Can the IRS arrest a US citizen flying on US passport/airline who hasn't filed income tax, FICA, FATCA or FBAR?

As someone who's worked with expat tax issues for years, I can assure you the IRS doesn't have agents stationed at airports waiting to arrest passengers with unfiled taxes. That's not how enforcement works. The IRS Criminal Investigation division does handle serious tax evasion cases, but they focus on deliberate fraud, large-scale tax evasion, and money laundering - not simply failing to file while living abroad. They don't randomly detain people at borders. Enforcement actions require extensive investigation, documentation, and usually involve the Department of Justice. Border agents and customs officials don't have access to your tax filing status when you enter the country. They're checking immigration status, customs declarations, and security concerns - not whether you've filed Form 8938 or FBAR.

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. US citizen, hadn't filed for almost a decade while living in Europe. Started panicking before a trip home for a wedding. The stress was unreal until I found https://taxr.ai which literally saved my sanity. Their system analyzed my specific situation, explained exactly which years and forms I needed to file, and helped me understand my actual risk level (which was way lower than my anxiety had me believing). The AI walked me through the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures - turns out that's exactly designed for people like us who non-willfully haven't filed while living abroad. They have international tax specialists who review everything too, so I got both the tech analysis and human expertise. Seriously made a seemingly impossible tax situation manageable before my trip.

Just wanted to follow up - I ended up using https://taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it was exactly what I needed. It confirmed I qualified for the Streamlined Filing Procedures and saved me from having to file all 7 years I missed. The system identified I only needed to file 3 years of tax returns and 6 years of FBARs to get compliant. The coolest part was that it actually found I was eligible for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion for all those years, which meant I didn't actually owe any taxes (even with penalties)! I was able to get everything submitted before my trip next month and now I'm not stressing about crossing the border. Definitely recommend for any expats in this situation.

For what it's worth, I had a somewhat related issue with the IRS regarding unfiled returns while working overseas (contractor in Dubai for 3 years). I needed to resolve it quickly when I moved back to the US and literally spent WEEKS trying to reach someone at the IRS. Always busy signals or disconnects after hours on hold. I found this service called https://claimyr.com that actually got me through to a real IRS agent in under 45 minutes. They basically navigate the IRS phone system for you and call you once they've got an agent on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c This was crucial for my situation because I needed specific guidance on the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures since I had already returned to the US. Getting actual IRS confirmation about my filing approach gave me peace of mind before submitting everything.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to talk to someone about my unfiled FBARs before an international move next month. Honestly, I was shocked when I got a call back in about 35 minutes with an actual IRS international tax specialist on the line. The agent walked me through exactly what I needed to do for my situation (US citizen who's been in Korea for 6 years with unfiled everything). She confirmed I could use the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures and wouldn't face penalties if I filed before any audit or investigation started. Also cleared up my confusion about FATCA vs FBAR requirements for my Korean bank accounts. Worth every penny for the peace of mind alone. Now I can fly back and forth without that nagging worry about getting flagged at immigration.

Something nobody's mentioned yet - the State Department and IRS do have a program where they can deny passport renewal if you have "seriously delinquent tax debt" over $59,000. But that's for assessed debt - meaning the IRS knows about it and has sent you bills. Since you haven't filed, you're more in a "failure to file" situation rather than known debt. Still, you should definitely get compliant ASAP. The Streamlined procedures others mentioned are your best bet - 3 years of back tax returns and 6 years of FBARs if you have foreign accounts over $10,000. No penalties if you certify it was non-willful.

Former CBP officer here. We didn't have access to IRS databases during primary inspection and weren't looking for tax evaders. Our focus was on admissibility, customs violations, agricultural products, and security threats. That said, if you were already under investigation for serious tax crimes (which is rare and involves willful evasion of large amounts), there might be a lookout in the system. But simply not filing while living abroad? No way we're pulling you aside for that - we wouldn't even know.

I went through something very similar about 18 months ago - US citizen living in Australia for 8 years, never filed anything with the IRS. I was absolutely terrified about flying back for my sister's wedding, convinced I'd get arrested at customs. Long story short: flew into JFK on my US passport, went through immigration normally, and nobody said a word about taxes. The CBP officer literally just checked my passport, asked how long I'd been away, and waved me through. No questions about income, bank accounts, or filing status. However, I did get compliant afterwards because the stress wasn't worth it. Used the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures and discovered I actually qualified for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion for most years, so I didn't owe much despite the years of non-filing. The peace of mind for future travel was worth every penny I spent on getting caught up. Your immediate concern about airport arrest is unfounded based on my experience and what others have said here. But definitely consider getting compliant once you're back from handling your family emergency - it's not as scary as it seems and there are good programs specifically for expats in our situation.

Just wanted to add some perspective as someone who works in international tax compliance - the anxiety you're experiencing is completely normal and understandable. I've seen dozens of expats in similar situations, and the fear of airport detention is always their biggest worry, despite it being extremely unlikely for simple non-filing cases. What you're describing - living abroad without filing US taxes - is incredibly common among American expats. The IRS estimates that millions of US citizens abroad are non-compliant, mostly due to lack of awareness rather than willful evasion. The enforcement resources simply aren't there to pursue every non-filer at border crossings. That said, I do strongly recommend using the Streamlined Filing Procedures once you're settled back from your family emergency. The program was specifically designed for situations like yours where the non-compliance was non-willful. You'll likely need to file 3 years of tax returns and 6 years of FBARs, but given your overseas residence, you may qualify for exclusions that significantly reduce or eliminate any tax owed. Safe travels, and try not to let tax anxiety overshadow what's clearly an important family matter that needs your attention right now.

I completely understand your anxiety - I was in a nearly identical situation about two years ago. US citizen living in Germany for 6 years, hadn't filed a single return or FBAR, and was terrified about flying back for my father's funeral. The reality is exactly what everyone else has said here - there are no IRS agents at airports checking tax compliance. I flew into Miami International and the CBP officer literally spent 30 seconds checking my passport and asking basic questions about my trip purpose. Zero mention of taxes, filing status, or anything related to the IRS. However, I learned something important that might help you: even if you can't get fully compliant before your trip, you can at least start the process. I began gathering my documents and researching the Streamlined procedures before I left, which gave me some peace of mind. It showed me that there was a clear path forward and that my situation wasn't as hopeless as I'd imagined. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion ended up covering most of my overseas income when I finally filed through the Streamlined program. What felt like an insurmountable tax disaster turned out to be mostly paperwork with minimal actual tax owed. Focus on your family emergency first - that's what matters right now. The tax situation can wait a few more weeks, and honestly, having this conversation here has probably done more to educate you about your options than months of worrying in silence ever could.