DEADLINES FOR FILING U.S. INDIVIDUAL TAX RETURNS
April 15th / June 15th
Provided that you are filing on a calendar year basis, the due date to file your tax return is April 15th. However, if you are living outside the U.S. on April 15th, you are eligible for the automatic 2-month extension of time to file which sets the deadline to June 15th.
June 15th / October 15th
If you need more time to file the federal tax return, you can file form 4868 before June 15th and request an additional extension until October 15th without any further explanation.
October 15th / December 15th
In addition to the above 6-month extension (from April 15th to October 15th), if you are outside the U.S. , you can request a discretionary 2-month additional extension of time to file your tax return. However, unlike in the above cases, for this extension you will have to explain in the latter the reasons why you need the additional two months.
April 15th / January 30th
You can get an extension of more than 6 months to file your tax return if you need the time to meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test to qualify for either the foreign earned income exclusion or the foreign housing exclusion or deduction by filing Form 2350.
You must fulfill 3 conditions:
You are a U.S. citizen or Greencard holder.
Your tax home is in a foreign country throughout your period of bona fide residence or physical presence, whichever applies.
If you are granted an extension, you must file your tax return within 30 days after the date on which you can reasonably expect to qualify for an exclusion or deduction under either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.
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If the tax return is mailed using a qualifying foreign delivery service then the postmark date is considered as the date
the tax return was filed. We recommend using registered mail, especially when there is a balance due, as you will then have a proof of mailing.
