OMB No. 1545-0074

Form 2555 Foreign Earned Income

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

© See separate instructions. © Attach to Form 1040.

For Use by U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Only

Name shown on Form 1040 Your social security number

Your foreign address (including country) Your occupation

Employer’s name ©

Employer’s U.S. address ©

Employer’s foreign address ©

Employer is (check

any that apply):

A foreign entity A U.S. company

Other (specify) ©

Self

A foreign affiliate of a U.S. company

If, after 1981, you filed Form 2555 or Form 2555-EZ, enter the last year you filed the form. ©

Have you ever revoked either of the exclusions? Yes No

If you answered “Yes,” enter the type of exclusion and the tax year for which the revocation was effective. ©

Did you maintain a separate foreign residence for your family because of adverse living conditions at your

tax home? See Second foreign household on page 3 of the instructions

If “Yes,” enter city and country of the separate foreign residence. Also, enter the number of days during your tax year that

you maintained a second household at that address. ©

List your tax home(s) during your tax year and date(s) established. ©

Next, complete either Part II or Part III. If an item does not apply, enter “NA.” If you do not give

the information asked for, any exclusion or deduction you claim may be disallowed.

Taxpayers Qualifying Under Bona Fide Residence Test (see page 2 of the instructions)

10 Date bona fide residence began © , and ended ©

11 Kind of living quarters in foreign country © Purchased house Rented house or apartment Rented room

Quarters furnished by employer

12a Did any of your family live with you abroad during any part of the tax year?

If “Yes,” who and for what period? ©

Have you submitted a statement to the authorities of the foreign country where you claim bona fide residence 

that you are not a resident of that country? See instructions 

13a

b Are you required to pay income tax to the country where you claim bona fide residence? See instructions 

If you answered “Yes” to 13a and “No” to 13b, you do not qualify as a bona fide resident. Do not complete the rest of

this part.

If you were present in the United States or its possessions during the tax year, complete columns (a)–(d) below. Do not

include the income from column (d) in Part IV, but report it on Form 1040.

14

(d) Income earned in

U.S. on business

(attach computation)

(c) Number of

days in U.S.

on business

(d) Income earned in

U.S. on business

(attach computation)

(c) Number of

days in U.S.

on business

(b) Date left

U.S.

(a) Date

arrived in U.S.

(b) Date left

U.S.

(a) Date

arrived in U.S.

15a List any contractual terms or other conditions relating to the length of your employment abroad. ©

b Enter the type of visa under which you entered the foreign country. ©

c Did your visa limit the length of your stay or employment in a foreign country? If “Yes,” attach explanation

Did you maintain a home in the United States while living abroad?

e If “Yes,” enter address of your home, whether it was rented, the names of the occupants, and their relationship

to you. ©

For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see page 4 of separate instructions. Cat. No. 11900P Form 2555 (2008)

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

©

3

4a

5

6a

c

8a

9

7

1 2

b

a

d

b

e

c

b

a

d

b c

d

d

b

Part I

Part II

General Information

b If you did not file Form 2555 or 2555-EZ after 1981 to claim either of the exclusions, check here © and go to line 7.

Of what country are you a citizen/national? ©

Attachment

Sequence No. 34

2008
Form 2555 (2008) Page 2

Taxpayers Qualifying Under Physical Presence Test (see page 2 of the instructions)

16 The physical presence test is based on the 12-month period from © through ©

17 Enter your principal country of employment during your tax year. ©

If you traveled abroad during the 12-month period entered on line 16, complete columns (a)–(f) below. Exclude travel between

foreign countries that did not involve travel on or over international waters, or in or over the United States, for 24 hours or

more. If you have no travel to report during the period, enter “Physically present in a foreign country or countries for the entire

12-month period.” Do not include the income from column (f) below in Part IV, but report it on Form 1040.

18

(f) Income earned in U.S.

on business (attach

computation)

(e) Number of

days in U.S.

on business

(d) Full days

present in

country

(a) Name of country

(including U.S.) (b) Date arrived (c) Date left

All Taxpayers

Note: Enter on lines 19 through 23 all income, including noncash income, you earned and actually or constructively received during 

your 2008 tax year for services you performed in a foreign country. If any of the foreign earned income received this tax year was 

earned in a prior tax year, or will be earned in a later tax year (such as a bonus), see the instructions. Do not include income from 

line 14, column (d), or line 18, column (f). Report amounts in U.S. dollars, using the exchange rates in effect when you actually or 

constructively received the income.

If you are a cash basis taxpayer, report on Form 1040 all income you received in 2008, no matter when you performed 

the service.

