Tax E-Filing Portals by Country: IRS, CRA and India Compared

Tax e-filing portals by country follow the same pattern: an account that proves who you are, a way to file and pay, a place to see notices, and a separate door for your accountant. But the details differ a great deal, and a family with obligations in the U.S., Canada and India often needs all three. This guide compares what the IRS, the CRA and India's Income Tax Department offer to individuals in 2026, and shows how to set up access once, with the right representative permissions, before a deadline arrives.

How do tax e-filing portals by country compare?

United States: what each IRS and FinCEN channel does

The IRS e-file page lists Free File for taxpayers under an income limit, Free File Fillable Forms for others, commercial software, and an IRS-approved tax professional. The Online Account lets you view balances by tax year, make and manage payments, see transcripts, review digital notices and review the authorisations your lenders and tax professionals hold, with photo identification required to sign up. The FBAR is not part of your tax return: FinCEN says individuals can file it electronically without registering, while attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents who file for clients must register as BSA E-Filers. Form 3520 is mailed, not e-filed, according to the IRS international page, and Form 8938 is attached to your return. Illinois offers free filing through MyTax Illinois. Our federal tax calendar lists dates.

Canada: CRA My Account and certified software

CRA My Account is the main portal for individuals. The CRA's page on changing a return describes three routes: "Change my return" inside the account (about two weeks), ReFILE in certified tax software, or Form T1-ADJ by mail (about 19 weeks). Representatives need at least level 2 access. See our CRA My Account guide for set-up. The CRA also publishes its own list of what cannot be changed online, such as elections and certain non-resident returns.

India: the e-Filing portal

The Income Tax Department's portal handles ITR filing, payment, verification, notices and forms such as Form 67 and the FADS forms. A new integrated payment module lets taxpayers pay dues under the Income-tax Act, 1961 (up to financial year 2025-26) and the Income-tax Act, 2025 (tax year 2026-27 onward) from one interface, which matters in the transition year. The portal's FAQ says the return for FY 2025-26 is an assessment year 2026-27 return under the 1961 Act, and that a return left unverified within 30 days is treated as not filed. See our income tax portal, AIS and Form 26AS guide.

Step by step: set up access once

1. U.S.: sign up for an IRS Online Account with photo ID; gather your adjusted gross income from last year's return (needed by software for e-signature).
2. Canada: register for CRA My Account; add multi-factor authentication; link your bank for direct deposit.
3. India: register on the e-Filing portal with your PAN. Link PAN to Aadhaar where recommended, and pre-validate your bank and demat accounts so that refunds and EVC work.
4. Representatives: give your U.S. CPA a Form 2848 or 8821, your Canadian CPA access through Represent a Client, and your Chartered Accountant a representative role on the Indian portal. See authorised representatives by country.
5. Mobile and email: keep one reachable mobile number, or an eSIM, for OTPs while abroad.
6. Calendar: add the verification windows (30 days in India) and the deadlines for each return. Compare dates in our tax extensions guide.

Documents and information you need

• U.S.: Social Security number or ITIN, prior-year AGI, bank details, W-2 and 1099 forms.
• Canada: social insurance number, a copy of your latest notice of assessment, T-slips.
• India: PAN, Aadhaar (if linked), bank account details, Form 16, Form 26AS and AIS.
• For foreign reports: statements for each foreign account and asset.

Worked example

The Rao family lives in Aurora. Priya e-files Form 1040 with software, downloads transcripts from her IRS Online Account, and files her FBAR through BSA E-Filing. Her brother in Mississauga files his T1 with NETFILE-certified software and checks CRA My Account for his notice of assessment. Their mother in Pune files her ITR on the Indian e-Filing portal and e-verifies it within 30 days using her Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Priya's CPA holds a Form 2848; the brother's CPA uses Represent a Client; the mother's Chartered Accountant files on the Indian portal. All details are hypothetical.

Mistakes to avoid

• Not e-verifying an Indian return within 30 days. The return is then treated as not filed.
• Using an Aadhaar-linked mobile number that does not work abroad.
• Believing the FBAR will be filed when the 1040 is e-filed. It will not.
• Trying to e-file Form 3520.
• Giving a login to a third party instead of using representative permissions.
• Following links from a message that claims to be a tax authority; see scam alerts for the IRS, CRA and India.

How we can help

We handle the U.S. e-filing and the FBAR for clients in Aurora and across the Fox Valley, and we are set up as your representative on the IRS side. We coordinate with your Canadian CPA and your Indian Chartered Accountant, who file on the CRA and Indian portals, so the information on all three is consistent. See our IRS and state tax representation and individual tax return services. We do not file with the CRA or Indian authorities.

Frequently asked questions

General information only. It is not tax, legal, accounting or immigration advice for your situation, and rules change; confirm the current rules with the official source or a licensed professional in the relevant country.