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. Keeper is the top-rated all-in-one business expense tracker, tax filing service, and personal accountant. If neither option supplies an answer, you might have to resubmit your application and tax return. If you need more time to file, though, you can always submit a tax extension giving you six additional months to file.

1. Each of these groups has specific requirements to qualify.
2. An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service.
3. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers and protects taxpayers’ rights.
4. This allows you to avoid mailing your original documents, or certified copies, to the IRS.
5. You can apply for an ITIN any time during the year when you have a filing or reporting requirement.
6. 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.

Where to apply?

To help the agency keep track of the millions of filers every year, each taxpayer needs a unique tax ID number on their return. The advantage to using 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. That way, you won’t have to mail your originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. You can apply for an ITIN by bringing your completed forms (Including the completed Form W-7) and documentation to any IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center office. The staff can help you complete an application and will submit it for processing.

Government benefits

We strongly suggest that you get certified copies of all your documents instead of sending originals. We also suggest you send the application and documents by certified mail so you’ll have evidence of when you filed the application and where you sent it. To obtain an ITIN, you must complete IRS Form W-7, IRS Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The Form W-7 requires documentation substantiating foreign/alien status and true identity for each individual. Form W-7(SP), Solicitud de Número de Identificación Personal del Contribuyente del Servicio de Impuestos Internos is available for use by Spanish speakers.

This looks the same whether you’re applying for a new ITIN or just renewing an old one. Only a Social Security Number qualifies you to receive Social Security and other government benefits. For citizens (and some eligible residents or foreign nationals), that number is their Social Security Number — often assigned at birth. In this article, we’ll cover what an ITIN is, how to use it, and step-by-step instructions for getting one.

How to apply for an ITIN

Be sure to take a selfie for sentimental purposes (optional step). You can leave all the tax ID numbers on your 1040 tax return blank. Once your ITIN is assigned, you’ll use it in those boxes on future returns. If questions 11 through 17 on Form SS-4 do not apply to the applicant because he has no U.S. tax return filing requirement, such questions should be annotated “N/A”.

It is issued either by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or by the IRS. A Social Security number (SSN) is issued by the SSA whereas all other TINs are issued by the IRS. If you miss the 45-day window, your application will be automatically rejected.

You must also include original documentation or certified copies from the issuing agency to prove identity and foreign status. The extended due dates apply to most federal tax returns and payments, including those for income taxes (including estimated tax payments), payroll taxes, and excise taxes. If you’re impacted by a natural disaster, check our IRS Disaster Relief page to see if you qualify for an automatic tax filing or payment extension. Once the package is assembled, attach the Form how to calculate subtotals in sql queries W-7 to the front of your first-ever US federal income tax return, along with the supporting documents.