Can I mobile deposit someone else's Treasury check (FICA refund) into a different bank account?

This is a common issue for people who move internationally! Treasury checks (including FICA refunds) technically can't be mobile deposited into someone else's account. The person named on the check needs to endorse it properly. You have a few options though: 1) You could sign the back of the check and write "Pay to the order of [your girlfriend's name]" and then have her deposit it. This is called a third-party endorsement. However, many banks (including BOA) have policies against accepting third-party endorsed government checks through mobile deposit. 2) Your girlfriend could deposit it in-person at a branch with your signed endorsement. This sometimes works, but the teller might still reject it if your girlfriend isn't on the check. 3) The most reliable option would be to open a US-based online bank account that allows international customers and mobile deposits. Some online banks will let you open an account remotely.

After going through almost the exact same situation last year, I found a solution that worked for me! I used this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) when I was dealing with my tax documents from overseas. They actually have a feature specifically for handling Treasury checks when you're international. I uploaded my check info and they gave me options for depositing it despite being overseas. They connected me with a specialized bank that handles Treasury checks for international taxpayers. Saved me so much stress when I was in Thailand and got my refund check!

Wow I actually tried taxr.ai after commenting here and I'm shocked at how easy it was. I was super skeptical at first (sorry for doubting you!). I've been stuck with a similar Treasury check situation for almost a month. Their system guided me through how to properly handle my FICA refund from abroad. They connected me with a partner bank that specifically allows Treasury check deposits for international customers, and I didn't have to fly back to the US. Already got confirmation that my deposit is processing. Wish I'd known about this weeks ago!

If you're having trouble reaching the Treasury Department about your check, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at the Treasury to ask about international deposit options for my tax refund check. With Claimyr, I got a callback from an actual Treasury representative within 45 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The rep walked me through my options and confirmed I could have someone deposit it with proper endorsement, but it needed to be done in person at a bank branch, not through mobile deposit.

I'm eating my words right now. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr anyway out of desperation. I had a $1,200 tax refund check sitting on my desk for weeks because I couldn't get anyone to tell me how to deposit it while I'm working overseas. Within 30 minutes of using their service, I got a call from a Treasury Department representative who explained exactly what forms I needed to fill out for an international redeposit request. Turns out there's a specific procedure for people in our situation! The rep even emailed me the forms directly. I never would have gotten this info otherwise. Sometimes being wrong feels pretty good!

Has anyone tried having Bank of America accept the check via ATM deposit instead of mobile? Sometimes the ATM deposit rules are different than mobile deposit. When I was traveling last year, my sister deposited my paycheck (not a Treasury check though) at the ATM and it worked fine even though mobile wasn't allowed.

Could you possibly open a new account with a US bank that offers international services? I know Capital One and some others let you manage everything online. You could then do a mobile deposit to your own account and transfer the money internationally.

I went through this exact situation last year when I moved to Canada! Treasury checks definitely have stricter rules than regular checks. Your girlfriend won't be able to mobile deposit it into her account - the banks have systems that flag when the name on the check doesn't match the account holder, especially for government-issued checks. Here's what worked for me: I had to mail the check back to the IRS with Form 8822 (Change of Address) and request they reissue it to my new international address, then I deposited it through my Canadian bank's USD account. It took about 6-8 weeks total but was the most legitimate route. Another option is to have your girlfriend try depositing it in-person at a BOA branch with your signed endorsement and a copy of your ID, but success varies by branch and teller. Some are more flexible than others with government checks when you have proper documentation. Whatever you do, don't let the check expire! Treasury checks are typically valid for one year from issue date, but it's better to act sooner rather than later.

I'm currently dealing with a very similar situation! I moved to Japan last month and just received my FICA refund check. After reading through all these responses, I'm leaning toward trying the legitimate government route first. @Malik Robinson - thanks for mentioning Form 8822! I didn't know about that option. Did you have to provide any additional documentation when you mailed it back to the IRS, or was just the form and the check sufficient? I'm a bit wary of some of the third-party services mentioned here, even though people seem to have had success with them. As someone who works in finance, I'd rather go through official channels when dealing with Treasury checks if possible, even if it takes longer. For anyone else in this situation, I found that the IRS website has a specific section about reissuing checks to international addresses. You can also call their international helpline, though the wait times are brutal. Just wanted to share that resource since it wasn't mentioned yet!

I went through this exact situation when I moved to the UK two years ago! Treasury checks are definitely more restrictive than regular checks when it comes to third-party deposits, especially through mobile banking. Here's what I learned: Most major banks including BOA have strict policies against mobile depositing government checks into accounts where the payee name doesn't match the account holder. Even with proper endorsement, their automated systems will likely flag and reject it. Your best bet is probably the official route - you can request a reissue of the check to your current address in Indonesia. You'll need to send the original check back to the IRS along with a written request explaining your situation and your new address. Include Form 8822 if you want to update your address with them permanently. Alternatively, if you have a trusted family member or friend in the US, they might be able to help you open a joint account temporarily, which would make the deposit legitimate. But this requires you to be present for the account opening in most cases. I know it's frustrating being overseas and dealing with this, but the official channels, while slower, are definitely the safest route for Treasury checks. Don't risk losing the refund by trying workarounds that might not be accepted!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! I moved to Singapore three months ago and just received my FICA refund check. After reading through all these responses, I'm definitely going to avoid the mobile deposit route and go with the official IRS reissue process. For anyone considering the official route, I called the IRS international line yesterday (yes, the wait was brutal - over 2 hours), but the representative was actually very helpful. They confirmed that you need to mail the original check back with Form 8822 and a written explanation of your situation. They also mentioned that including a copy of your passport and proof of your new international address can help speed up the process. The representative gave me a specific address to mail everything to for international reissue requests - apparently it's different from the regular IRS address. They said it typically takes 6-10 weeks for international reissues, but there's no additional fee. I know it's tempting to try the quicker third-party options, but as someone who works in banking compliance, I'd rather wait a bit longer and know everything is handled legitimately. Treasury checks have way too many restrictions to risk it with unofficial workarounds. Thanks to everyone who shared the official route information - it's been super helpful!

