“I am new to the US and submitted my federal tax return on time. I had to complete extra ID checks, which were finished on June 1st. When can I expect to receive my refund, and how can I speak to a real person at the IRS instead of the automated system?”
A delay past nine weeks does not by itself mean the refund was denied; the IRS says corrections or further review can cause delays. Your case is now far enough past the June 1 benchmark that using the live-assistance route is reasonable.
Your next route depends on what the IRS confirmed as completed on June 1.
If the IRS confirmed that the was successfully completed on June 1, the up-to-nine-week processing period ended August 3. Check now and call the IRS individual line if there is no useful update or the tool tells you to contact the IRS.
If you only completed ID.me or account sign-in verification, finish the separate tax-return verification requested in your notice. If you no longer have the notice, call the at 800-830-5084; official TAS guidance gives that number when the letter cannot be found.
As of August 22, 2026, a successful June 1 return verification is 19 days beyond the IRS's nine-week processing timeframe.
These steps establish whether the nine-week clock applied, get the newest case status, and then put you in front of a person.
First
Confirm what was completed on June 1
If the completion message came from the IRS , use August 3 as the end of the nine-week processing timeframe. If June 1 was only ID.me or online-account identity proofing, finish the return questions at https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-verification; if the notice is missing, call the at 800-830-5084.
Requirements
Today
Open Where’s My Refund now
Use the official tool at https://www.irs.gov/refunds. The IRS says to wait only two to three weeks after verification before checking, so your June 1 verification is already well past that point. If the tool gives a refund date, use that case-specific date; if it directs you to contact the IRS or still gives no useful update, continue to the next step.
Because nine weeks have passed
Call the IRS individual-assistance line
Call 800-829-1040 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in your local time zone. This is the IRS individual-assistance line staffed by telephone assistors. Ask the representative to confirm that the June 1 verification released the return, identify any remaining review or notice, and give the current refund status. Do not switch to 800-829-1954; that number is the automated refund hotline.
Requirements
Phone fallback
Schedule in-person IRS help if the call does not resolve it
Call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment at a local . The IRS office locator is https://www.irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office; appointments receive priority service.
Requirements
You are not the first to go through this. Here is how it went for others who asked the same thing.
u/LonelyTwo6379r/IRSFeb 16, 2026
These facts come from the IRS Verify your return and Let us help you pages, the Taxpayer Advocate Service, IRS Refunds guidance, and USAGov's IRS contact page.
IRS Verify your return
This establishes the post-verification checking and processing timeframes.
Your refund
Wait 2-3 weeks after you use this service to check your refund. It may take up to 9 weeks to process your return after you verify it.
IRS Let us help you
This gives the IRS individual-assistance number and its weekday hours.
Telephone assistance — Individuals
Our help lines are open Monday through Friday. Individuals 800-829-1040 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time
IRS Let us help you
This lists what to have ready so the IRS representative can discuss the account.
Prepare for your call
Our representatives must verify your identity before discussing your personal information. Have the following ready when you call: Social Security numbers (SSN) and birth dates Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) if you don’t have a Social Security number Filing status – single, head of household, married filing jointly, married filing separately or qualifying surviving spouse Prior-year tax return Tax return you’re calling about Any correspondence we sent to you
IRS Let us help you
This establishes the in-person IRS appointment fallback.
In-person help
You can get in-person help at your local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC). Locate a Taxpayer Assistance Center near you. Check what services are available at that location, then call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment.
TAS Identity Verification and Your Tax Return
This distinguishes verifying the tax return from merely gaining online-account access.
Taxpayers who receive a letter asking them to authenticate their identity and return information online, can go into their online account, which will tell them they need to verify information on their tax return before it can be processed. This will direct the taxpayer to the Identity and Tax Return Verification Service website.
TAS Identity Verification and Your Tax Return
This gives the identity-verification program number when the IRS letter is missing.
If the letter cannot be located, taxpayers should check their IRS online account or call the Taxpayer Protection Program (TPP) phone line at 800-830-5084.
USAGov Contact the IRS
This confirms that 800-829-1954 is automated rather than the route to a representative.
Call 1-800-829-1954, the IRS' automated hotline to locate lost refunds.
IRS Refunds
This explains why a refund can remain delayed beyond the normal timeframe.
Refund delays can happen when a tax return needs corrections or further review.
These are the official rules and procedures as published on the cited dates; tax procedures and contact details can change.
This is general information about official processes, not legal advice, and SettleKit is not a law firm.
We research the hard parts of settling in the US and write articles you will not find anywhere else. Subscribe to get each new article by email.
