If you are an American living in Israel, you should have an IRS Individual Online Account. I end up saying this to almost every client at some point, usually in the middle of a conversation about something else entirely, because the account quietly solves problems before they turn into real ones.
For years this was harder than it should have been. The identity verification process was built around people with a US address, a US driver's license and a US phone number, and Americans abroad kept running into walls. That has changed. ID.me now has a defined path for people who live outside the United States, and it works. It is not instant and it is not painless, but it is a big improvement on previous years.
Once the account exists it saves you time and gives you a lot more visibility on where things are standing. Here is what you need to know before you sit down to do it.
Key Items
- The account gives you transcripts, payment history, IRS notices, your Identity Protection PIN, and the ability to approve your accountant's power of attorney electronically.
- ID.me handles the identity verification, and there is a specific path built for people living outside the United States.
- The link you need says “I don't live in the United States or I don't have the above documents.” Do not scroll past it and do not pick the ordinary self service option.
- You do not need a US phone number. International numbers work for multi factor authentication, and there are alternatives if yours does not.
- A valid US passport plus one secondary document is usually the cleanest combination.
- Israeli documents are accepted. A Hebrew document generally needs an English translation photographed next to the original.
- Most people abroad finish with a live video call, so have the original documents physically in front of you and not just photos on your phone.
- The IRS added a downloadable Tax Compliance Report in August 2026, which is useful when a bank or agency asks for proof that you are compliant.
- Never give your accountant your ID.me login. There are proper channels for that and this is not one of them.
What the Account Actually Gives You
More than most people expect. On the money side you can see your account balance, review payments you have already made, make a payment (with a US bank account only), check the status of a refund, and check the status of an amended return.
On the records side you can download IRS account transcripts and wage and income transcripts, which show US tax forms by employers, bank accounts, partnerships and other information that was reported to the IRS under your Social Security number. You can also view many IRS notices electronically and pull certain information from returns you filed in earlier years.
On the identity and authorization side you can obtain or retrieve an Identity Protection PIN, which by itself may be the most important part when living abroad.
The IRS keeps adding features, and it now actively encourages taxpayers to open one of these accounts. That is a reasonable signal about where the agency is heading.
What to Have Ready Before You Start
ID.me is the identity verification service the IRS currently uses. For someone living outside the United States who has a Social Security number, ID.me generally wants either two primary identification documents, or one primary document plus at least one secondary document.
My advice is to gather more than you think you need before you begin, so that you have options if ID.me rejects something or asks for one more item. Nothing is more frustrating than getting blocked by your documents not being accepted. You don't need all the below, but these are the types of documents to collect.
US documents worth having
- Valid US passport. This is the best document to start with and it counts as primary.
- US Social Security card. Secondary, and it also helps establish your Social Security number.
- US birth certificate with the appropriate government seal or stamp. Secondary.
- US driver's license or state identification card. Although you are unlikely to have this if you have been living in Israel for a long time.
- Form W-2 or certain Forms 1099. This item tends to be difficult to get if you are using an account like Interactive Brokers since the 1099 format is not what the IRS looks for.
Israeli documents worth having
- Israeli passport, which can qualify as a primary document.
- Teudat zehut or another government issued photo identification.
- Israeli driver's license.
- Israeli bank statement.
- Utility bill, medical bill or pay stub. The problem with these though are that they are usually in Hebrew, and you need a translation in English.
- Anything else showing your current Israeli address.
Combinations that usually work
For most Americans in Israel I would build the stack around a valid US passport and then add one of the following. A US Social Security card. A recent translated utility bill showing your Israeli address. Or a US birth certificate.
Use the most recent bank statement or utility bill you have, even though ID.me currently accepts many qualifying secondary documents up to a year old. There is no reason to give the system a reason to say no.
Step 1. Start at the IRS Website
Go to the IRS site and select the option to sign in to your online account. If you already have an ID.me account from another government service, do not create a second one. Sign in with the account you already have. If you do not have one, choose the option to create it.
You will need an email address, a password, multi factor authentication, your Social Security number and your identity documents.
Step 2. Set Up Multi Factor Authentication
ID.me requires multi factor authentication to protect the account, and this is where people living abroad often assume they are stuck. You do not need a US phone number. ID.me accepts international numbers, so your Israeli mobile will usually work normally.
If it does not, choose a method that does not depend on receiving a US text message or call. I'd recommend an authentication app or code generator is also available.
Save your backup and recovery information somewhere you will actually find it later.
Step 3. Choose the International Verification Option
This is the single most important step for anyone reading this from Israel.
During identity verification, ID.me will offer you options such as self service or a video call. Do not take either one. Look instead for the link that reads “I don't live in the United States or I don't have the above documents” and select that. ID.me specifically instructs people living outside the United States to use this link rather than the ordinary options.
From there you select get started, enter your current non US address, choose Israel as your country, and enter your Israeli address. You will then enter and confirm your Social Security number.
