Individual Taxpayer Identification Number Internal Revenue Service

We facilitate the ITIN application process by filing the necessary documents and can authenticate your identity to forward the completed forms to the IRS to receive your ITIN quickly. Certain offices can verify passports and national identification cards and return them immediately. A list of these in-person Document Review Taxpayer Assistance Centers is available on IRS.gov.

If you receive this notice for yourself, a dependent, or a spouse, it is best to start the renewal process. If you receive the notice after you already submitted your renewal documents, then ignore it. If the circumstances have changed and you now qualify to obtain a Social Security Number, you should get that instead of an ITIN.

If you’re unable to find these documents, you can contact the IRS directly, and they’ll disclose your ITIN number to you. There are currently 13 different documents the IRS will accept as proof of identity and foreign status, which they need in order to grant you an ITIN number. Each document must be valid, and within the expiration date, and must also show your foreign status. Applicants who meet one of the exceptions to the requirement to file a tax return (see the Instructions for Form W-7) must provide documentation to support the exception. An ITIN is a tax-processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify taxpayers, including undocumented immigrants.

Q7: Should spouses and dependents renew their ITINs?

If you do not apply at the same time as your immigrant visa, you will need to bring your approval notices and petition along with your immigration status and work authorization to a Social Security office in the U.S. Make sure when you go to the Social Security office you have your passport with your immigrant visa or Permanent Resident Card, your birth certificate plus the birth certificate of any family member also applying for a SSN. Even though the basic process for obtaining an ITIN is fairly straightforward, IRS forms are notoriously confusing for citizens and foreign nationals alike. Moreover, the steps for obtaining an ITIN become slightly more complex when reporting U.S. taxes while living abroad. After you apply for an ITIN and qualify for an ITIN, you could receive a letter from the IRS assigning your tax identification number in as early as seven weeks. However, the speed in which it takes to get an ITIN depends on the volume of inquiries the IRS receives — it can take nine to eleven weeks during busy times.

You can fill out an application form for an ITIN for you, your spouse, and your dependents when you prepare your tax return with us. Acceptance Agents are entities (colleges, financial institutions, accounting firms, etc.) who are authorized by the IRS to assist applicants in obtaining ITINs. They review the applicant’s documentation and forward the completed Form W-7 to IRS for processing. According to the IRS, certain errors can hold up ITIN processing. Most errors involve missing details or a lack of supporting paperwork.

  • It generally takes between 7 and 11 weeks for the IRS to process and send the applicant their ITIN, but as with a lot of federal agencies, there may be a backlog due to the pandemic, and the wait could be longer.
  • 2) Supporting Documentation – based on the reason why you’re applying for an ITIN, I will instruct you further on how to obtain this after you sign up and I review your file.
  • Technically, your Individual Tax Identification Number is pretty similar to an SSN.
  • If you do not apply at the same time as your immigrant visa, you will need to bring your approval notices and petition along with your immigration status and work authorization to a Social Security office in the U.S.
  • It is important to advise taxpayers about potential consequences.

More specifically, an ITIN is given to certain foreign nationals, nonresidents, their dependents, and spouses who are not eligible for Social Security Numbers. If a taxpayer submits their ITIN application to an acceptance agent, then the acceptance agent can send copies with the W-7 to the IRS processing center. If the taxpayer does not submit their application to an acceptance agent, then the original documents or certified copies are required to be sent. If you already have an ITIN but fail to submit a U.S. tax return in any given calendar year, your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number may expire.

Tax return requirement

You will need to complete Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security CardPDF. You also must submit evidence of your identity, age, and U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status. For more information please see the Social Security Administration website. Having an ITIN will make many aspects of financial life easier for new immigrants to the U.S.

What is an ITIN number and how to apply for one?

Of course, you’ll only receive that credit if meet the other reporting requirements for it. Anyone who earns income from the U.S. is required to get a tax ID number, since they’re obligated to pay taxes on what they earn. To protect your privacy, ITIN.com follows different principles in accordance with worldwide practices for user privacy how do i know if buying an annuity is right for me and data protection. Under no circumstances will ITIN.com be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information obtained through this site. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this site. Your sole remedy for dissatisfaction with this site is to stop using this site.

Avoiding Delays: A Guide to ITIN Renewal for Taxpayers

An SSN is not required to apply for an ITIN; in fact, the ITIN was created so those without an SSN could file their taxes each year. If you are not a U.S. citizen and do not have a Social Security number, learn how to get and use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to file a federal tax return. Dependents who are not from Canada or Mexico, and not dependent on military members overseas WILL require a stamped date of entry into the US on their valid passports. Certified mail is the best way to make sure that the IRS received a form a taxpayer sent before a deadline.

The CAA’s job is to be your agent to help you through the ITIN application process, from beginning to end. They communicate with the IRS on your behalf and help with any queries. Under section 326 of the Patriot Act, financial institutions are required to open accounts if an application for an ID number (such as a W-7) is pending. If your ITIN expires, then your ITIN will no longer be valid under your name and will be open to being reissued to other applicants who qualify and applied for one. If you go ahead and apply for the number once you realize you need it, you should have it in time to file your taxes without a penalty.

ITIN.com has taken strong measures to protect the security of your personal information and to ensure that your choices for its intended use are honored. We take strong precautions to protect your data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration, or destruction. If you choose not to register or provide personal information, you can still use most of ITIN.com. But you will not be able to access areas that require registration. Any action arising out of or related to the access, use, content, or existence of this Site shall be filed only in the appropriate state or federal court located within the State of California.

You can file Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), with your federal income tax return. You must also include original documentation or certified copies from the issuing agency to prove identity and foreign status. As previously mentioned, you need to file Form W-7 to apply for your ITIN. You can apply for your ITIN number at the same time you file federal taxes with the IRS. If you choose to do so, you would complete your U.S. tax return and attach your W-7 along with the other documents and send it to the IRS.

ITIN holders must verify their identity through the video chat process and will need a valid email address, proof of ITIN, one primary document and one secondary document. You only need to apply for an ITIN if your spouse is required to have one. Otherwise, you can file taxes as married filing separately or married filing jointly and mark NRA (non-resident alien) on your return. ITIN is only used as a label by the federal government for filing taxes.