Did the agent mention what triggered the verification in the first place? Was it related to income reporting or identity protection? Did they say if this will happen again next year or if there's something you could do differently when filing?

I had this exact situation and it was a NIGHTMARE: • Called IRS in March about my January filing • They said it was "verified" in February (never did anything myself) • Agent promised 2-3 weeks for refund • Waited 3 weeks - nothing • Called again - different agent said "actually 9 weeks" • Week 8 - still nothing • Called AGAIN - "system glitch, restart the 9-week clock" • Finally got refund in JUNE My advice: document EVERYTHING. Get badge numbers of agents you speak with. Call weekly for updates because their systems are unreliable!

Let me break down what's likely happening with your return: 1. First, returns with EIC and CTC are subject to the PATH Act, which prevents refunds before mid-February regardless of filing date. 2. Second, international filers receive additional scrutiny through the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) verification process. 3. Third, the IRS uses a scoring system called the Discriminant Function System (DIF) to assess return complexity, and international returns typically score higher. 4. Fourth, you should check your transcript for TC 570 (refund hold) and TC 971 (notice issued) codes, which might not appear on WMR. 5. Finally, if it's been more than 45 days since you filed, you may be entitled to interest on your refund per IRC Section 6611.

I'm in the same boat. Filed February 1st. International income. EIC claimed. Got my refund last week finally. Called IRS three times. No issues found. Just slow processing. Money arrived without warning. No transcript updates until after deposit. Hang in there.

It might be worth checking if your bank possibly has the deposit pending already. Sometimes, at least in my experience, the funds can be in a sort of processing limbo where SBTPG has sent them but they're not fully available in your account yet. Many banks have a feature to view pending deposits that might post in the next 1-2 business days. Also, if you're possibly expecting a fairly large refund, some financial institutions may place a brief hold for security reasons.

I got my refund last week through SBTPG. IRS approved it Tuesday morning. Money showed on SBTPG Wednesday afternoon. Hit my bank Thursday. Don't stress - it's moving through their system. The tracking tool is garbage and updates after you already have the money. Just watch your bank account instead.

Word of warning: don't rely too heavily on past cycle patterns! I was a consistent 05 (Friday) cycle for THREE YEARS, then suddenly switched to 02 this year with no warning. 😅 I spent weeks checking on Saturdays wondering why nothing was updating. Finally checked mid-week and boom - there were all my updates! The IRS works in mysterious ways, like that weird uncle who might give you $5 or a half-eaten sandwich for your birthday. You just never know what you're gonna get!

I've been tracking cycle codes for the past five tax seasons. In 2020, I was cycle 01. In 2021-2022, I switched to cycle 05. Last year and this year, I'm back on cycle 02. Based on my experience and IRS processing patterns, cycle codes are assigned based on processing center workload and return complexity. Weekly cycles typically process refunds faster than daily cycles. If you've had 03 in the past, check your transcript on Thursdays, but don't be surprised if it's different this year. The IRS redistributes workload annually based on staffing and processing center capacity.

I should caution that while the wording change might indicate progress, it may not necessarily mean your refund is imminent. The IRS systems sometimes update status messages without actual movement in processing. It would be prudent to continue checking your transcript daily, preferably in the early morning hours when the system typically updates. If you don't see any change by next week, you might want to contact the IRS again for clarification.

Back in 2022, I had almost the exact same timeline as you, and I remember how the status changed from "STILL being processed" to "IS being processed" right before I got my DDD. Instead of constantly checking WMR, I found it more helpful to set up alerts with my bank for any incoming deposits. That way I wasn't driving myself crazy checking multiple times a day. Another thing that helped was checking my transcript around 3-4am EST on Fridays when the weekly updates typically happen. Most people who verified their identity like you did end up getting their refunds, it just takes a bit longer than the advertised 21 days.