What Tax Documents Do Expats and Digital Nomads Need?
Gathering the right documents before starting your tax filing saves time and avoids delays. The exact documents depend on your situation — US expat, UK non-resident, digital nomad, or a combination — but there's a core set that almost every cross-border filer needs, plus additional documents depending on your income type and foreign accounts.
Get started with your filingWho this is for
- ✓ US expats and green card holders preparing for annual US tax filing
- ✓ UK non-residents or digital nomads with UK Self Assessment obligations
- ✓ Anyone with foreign bank accounts that may require FBAR or Form 8938
- ✓ Self-employed nomads tracking business income and expenses
- ✓ First-time filers with Nomadic.Tax who want to prepare before getting started
What this filing may involve
Every situation is different. The forms below commonly apply — your specific filing may vary.
- 1 US Form 1040 — requires income, deduction, and credit documentation
- 2 Form 2555 (FEIE) — requires travel records and foreign employer documentation
- 3 FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) — requires account numbers, institution names, and max balances
- 4 UK SA100 — requires income records, expense receipts, and residence evidence
Documents usually needed
- 📄 Passport showing entry and exit dates for each country you visited
- 📄 All income statements — W-2s, 1099s, foreign pay slips, freelance invoices, platform statements
- 📄 Foreign bank account statements showing maximum balances throughout the year
- 📄 Records of foreign taxes paid (annual tax summary from local authority or accountant)
- 📄 Prior year tax return (US and/or UK) if previously filed
- 📄 Self-employment income and expense ledger or accounting software export
- 📄 Rental income records if you own property
- 📄 Social Security number, ITIN, or National Insurance number as applicable
- 📄 Evidence of overseas residence (lease agreement, utility bills, work contract)
How Nomadic.Tax works
AI-assisted preparation with licensed professional review — every time.
Complete our onboarding questionnaire — it tells you exactly which documents apply to your situation
Upload everything securely to your Nomadic.Tax dashboard
Our system flags any gaps or missing items before your CPA review
A licensed professional verifies completeness and requests any additional items before filing
When human review matters
- ⓘ Self-employed filers often underestimate the records needed — we provide a detailed checklist in your dashboard
- ⓘ FBAR account details require the maximum balance during the year, not just the year-end balance
- ⓘ Currency conversions are handled by our system — you can provide balances in local currency
[INSERT: customer testimonial, e.g. "first-time expat filer in Chiang Mai, Thailand, saved money and stress using Nomadic.Tax"]
- first-time expat filer, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Relevant plans
Choose the package that best fits your situation, or view all plans.
- ✓ Automatic online filing
- ✓ One federal + one state return
- ✓ W-2, 1099 and basic deductions
- ✓ Everything in Standard
- ✓ Schedule C & SE for self-employment
- ✓ Multiple income sources and currencies
- ✓ Everything in Premier
- ✓ Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (Form 2555)
- ✓ Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116)
- ✓ FBAR filing (FinCEN 114) included
Frequently asked questions about What Tax Documents Do Expats and Digital Nomads Need?
Do I need to provide physical documents or can I upload photos?
PDF or high-quality photo uploads through our secure dashboard are accepted. We don't require original physical documents. Bank statements exported as PDFs, employer pay summaries, and photo scans of paper documents are all fine.
What if I don't have records from prior years?
You may be able to obtain copies from your bank, employer, or the relevant tax authority. For FBAR purposes, banks are typically able to provide historical account statements. We'll advise on the minimum documentation required for your specific situation.
I'm a freelancer — what counts as a deductible business expense?
For US filers with Schedule C: business software, internet, home office (if exclusively and regularly used for business), professional development, marketing, contractor payments, and travel directly related to business may be deductible. We review all claimed deductions to ensure they meet IRS standards.
Do I need to provide documents for years I don't owe any tax?
Yes. Even if FEIE eliminates all income tax, you still need income records to support the exclusion, travel records to demonstrate qualification, and account records for FBAR if applicable. The documentation requirement exists regardless of tax owed.