For US citizens and green card holders in Argentina
US Taxes for Americans Living in Argentina
An American in Argentina deals with two tax systems. This page sets out the US side: the yearly return, accounts held in Argentina, double tax relief, social security, and the Streamlined route for missed years.
Quick answer
Do US citizens living in Argentina have to file US taxes?
Yes. The US taxes citizens and green card holders on worldwide income wherever they live. Living in Argentina gives an automatic extension to June 15, accounts there above US$10,000 in total need an FBAR, and the foreign tax credit or the foreign earned income exclusion (US$132,900 for 2026) usually prevents double tax. The US does not have an income tax treaty with Argentina, and there is no social security agreement.
At a glance
- Yearly US return
- Yes, on worldwide income; due June 15 automatically when living abroad
- US tax treaty with Argentina
- No, per the IRS list
- Social security agreement
- No, per the SSA list
- Accounts in Argentina
- FBAR above US$10,000 in total; Form 8938 above higher limits
- Behind on filing
- Streamlined: 3 years of returns, 6 years of FBARs
The yearly US return for Americans in Argentina
Living in Argentina changes where you pay most of your tax, not whether you file with the IRS. US citizens and green card holders report worldwide income every year (IRS Pub 54).
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| April 15 | Normal due date; any US tax owed is due now, and interest runs from here |
| June 15 | Automatic extended date for a US citizen or resident living and working outside the US on April 15 |
| October 15 | Further extension if requested in time |
Amounts earned in Argentine pesos are reported in US dollars.
Will I pay tax twice living in Argentina?
Most Americans in Argentina end up owing little or no US income tax, because tax paid in Argentina or the exclusion of foreign earnings offsets it. The exclusion covers up to US$130,000 of earned income for 2025 and US$132,900 for 2026 (IRS); the foreign tax credit instead uses the income tax you paid in Argentina.
There is no US income tax treaty with Argentina (IRS treaty list), so relief from double tax comes only from US domestic rules: the foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign tax credit.
See FEIE vs foreign tax credit for how the two compare.
Money kept in Argentina
The US wants to know about money you keep in Argentina. Once your non-US accounts together pass US$10,000 at any point in the year, an FBAR is due, normally April 15 with an automatic extension to October 15 (IRS).
Larger balances bring Form 8938 as well. For someone living abroad the starting point is US$200,000 at the end of the year or US$300,000 at any time (double for a joint return), and the penalty for leaving it out is US$10,000 (IRS).
Missed years while living in Argentina
Behind on US filings while living in Argentina? Eligible non-willful filers who live abroad can use the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures: file the last 3 years of returns and 6 years of FBARs, pay any tax and interest, and the IRS does not charge the usual failure-to-file, information return or FBAR penalties (IRS). More in our Streamlined guide.
The local side
Americans in Argentina include remote workers, teachers and retirees.
Your tax in Argentina is a matter for a local adviser. We take their final figures and make sure the US return gives you the relief it should.
How we help
Gurleen Kaur, CPA licensed in British Columbia and Washington State, prepares and signs US returns for Americans living in Argentina: the yearly return with the exclusion or credit, FBAR and Form 8938, and Streamlined catch-up. Every engagement starts with a fixed written quote after we review the file. See the yearly filing package.
Sources: treaty articles and US law
Treaty and social security
- There is no US income tax treaty with Argentina (not on the IRS A to Z list). Relief from double tax comes from the foreign tax credit under Code section 901 and the exclusion under section 911.
- Social security: no US agreement with Argentina appears on the SSA list.
US law
- Foreign tax credit: Code section 901 (IRS Pub 54).
- Form 8938: Code section 6038D and Treas. Reg. section 1.6038D (IRS Form 8938 instructions).
- FBAR: 31 USC 5314 and 31 CFR 1010.350 (IRS Internal Revenue Manual 4.26.16).
- Green card holders and residency: Code section 7701(b) (IRS Pub 519).
- Foreign earned income exclusion: Code section 911 (IRS Form 2555 instructions).
The tax rules of Argentina also apply to you there; a local adviser covers that side.
Americans in other countries
All country pages: US tax for Americans by country.
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- France
- The United Kingdom
- Spain
- Italy
- Portugal
- Ireland
- Switzerland
- Sweden
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Norway
- Greece
- Poland
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Japan
- South Korea
- Israel
- Singapore
- Thailand
- The Philippines
- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Chile
- The Czech Republic
- Finland
- Iceland
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Turkey
- Romania
- China
- South Africa
- Brazil
- Uruguay
- Vietnam
- Hong Kong
- Malaysia
Common questions
Do Americans in Argentina pay US tax?
Yes. US citizens and green card holders file a US return on worldwide income wherever they live. Living in Argentina on April 15 gives an automatic extension to June 15, and tax paid in Argentina or the foreign earned income exclusion often reduces the US tax to little or nothing.
Is there a tax treaty between the US and Argentina?
No. The US does not have an income tax treaty with Argentina. Relief comes from the foreign tax credit and the foreign earned income exclusion.
Do I pay social security in both the US and Argentina?
It can happen. There is no US social security agreement with Argentina, and self-employed Americans owe US self-employment tax even when they use the foreign earned income exclusion.
What if I never filed US taxes while living in Argentina?
If it was not willful, the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures let you file 3 years of returns and 6 years of FBARs, and eligible people living abroad do not pay the usual failure-to-file, information return or FBAR penalties.
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page links to the IRS, CRA or other official source it comes from. Amounts change; we re-check them before each engagement.
- IRS: Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad
- IRS: United States income tax treaties, A to Z
- SSA: U.S. International Social Security Agreements
- IRS: Foreign earned income exclusion
- IRS: Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
- IRS: Comparison of Form 8938 and FBAR requirements
- IRS: U.S. taxpayers residing outside the United States (Streamlined)
Gurleen Kaur, CPA licensed in British Columbia and Washington State. Last updated November 11, 2026. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice for your situation.
Related guides: Yearly filing package, FEIE vs foreign tax credit, Streamlined filing.
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Is there a totalization agreement with Argentina?
No agreement exists between the US and Argentina (SSA list). The practical effect falls mostly on freelancers and business owners: US self-employment tax is figured without the foreign earned income exclusion (IRS Pub 54), so it can be owed even when income tax is not, and there is no agreement to assign you to one system.