@joyanyu . FIRPTA withholding is just like any other withholding by the IRS to assure that they get their due bite. If you have had a chance to go through the IRC 1445 details you will see that on receipt of the funds ( FIRPTA withholding ), IRS will issue you a cert showing the receipt of the withholding. When you file your current year return, you include this amount as paid in / withheld, thus reducing your final tax due ( or increasing your refund as the case may be ). What @DaveF1006 was alluding to was an early refund of the amounts so withheld -- I do not believe that will work here. So you can pay the amount and reconcile these when you file your return next year ( for 2021).
California has a similar policy for property sales in CA irrespective whom you are -- but their bite is a lot smaller .
BTW -- if you and your spouse have owned the property for at least two years and have used it as your main residence for at least a total of 730 days (and a few other and & buts), you should be able to exclude most of the gain from taxation by the Feds.
Is there more I can do for you ?
Namaste ji
pk