Amount 2008 Foreign Earned Income (in U.S. dollars)

19 Total wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, etc. 19

20 Allowable share of income for personal services performed (see instructions):

a In a business (including farming) or profession 20a

b In a partnership. List partnership’s name and address and type of income. ©

20b

21 Noncash income (market value of property or facilities furnished by employer—attach statement

showing how it was determined):

a Home (lodging) 21a

b Meals 21b

c Car 21c

d Other property or facilities. List type and amount. © 

21d

22 Allowances, reimbursements, or expenses paid on your behalf for services you performed:

a Cost of living and overseas differential 22a

b Family 22b

c Education 22c

d Home leave 22d

e Quarters 22e

f For any other purpose. List type and amount. ©

22f

g Add lines 22a through 22f 22g

23 Other foreign earned income. List type and amount. ©

23

24 Add lines 19 through 21d, line 22g, and line 23 24

25 Total amount of meals and lodging included on line 24 that is excludable (see instructions) 25

Subtract line 25 from line 24. Enter the result here and on line 27 on page 3. This is your 2008

foreign earned income ©

26

26

Part III

Part IV

Form 2555 (2008)
Form 2555 (2008) Page 3

Taxpayers Claiming the Housing Exclusion and/or Deduction

28 Qualified housing expenses for the tax year (see instructions) 28

Number of days in your qualifying period that fall within your 2008 tax 

year (see instructions)

31

31

32 Multiply $38.30 by the number of days on line 31. If 366 is entered on line 31, enter $14,016.00 here 32

33

Subtract line 32 from line 30. If the result is zero or less, do not complete the rest of this part or 

any of Part IX

33

34 Enter employer-provided amounts (see instructions) 34

Divide line 34 by line 27. Enter the result as a decimal (rounded to at least three places), but do 

not enter more than “1.000”

35

35

Housing exclusion. Multiply line 33 by line 35. Enter the result but do not enter more than the

amount on line 34. Also, complete Part VIII ©

36

36

Note: The housing deduction is figured in Part IX. If you choose to claim the foreign earned

income exclusion, complete Parts VII and VIII before Part IX.

Taxpayers Claiming the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

37 Maximum foreign earned income exclusion 37 $87,600 00

● All others, enter the number of days in your qualifying period that 

fall within your 2008 tax year (see the instructions for line 31).

38

● Otherwise, divide line 38 by the number of days in your 2008 tax year and enter the result

as a decimal (rounded to at least three places).

39

40 Multiply line 37 by line 39 40

41 Subtract line 36 from line 27 41

42 Foreign earned income exclusion. Enter the smaller of line 40 or line 41. Also, complete Part VIII © 42

Taxpayers Claiming the Housing Exclusion, Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, or Both

43 Add lines 36 and 42 43

Deductions allowed in figuring your adjusted gross income (Form 1040, line 37) that are allocable 

to the excluded income. See instructions and attach computation 

44

44

Subtract line 44 from line 43. Enter the result here and in parentheses on Form 1040, line 21.

Next to the amount enter “Form 2555.” On Form 1040, subtract this amount from your income

to arrive at total income on Form 1040, line 22 ©

45

45

Taxpayers Claiming the Housing Deduction—Complete this part only if (a) line 33 is more than line

36 and (b) line 27 is more than line 43.

46 Subtract line 36 from line 33 46

47 Subtract line 43 from line 27 47

48 Enter the smaller of line 46 or line 47 48

Note: If line 47 is more than line 48 and you could not deduct all of your 2007 housing deduction 

because of the 2007 limit, use the worksheet on page 4 of the instructions to figure the amount 

to enter on line 49. Otherwise, go to line 50.

49 Housing deduction carryover from 2007 (from worksheet on page 4 of the instructions) 49

50 Housing deduction. Add lines 48 and 49. Enter the total here and on Form 1040 to the left of

line 36. Next to the amount on Form 1040, enter “Form 2555.” Add it to the total adjustments

reported on that line © 50

3 .

3 .

Part VIII

Part VII

Part VI

Part IX

Part V

38 ● If you completed Part VI, enter the number from line 31.

39 ● If line 38 and the number of days in your 2008 tax year (usually 366) are the same, enter “1.000.”

27

All Taxpayers

27 Enter the amount from line 26 

Are you claiming the housing exclusion or housing deduction?

No. Go to Part VII.

%

%

Yes. Complete Part VI.

Form 2555 (2008)

days

days

b Enter limit on housing expenses (see instructions)

30 Enter the smaller of line 28 or line 29b

29b

30

29a Enter location where housing expenses incurred (see instructions) ©