The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires most Americans to have health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, you may have to pay a tax penalty. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. One exception is for people who live outside the United States.

If you live outside the United States for at least 330 days during a calendar year, you may be exempt from the ACA penalty. To qualify for this exemption, you must meet the following requirements:

You must be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien.
You must not have access to affordable health insurance through an employer or a government program.
You must not have claimed the health insurance tax credit.

If you meet these requirements, you can claim the exemption on your tax return by filing Form 8965, Health Coverage Exemptions.

What if I Lived Outside the U.S. for Less Than 330 Days?

If you lived outside the U.S. for less than 330 days during a calendar year, you may still be able to avoid the ACA penalty if you had health insurance for at least part of the year. To qualify for this exemption, you must meet the following requirements:

You must have had health insurance for at least one month during the year.
You must not have claimed the health insurance tax credit.

If you meet these requirements, you can claim the exemption on your tax return by filing Form 8965, Health Coverage Exemptions.

What if I Had a Special Enrollment Period?

If you had a special enrollment period (SEP), you may be able to enroll in health insurance after the open enrollment period has ended. A SEP is a period of time when you can enroll in health insurance outside of the open enrollment period if you have a qualifying life event, such as losing your job or moving to a new state.

If you had a SEP, you can enroll in health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace or directly through an insurance company. You can find more information about SEPs at https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/.

What if I Can’t Afford Health Insurance?

If you can’t afford health insurance, you may be able to get help from the government. The Health Insurance Marketplace offers subsidies to help people afford health insurance. You can find more information about subsidies at https://www.healthcare.gov/lower-costs/.

You may also be able to get help from your state. Some states offer programs to help people afford health insurance. You can find more information about state programs at https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/.