How long to receive form 6166 after submitting form 8802? Processing times still slow?

The current processing time for Form 6166 (requested through Form 8802) is running about 4-5 months from what I've been seeing with clients. The IRS is still dealing with significant backlogs across multiple departments, and the residency certification program is unfortunately not a high priority compared to return processing. You're at the 3-month mark, which is within the expected timeframe these days. While the pre-pandemic processing time was closer to 6-8 weeks, the current delays are unfortunately normal. The good news is that you should be getting your certification within the next 4-6 weeks based on current trends. If you need to check on the status, you can call the U.S. Residency Certification Program at 267-941-1000 (though prepare for a long wait), or you can submit an inquiry through their International Taxpayer Service Call Center at 267-941-1000 (press 2 for international calls).

I went through this nightmare last year and found that taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai helped me a ton with tracking my form status. I was in a similar situation - waiting forever for my 6166 form and getting no updates from the IRS. The site helped me understand exactly what was happening with my application by analyzing my submission details and providing status updates that I couldn't get anywhere else. What's cool is they have this specific tracking feature for international tax forms that shows where you are in the queue based on when you submitted. Saved me from constantly wondering if my form was lost in the void.

I was skeptical about taxr.ai at first, but after waiting 4 months for my 6166 form and getting increasingly frustrated, I decided to give it a try. Honestly surprised how helpful it was. Not only did it confirm my form was still in processing (not lost), but it spotted a potential issue with my payment details that might cause delays. I followed their recommendation to send a follow-up fax to the IRS with clarified payment info, and sure enough, my certificate arrived just 3 weeks later. Saved me a ton of stress and probably weeks more waiting. Would've been nice to know about this from the beginning!

After trying for WEEKS to call the IRS about my Form 6166 delay (6+ months waiting!), I finally used https://claimyr.com and got through to an actual human at the IRS in less than an hour. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was ready to give up after being disconnected every time I called the residency certification line, but Claimyr got me through on my first try. The IRS agent told me my form had been assigned to a processing specialist but was stuck waiting for supervisor approval. They put a note on my file to expedite it, and I finally received my 6166 two weeks later. If you're in a hurry, definitely worth trying this instead of waiting for the typical timeframe.

Well I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was so frustrated with my 5-month Form 6166 wait that I tried it anyway. Got a callback within 45 minutes and was connected to an actual IRS agent who could see my file! Turns out my form had been processed but was sent to an old address from two years ago. The agent updated my address and reissued the certification. I received it last week, which was a huge relief because I needed it for a business deal in Singapore that was on hold. Definitely changed my mind about this service. Sometimes being proven wrong is a good thing!

Has anyone tried submitting Form 8802 online instead of faxing? I've heard there's a way to do this through the IRS website, but I can't find the option anywhere. Wondering if electronic submission gets processed faster.

Just wanted to share that I finally received my Form 6166 yesterday - took exactly 4 months and 9 days from when I faxed Form 8802. No communication whatsoever from the IRS during the wait. It just showed up in my mailbox without warning. For anyone waiting - hang in there! The system is slow but it does eventually work.

I'm in the same boat - submitted my Form 8802 in mid-February and still waiting for my Form 6166. It's been almost 5 months now and I'm starting to panic because I need it for a business partnership agreement in the UK that's supposed to close next month. Reading through these comments gives me some hope that it's still coming, but the lack of any communication from the IRS is really frustrating. You'd think they could at least send an acknowledgment that they received the form and payment. Has anyone had success getting an estimated timeline by calling that 267-941-1000 number? I'm debating whether it's worth the hours on hold or if I should just keep waiting it out.

I called that 267-941-1000 number last month when I was at the 4-month mark with my Form 8802 submission. After waiting about 90 minutes on hold, I actually got through to someone who was able to look up my case. They couldn't give me an exact timeline, but they confirmed my form was in processing and that 4-5 months is the current normal wait time. The agent told me that as long as I included the correct payment and all required information, it would eventually process - they're just severely backlogged. She also mentioned that calling doesn't speed up the process, but it can give you peace of mind to know your form wasn't lost. For your UK business partnership, you might want to explain the delay to your partners and see if they can accept a copy of your Form 8802 submission along with documentation of the current IRS processing delays as temporary proof while you wait for the official certification. Some foreign entities are understanding about these delays given the well-documented IRS backlogs. The call was worth it for me just to confirm everything was on track, even though the wait time was brutal.

I'm currently going through this same frustrating process. Submitted my Form 8802 in early February and still waiting after 5+ months. The complete lack of communication from the IRS is what makes this so stressful - you have no idea if your form is lost, being processed, or stuck somewhere in the system. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like 4-5 months is unfortunately the new normal. I've been debating whether to try that Claimyr service or just call directly myself. The idea of waiting 90 minutes on hold isn't appealing, but at least getting confirmation that my form is in the system would give me some peace of mind. For anyone else in this situation, I'd recommend keeping detailed records of when you submitted everything (date, fax confirmation, payment method) in case you need to follow up. I also learned the hard way to double-check that your current address is correct in their system - apparently address issues are a common cause of delays even after processing is complete. The waiting game is brutal, but it's somewhat reassuring to know others are experiencing the same delays. Hopefully we'll all get our certifications soon!