RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia taxpayers have just days left to file their individual income taxes with the state.

The filing and payment deadline for filing tax returns is May 17.

The typical May 1 deadline was extended this year to match the new Internal Revenue Service deadline.

Tax Commissioner Craig Burns said in a news release that the state is encouraging taxpayers to file electronically and request refunds via direct deposit.

It typically takes up to four weeks to process an electronically-filed return, and up to eight weeks to process a paper return.

State officials said that because of COVID-19 protocols, it will likely take even longer for a paper return to move through the system this year.