You must have a PTIN if you, for compensation, prepare all or substantially all of any federal tax return or claim for refund. You can apply for an ITIN any time during the year when you have a filing or reporting requirement. At a minimum, you should complete Form W-7 when you are ready to file your federal income tax return by the return’s prescribed due date. If the tax return you attach to Form W-7 is filed after the return’s due date, you may owe interest and/or penalties.
Forms & Instructions
- If you qualify for an exception, then file Form W-7 with your proof of identity and foreign status documents and supporting documentation for the exception.
- You may either mail the documentation, along with the Form W-7, to the address shown in the Form W-7 Instructions, present it at IRS walk-in offices, or process your application through an Acceptance Agent authorized by the IRS.
- 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.
- However, services may vary between countries, so we recommend that you contact the appropriate consulate or embassy for specific information.
If you qualify for an exception, then file Form W-7 with your proof of identity and foreign status documents and supporting documentation for the exception. An ITIN may be assigned to an alien dependent from Canada or Mexico if that dependent qualifies a taxpayer for a child or dependent care credit (claimed on Form 2441). The Form 2441 must be attached to Form W-7 along with the U.S. federal tax return. If a person obtains an ITIN but does not include it on a federal tax return for three consecutive years, it will expire and will need to be revalidated. ITINs with a middle digit between “70” and “87” have expired. Assuming you qualify for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (and you follow the W-7 form instructions correctly), you should receive an ITIN within seven weeks.
If this happens, you’ll need to resubmit all your materials – along with your most recently completed U.S. federal tax return. 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). 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.
If you have or are eligible to obtain a social security number, you are not eligible for an ITIN. To learn about our professional expat tax preparation services, schedule a free consultation with us today. For a summary of those rules, please see the new Form W-7 and its instructions. This fact sheet explains what ITINs are, who has them, and the purposes for which they are used. They will get you the answer or let you know where to find it. USA.gov is the new centralized place for finding government benefits for health care, housing, food, unemployment, and more.
ITIN holders can access their online account
A certified document is one that the original issuing agency provides and certifies as an exact copy of the original document and contains an official stamped seal from the Agency. A notarized document is one that the taxpayer provides to a public notary who bears witness to the signing of the official document and affixes a seal assuring that the document is legitimate. Dependents of U.S. military personnel can submit original documents, certified copies or notarized copies of identification documents. Apply for an ITIN in-person using the services of an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent. This will prevent you from having to mail your proof of identity and foreign status documents.
Online tools and updates
Original documents will be returned to the address on record after processing your application. The IRS is currently processing Form W-7s within 11 weeks after receipt. We are taking every action to minimize delays, and we are processing requests in the order they were received.
More In File
You will need to complete Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card PDF. 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. 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. If you do not want to apply for a PTIN online, use Form W-12, IRS Paid Preparer Tax Identification Number Application. If you’re a US citizen examples of key journal entries who regularly files taxes, you likely have a Social Security number.
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. You will only file a tax return to the address above once, when you file Form W-7 to get an ITIN. In subsequent years, when you have an ITIN, you will file your tax return as directed in the form instructions. An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a federal tax identification number, and is used to identify a business entity. It is also used by estates and trusts which have income which is required to be reported on Form 1041, U.S. Refer to Employer ID Numbers for more information.The following form is available only to employers located in Puerto Rico, Solicitud de Número de Identificación Patronal (EIN) SS-4PR PDF.
