Don’t Have an American Bank Account? Here’s How to Get Your Hands on Your Tax Refund from Outside the US

Don’t Have an American Bank Account? Here’s How to Get Your Hands on Your Tax Refund from Outside the US

Every year, thousands of nonresidents in the US are entitled to claim a tax refund.

But there’s one common problem — receiving that refund from abroad.

The IRS only transfers refunds to U.S. bank accounts, not to international ones.
So, if you’ve left the U.S. or never opened an American account, how can you get your refund safely and quickly?

Don’t worry — there are still several ways to receive your refund, even from overseas.

💡 Table of Contents

  1. Receive your refund by check

  2. Apply your refund to a future tax return

  3. Get your refund with Wise

  4. Have questions about your refund?

🧾 1. Receive Your Refund by Check

Many nonresidents choose to receive their refund as a paper check.

However, if you’re living outside the U.S., this can be tricky — some banks won’t cash or accept U.S. checks, or they might charge high processing fees.

✅ Tip:
Before choosing this option, ask your local bank whether they can process U.S. Treasury checks.
If they can’t, it’s best to consider another method.

🔄 2. Apply Your Refund to a Future Tax Return

If you prefer not to deal with international payment issues, you can choose to apply your refund to next year’s tax return.

Here’s how it works:

  • Your current refund amount will carry over to next year’s return.

  • If you owe taxes next year, this credit will reduce your bill.

  • If you don’t owe anything, you’ll get a larger refund next year (this year’s refund + next year’s).

It’s a simple way to avoid complications and still get full credit for what you’re owed.

💳 3. Receive Your Tax Refund with Wise

The fastest and easiest option to get your U.S. tax refund abroad is by using a Wise multi-currency account.

With Wise, you can:

  • Receive payments from over 30 countries, including the IRS

  • Avoid bank fees on international transfers

  • Convert U.S. dollars to your local currency with excellent exchange rates

Here’s how to set it up:

  1. Create a Wise account online and deposit $20.

  2. You’ll receive U.S. bank routing and account numbers.

  3. When filing your tax return through J1 Summer Tax Back, select “U.S. Bank Transfer” and enter your Wise account details.

Once processed, the IRS will transfer your refund directly to your Wise account — no U.S. bank needed!

👉 Note: Wise is an independent financial service and not affiliated with J1 Summer Tax Back. Other similar services may also be available.

🗣️ Got Questions About Your Refund?

Our J1 Summer Tax Back Live Chat team is available 24/7 to help with your refund questions — whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad.

Simply log in to your J1 Summer Tax Back account and start a chat with one of our experts today.