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. When you file your tax return or need to talk to the IRS, you’ll likely have to provide a tax identification number, which is also called a TIN or tax ID number. 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. According to the IRS, certain errors can hold up ITIN processing. Most errors involve missing details or a lack of supporting paperwork.
- Even if you have a PTIN but you received it prior to September 28, 2010, you must apply for a new or renewed PTIN by using the new system.
- ITINs allow foreign nationals living in the US to comply with tax laws, and can also be issued for a recipient’s spouse and dependents.
- Yes, ITINs are issued for foreign nationals not eligible for an SSN.
- The advantage to using Certifying Acceptance Agents (CAAs) is that for primary and secondary applicants (like a spouse), the CAA can certify that your documents are original and make copies to send to the IRS.
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. You may be able to request a certified copy of documents at an embassy or consulate. However, services may vary between countries, so we recommend that you contact the appropriate consulate or embassy for specific information. Taxpayers with an ITIN can complete the registration process to access their IRS online account, which provides balance due, payment history, payment plans, tax records, and more.
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. 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. If a taxpayer is being investigated for illegal activity, the investigating agency may ask a judge to sign an order allowing them to get copies of the taxpayer’s tax returns.
What Documents Must a Taxpayer Submit With the W-7 to Obtain an ITIN?
We’ll look at what freedoms an ITIN entitles you to, and what it doesn’t. As well as other purposes it can serve if you’ve recently arrived in the US. We’ll also look at the ITIN application process; what documents you’ll need, how much it will cost, and how long you can expect to wait.
To get Form SS-5 or to find out if you are eligible to obtain an SSN, go to Social Security Administration or contact an SSA office. By law, an alien individual cannot have both an ITIN and an SSN. We respectfully and kindly REQUIRE all clients to be patient during this process. We will be sure to forward your ITIN to you as soon as we receive it. After you fill it out, you will receive a response back within the same day letting you know whether you qualify to apply for ITIN.
A Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) is authorized by agreement with the IRS to review identity documents and assist taxpayers with Form W-7, Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). To get an ITIN for a child, you will generally need a certified copy of their valid passport and also a Federal Tax Return for which they are being claimed as a dependent. As an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent, once we receive the necessary documentations from you for your file to be deemed complete, we will file your ITIN application with the IRS. As IRS Certifying Acceptance Agents, we’re trained and authorized by the IRS to assist foreign individuals who don’t qualify for a Social Security Number get their ITIN quickly. The IRS has a long list of documents or combinations of documents that can show your status and identity.
- If your application is completed correctly, and you qualify for an ITIN, you’ll usually receive a letter from the IRS assigning your ITIN number within 7 weeks.
- With an ITIN number, you can also open a U.S. bank account and apply for a mortgage loan.
- These figures are then used to determine potential state-backed financial benefits, including pension, disability income, and health insurance.
- CAAs can authenticate all the identification documents for the primary and secondary applicant.
If you’re required to file a tax return and aren’t eligible for a Social Security number, you need to apply for an ITIN (See the What should I do? section, above). When you open a checking account or a savings account, you’ll need to verify your identity. You can do this with an SSN or an ITIN, but some banks will also accept other forms of ID. These might include a passport number or other government-issued ID number. The IRS clarifies that you need either an ITIN or an SSN to get the Child Tax Credit.
Tax return requirement
If an ITIN filer has a dependent child with an SSN, they may be eligible to claim the Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit. 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.
It is used by the IRS to identify taxpayers who do not have a social security number. The only people who need to have an ITIN are people who are required to file federal tax returns but do not have a social security number. The second documentation requirement is supporting documentation that’s traditionally satisfied with an income tax return form.
How Long Does It Take to Obtain an ITIN?
Read on to find out how to get an ITIN number, what the purpose of an ITIN number is, and if you’re required to get one. If you have or are eligible to obtain a social security number, you are not eligible for an ITIN. Candice Elliott has been a freelance writer specializing in personal finance since 2013.
Starting in 2015 both the taxpayer and qualifying child must have SSNs or ITINs by the due date of the tax return (including extensions) in order to claim the child tax credit and additional child tax credit. The same timing rule also applies to the Other Dependent Credit. If a taxpayer or qualifying child qualifies for an SSN or ITIN but waits to apply, the taxpayer may not be able to claim this credit, even if they are otherwise eligible.
Applying for an ITIN Frequently Asked Questions
† To check the rates and terms you qualify for, one or more soft credit pulls will be done by
SuperMoney, and/or SuperMoney’s lending partners, that will not affect your credit score. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. If you do not want to apply for a PTIN online bookkeeping services for small businesses online, use Form W-12, IRS Paid Preparer Tax Identification Number Application. A Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) is an identification number used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the administration of tax laws. It is issued either by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or by the IRS.
If I cannot get the documents I need to apply for an ITIN, can I apply for a Social Security number instead?
Be sure that the advocate (or the taxpayer) holds onto the certified mail receipt. The foreign address is only used for applicants who reside outside of the U.S., such as dependents. The only identification document that is sufficient by itself is a passport because it is accepted for both identity and foreign status. Everything else, including a matricula card or a voter registration card, needs a second document, which is usually a birth certificate. ITIN is only used as a label by the federal government for filing taxes. It serves no other purposes and does not offer a person the same benefits an SSN does.
The standard processing time is still seven weeks, although the IRS points out that delays can last up to 11 weeks if the renewal paperwork is received during peak tax time (January 15 to April 30). An acceptance agent is a business or individual who has a written agreement with the IRS to assist individuals who don’t qualify for a social security number but need an ITIN to file taxes. Instead, they will need to submit another form of supporting documentation depending on the exception category they qualify for to comply with their tax reporting requirements. The ITIN program was created in 1996 for the purpose of allowing tax return filing by individuals without a Social Security number. Such investors need ITINs in order to file federal and state tax returns to report rental income. As the name implies, an ITIN is a dedicated tax ID number that allows individuals to report their earnings, expenses and deductions to the IRS.
The number identifies the child, not the parent, and is needed for the parent to claim the child as a dependent. Beginning January 1, 2011, if you are a paid tax preparer you must use a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) on returns you prepare. If you do not have a PTIN, you must get one by using the new IRS sign-up system. Even if you have a PTIN but you received it prior to September 28, 2010, you must apply for a new or renewed PTIN by using the new system.