Step 4. Choose Your Documents
ID.me will ask which documents you intend to use. The rule is the same one from earlier. Two primary documents, or one primary document plus at least one secondary document.
A valid US passport is an excellent primary document. A Social Security card or US birth certificate works as a secondary one. If you need to prove your current Israeli address, a bank statement or utility bill will usually do it.
Follow the instructions ID.me gives for each specific document, because the requirements differ. A bank statement, for example, generally needs to show your name, your current address and identifying account information.
Step 5. Upload the Documents
You will be prompted to photograph or upload each document you selected. Before you submit, check that the entire document is visible, that the image is clear and readable, that there is no glare, and that your name matches exactly what you entered into ID.me. Do not crop out portions of the document, including the parts that look unimportant.
Keep the original documents accessible, because ID.me may ask to see them later during the video call.
What if the document is in Hebrew
ID.me may require an English translation of any document that is not in English. If you need one, keep both the original Hebrew document and the translation.
ID.me currently instructs users submitting a translated document to place the original and the translation next to each other so that both are visible in the same photograph. Do not write the translation onto the original document.
Step 6. The Video Verification
People living outside the United States will generally finish the process with an ID.me video agent. You may be placed in a queue with an estimated wait time. If the timing does not work, ID.me now lets users in appropriate cases save and exit and return later, and you may also be able to schedule an appointment instead of waiting. If you are doing it during normal US work hours, the wait should be rather short though.
Have the original documents physically with you for the call. This is worth repeating because it is where people get sent back to the start. If you uploaded your passport or Social Security card, do not assume a photo of it on your phone will satisfy the representative. Put the actual documents on the desk in front of you. The representative may also ask questions to confirm your identity.
Step 7. Return to the IRS
Finishing with ID.me is not quite the end. After your identity is verified you are returned to the IRS connection process, where you may be asked to authorize ID.me to share the verified information with the IRS. Select allow, complete the authorization, and you should land inside your IRS Individual Online Account.
Getting an Identity Protection PIN
An Identity Protection PIN is a six digit number that stops somebody else from filing a fraudulent return using your Social Security number or ITIN. Anyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity can generally enroll voluntarily, and you do it from the profile section of your online account.
There are two enrollment choices. Continuous enrollment keeps you in the program for the current year and future years, with the IRS generating a new PIN for you each calendar year. One time enrollment gives you a PIN for the current calendar year and then opts you out automatically at the end of it, which is useful if you only need a PIN because of a specific filing issue.
Your IP PIN changes every year
Do not assume last year's PIN still works. A new six digit number is generated annually and you retrieve the current one from your account.
The part that catches people is which year's PIN to use. The PIN for the current calendar year applies to returns you file during that calendar year, even when the return itself is for an earlier tax year. If you file a late 2024 return during 2026 and you are enrolled in the program, you use your 2026 PIN and not an old 2024 one. The same logic applies to amended returns.
Most of the time the IRS mails you by post mail your new PIN each year. That PIN often gets lost in the mail. The only other way to receive it currently is your online account, which is why it is so crucial you follow through with this process.
The New Tax Compliance Report
The IRS launched a downloadable Tax Compliance Report in August 2026, and it fills a gap that used to be awkward. It shows whether your required returns have been filed, whether federal taxes remain unpaid, certain late filings or payments, and your overall compliance status. It does not disclose your income, your dependents or your filing status.
That distinction is the whole point. When a bank, a government agency or an employer asks for evidence that you are compliant with your US obligations, you previously handed over a full transcript with far more information than anyone needed to see. The report answers the question and nothing else, and the PDF carries an IRS digital authentication certificate so the recipient can confirm it is genuine.
Do Not Give Your Login to Your Accountant
Your IRS Individual Online Account belongs to you. The IRS specifically advises taxpayers not to share login credentials with anyone, and that includes your accountant.
Your accountant should never need your ID.me username, your password or your multi factor authentication. Tax professionals have their own IRS systems and their own authorization process, and any competent one will use them. Sending your accountant a transcript, or approving a properly submitted Power of Attorney through your own account, is an entirely different thing from handing over the keys.
Is It Worth Setting Up
Yes, and I would go further than that. For Americans living in Israel this has moved from convenient to something close to standard equipment. It gives you immediate access to information that used to require phone calls at strange hours, mailed letters and weeks of waiting. Now that ID.me has a defined process for people outside the United States, the setup is genuinely manageable.
Set it up before you urgently need something. The moment you actually need a transcript, an IP PIN, a payment history, a notice or an authorization for your accountant is exactly the moment you do not want to be hunting for your birth certificate and waiting in a video queue.
If you are an American in Israel and you want help sorting out your US filings, or you are not sure where you stand, reach out.
This article reflects IRS and ID.me procedures as of August 2026. Both organizations update their websites and verification steps periodically, so individual screens and available verification methods may change.