. If the IRS disagrees, you can appeal the decision.

How does IRS verify physical presence test? ›

Generally, to meet the physical presence test, you must be physically present in a foreign country or countries for at least 330 full days during a 12-month period including some part of the year at issue. You can count days you spent abroad for any reason, so long as your tax home is in a foreign country.

What is proof of physical presence or residence? ›

Certified/official high school or university transcripts, military records and official vaccination records are often excellent documents to present. Other types of documents are also acceptable if they have the cumulative effect of showing presence over time. A diploma does not necessarily show presence over time.

What is the difference between continuous residence and physical presence? ›

For naturalization purposes, the lawful permanent resident must at least prove five (5) years of continuous residence (three years if the permanent residence was acquired through marriage to a US Citizen). Physical presence is simply the number of days the lawful permanent resident actually exists in the US physically.

What are 3 examples of miscellaneous? ›

Miscellaneous expense examples include clothes, a computer, equipment, a work uniform and work boots, with some exceptions. Miscellaneous expenses are defined by the IRS as any write off that doesn't fit into one of their tax categories.

At what dollar amount is a 1099 required? ›

In addition, use Form 1099-MISC to report that you made direct sales of at least $5,000 of consumer products to a buyer for resale anywhere other than a permanent retail establishment.

Are personal credit card payments reported to IRS? ›

A. Gross payment card and third party network transaction amounts are reported to the IRS on Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions.

What is the current H-1B rejection rate? ›

Below you will find a detailed breakdown of the denial rates listed by year: 2022 – 5% 2021 – 4% 2020 – 13%

What does SPT mean on a pay stub? ›

Substantial Presence Test (SPT) The IRS uses the substantial presence test (SPT) to determine U.S. tax residency. A foreign national who satisfies the substantial presence test is taxed as a resident alien.

What is residency starting date under substantial presence test? ›

Residency Starting Date Under the Substantial Presence Test

If you meet the substantial presence test for a calendar year, your residency starting date is generally the first day you are present in the United States during that calendar year.

What is the green card test or the substantial presence test? ›

What is the "Substantial Presence" Test? be physically present for 183 days (as calculated below) or more during the 3-year period consisting of the current year and the 2 immediately prior years. The total days are calculated as follows: All days of presence in the current calendar year plus.

What does SPT mean time? ›

Shortest Processing Time (SPT) Earliest Due Date (EDD)

What does PTS mean in payroll? ›

Paid Time Off Scheduled (PTS)

What does STP stand for in payroll? ›

Learn about Single Touch Payroll (STP) and how it changes the way employers report their employees' tax and super information to the ATO.

How does the IRS determine residency? ›

You are a resident of the United States for tax purposes if you meet either the green card test or the substantial presence test for the calendar year (January 1 – December 31). Certain rules exist for determining your residency starting and ending dates.

What happens if I stay more than 6 months outside US with green card? ›

U.S. immigration law assumes that a person admitted to the United States as an immigrant will live in the United States permanently. Remaining outside the United States for more than one year may result in a loss of Lawful Permanent Resident status.

How many years of residency before attending? ›

Primary duties: An attending physician is a fully trained physician with three or more years of residency training.

What is the substantial presence test for 2023? ›

You will be considered a United States resident for tax purposes if you meet the substantial presence test for the calendar year. To meet this test, you must be physically present in the United States (U.S.) on at least: 31 days during the current year, and.

Do immigrants have to pass a test? ›

Yes. If your application for naturalization is denied because you did not pass the test, you may reapply after a period of ninety (90) days or more has elapsed since your initial interview. You will be required to take and pass the same English, U.S. history, and civics tests as you did the first time.

What is the rejection rate of H-1B in USA? ›

Analysis indicates H-1B denial rate reached all-time low in FY 2022
Fiscal YearNew Employment H-1B Denial Rate
20214%
202013%
201921%
201824%
3 more rows
Mar 1, 2023

What is the denial rate for H-1B interview? ›

Table 1: Denial Rate for H-1B Petitions for Initial (New) Employment
FISCAL YEARH-1B DENIAL RATE
FY 20222%
FY 20214%
FY 202013%
FY 201921%
7 more rows
Feb 7, 2023

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