I submitted an amended return in July. IRS website shows it was not received and says to contact them if more than three weeks, but provides no contact info.

[evan-dingle]

The IRS phone number is just an automated system. Should I resend the return?

[rjs]

Do not resend the amended return. The IRS processing centers were closed for several months because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and they did not process any mailed tax returns, including amended returns. They have now started processing them again, but they have limited staff and a huge backlog, so they are many months behind. They still have millions of unopened pieces of mail. They will eventually get to your amended return, and it will show up on the IRS web site when they do. You could check every couple of weeks to see if it's there.

[rjs]

The IRS web site says the following.

"We're experiencing delays in processing paper tax returns due to limited staffing. If you already filed a paper return, we will process it in the order we received it.

"Do not file a second tax return or contact the IRS about the status of your return."

[evan-dingle]

Yes, but it also says: 

• Your amended return will take up to 3 weeks after you mailed it to show up on our system.
• Processing it can take up to 16 weeks.

And when I put in my info to check the status, it says if you mailed more than 3 weeks and it is not showing up in our system, please contact us.

[xmasbaby0]

@evan-dingle You are seeing the "routine" message regarding amended returns.  Nothing about the times it is taking for the IRS to process federal returns is "routine" during the pandemic.  The IRS has very specifically stated that they do NOT want you to send in an amended return again.  It normally takes about four months for the IRS to process an amended return.  Right now it is taking MUCH longer.  Mail piled up in trailers for several months during the pandemic.  Now the IRS is working on opening over 11 million pieces of mail; patience will be needed.  They do not want you to make the pile bigger by sending in another copy of the same return.

Per the IRS website IRS Operations During COVID-19: Mission-critical functions continue:

IRS operational status and alternatives

Processing Delays for Paper Tax Returns: Taxpayers should file electronically through their tax preparer, tax software provider, or IRS Free File. 

We’re experiencing delays in processing paper tax returns due to limited staffing. If you already filed a paper return, we will process it in the order we received it.

Do not file a second tax return or contact the IRS about the status of your return.