Do US Expats in Colombia Still Have to File US Taxes?

Short answer: yes. US citizens and green-card holders file US taxes on worldwide income no matter where they live — including Medellin. But filing rarely means owing. Here's the reality.

Why you still file

The US taxes by citizenship, not residence — one of only two countries that does. So even as a Colombian resident you file a Form 1040 every year. The good news: the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the Foreign Tax Credit usually reduce or eliminate what you actually owe.

You can owe $0 and still be required to file

Skipping the return forfeits your FEIE election and leaves FBAR/FATCA exposure wide open. Non-filing is the expensive mistake — not the tax.

Behind on expat returns?

The IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures let qualifying expats catch up on missed returns and FBARs, often penalty-free. We handle these regularly.

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Sabih Shafi, EA — All State Tax Resolution. Enrolled-Agent prepared. General information, not individual tax or legal advice.