An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is issued by the IRS for people who need to file a federal tax return but are not eligible for a Social Security number.
Who needs one
- Someone required to file a federal return who cannot get a Social Security number.
- A spouse or dependent being claimed on a return who does not have one.
- Someone who needs to be identified on a return for another reason.
What an ITIN is not
This matters and it is widely misunderstood. An ITIN is for tax filing. It does not grant work authorization, it does not affect immigration status, and it is not a form of identification for other purposes.
How the application works
- 01The application is filed on Form W-7.
- 02It normally goes in together with a federal tax return.
- 03You must provide documentation proving identity and foreign status. The IRS accepts original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency.
- 04Processing takes time — it is not same-day, and it is worth starting early in the season.
Do not mail original passports or identity documents without advice. There are ways to complete this without sending your originals into the mail, and it is worth asking first.
Renewals
ITINs can expire. An ITIN that has not been used on a federal return for a period of years expires, and some expire on a schedule set by the IRS. An expired ITIN causes processing delays and can affect credits on the return.
If yours has not been used recently, check before filing season rather than discovering it when the return is rejected.
We do this every season
ITIN applications and renewals are routine work for us and we handle them in English and Spanish. Call (432) 257-7547 or come by 700 C Andrews Hwy in Midland.
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