I'm currently facing the exact same situation! Just moved to Australia last month and received my FICA refund check yesterday. After reading all these responses, I'm definitely going with the official IRS route rather than risking the mobile deposit options. I found the IRS Publication 515 has specific guidance for international taxpayers dealing with refund checks. It confirms what others have mentioned about Form 8822 being the right approach. The publication also mentions that you can request direct deposit to an international bank account for future refunds, which might help avoid this situation in the future. One thing I wanted to add - make sure to keep copies of everything you send to the IRS, including photos of the front and back of the check. I learned this the hard way with other government agencies where documents sometimes get lost in transit. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with the official process. It's reassuring to know that while it takes longer, the legitimate route does work for people in our situation!

I'm in a very similar situation - just moved to Germany last month and received my Treasury refund check this week! After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm definitely going to go the official IRS route rather than risk any mobile deposit issues. For anyone considering the legitimate path, I actually found a helpful resource that wasn't mentioned yet - the IRS has a specific form called Form 3911 (Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund) that can be used alongside Form 8822 when requesting reissue of Treasury checks to international addresses. It provides more space to explain your specific situation. I also wanted to mention that some international banks have specific procedures for handling US Treasury checks. My German bank (Deutsche Bank) told me they can process US Treasury checks, but there's a significant fee (around €25) and it takes 3-4 weeks to clear. So even if you manage to get the check deposited somehow, you might face additional international banking fees. The official reissue route seems like the most cost-effective option in the long run, even with the 6-10 week timeline. Better to wait and get it handled properly than risk losing the refund entirely!

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation! I moved to France two months ago and just received my FICA refund check yesterday. After reading through all these detailed responses, I'm convinced that the official IRS reissue route is definitely the way to go. I wanted to add one more resource that might be helpful - the IRS actually has a dedicated international taxpayer phone line (267-941-1000) that's specifically for people living abroad. The wait times are still long, but I found the representatives there are more familiar with international situations like ours compared to the general help line. I also contacted the US Embassy here in Paris, and they confirmed that attempting to deposit Treasury checks through unofficial methods can actually flag your account for potential fraud investigation, which could cause way bigger problems down the road. They strongly recommended the official reissue process as well. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with Form 8822 and Form 3911 - I'm planning to send both forms together with my check next week. It's really helpful to know that so many people have successfully gone through this process. Better to wait 6-10 weeks and do it right than risk losing the refund entirely!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Just moved to Sweden last month and my FICA refund check arrived yesterday. After reading through all these experiences, I'm definitely going the official route rather than risking any mobile deposit issues. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I called my local US consulate here in Stockholm, and they mentioned that they can actually help verify your identity and new address for IRS correspondence if needed. They can provide an official letter confirming your residence abroad, which might help speed up the reissue process. The consular officer also warned me about the same fraud investigation risks that others mentioned. She said they've seen cases where people got flagged by Treasury for trying unofficial deposit methods, and it can complicate future tax filings and refunds. I'm planning to send Form 8822, Form 3911, and copies of my passport and Swedish residence permit via certified mail next week. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with the official process - it's really reassuring to know that taking the legitimate route, even though it's slower, has worked well for so many people in similar situations!

I'm currently dealing with the exact same situation! Just moved to Brazil last month and received my FICA refund check this week. After reading through everyone's detailed experiences here, I'm definitely convinced that the official IRS reissue route is the way to go, despite the longer timeline. I wanted to add another helpful resource I discovered - the IRS actually has specific guidance in Publication 1 (Your Rights as a Taxpayer) about international refund reissues. It mentions that you can include a Form 911 (Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance) if you're experiencing significant hardship due to being unable to deposit your refund while abroad. I also spoke with my Brazilian bank yesterday, and they confirmed what others mentioned about international fees for US Treasury checks - they quoted me around $40 USD plus a 3-4 week clearing period, which makes the official reissue route even more appealing cost-wise. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with Forms 8822 and 3911, plus the consulate verification tip. It's incredibly reassuring to see so many people have successfully navigated this process through official channels. I'm planning to send my package via DHL with tracking next week - better to invest in proper shipping and do everything legitimately than risk losing an $800 refund!

I'm currently dealing with this exact same situation! Just moved to South Korea two weeks ago and my FICA refund check arrived yesterday ($950). After reading through all these incredibly detailed experiences, I'm absolutely convinced that the official IRS reissue route is the only sensible approach. I contacted the US Embassy in Seoul today, and they confirmed everything others have mentioned about fraud investigation risks with unofficial deposit methods. They also offer the residence verification service that @Omar Hassan mentioned - it's free for US citizens and they said it can definitely help with IRS correspondence. My Korean bank (Shinhan) quoted me $45 USD in fees plus 4-6 weeks processing time for Treasury checks, which makes the official reissue route much more attractive both financially and time-wise. I'm planning to send Forms 8822, 3911, and 911 (thanks @Malik Davis for that tip!) along with copies of my passport, Korean residence card, and the embassy verification letter via FedEx next week. The tracking and insurance are definitely worth the extra cost for an $950 refund. It's been amazing reading everyone's real experiences with the legitimate government process. Even though 6-10 weeks seems long when you're overseas, it's clearly the safest and most cost-effective approach. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge - it's made navigating this situation so much easier!