An ITIN does not authorize work in the U.S. or provide eligibility for Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The IRS issues ITINs to individuals who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain a Social Security number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). ITINs are issued regardless of immigration status because both resident and nonresident aliens may have a U.S. filing or reporting requirement under the Internal Revenue Code. Individuals must have a filing requirement and file a valid federal income tax return to receive an ITIN, unless they meet an exception.

Both resident and nonresident aliens may obtain ITINs regardless of immigration status. Nonresident and resident aliens, their spouses, and dependents can apply for an ITIN if they are not eligible for an SSN. Here’s who might need an ITIN:

• Nonresident aliens who are required to file a tax return
• Resident aliens who are required to file a tax return due to the number of days they reside in the U.S.
• Dependents or the spouse of a U.S. citizen or resident alien
• Dependents or spouse of nonresident alien visa holders
• Tax filers who live abroad can also obtain an ITIN.

Application Process: For most taxpayers, the due date to file an income tax return in 2021 is mid-April. Submitting an application past the tax due date may result in interest or penalties, so apply for an ITIN either before your income tax return is due or at the time of filing.

You should expect to hear back from the IRS about your approval status after no more than seven weeks — look for a letter in the mail with your ITIN when your application is approved.

Double-check your application for missing pieces of information or errors before you submit it, as applications that are incomplete (for example, lacking proper identification or immigration documents) can take longer than seven weeks to process. If seven weeks go by and you haven’t received a response, you can check the status of your ITIN application by calling the IRS toll-free at 800-829-1040.

Other options for applying for an ITIN: Apply by mail at: Internal Revenue Service, Austin Service Center, ITIN Operation, P.O. Box 149342, Austin, TX 78714-9342

Apply in-person at a Certified Acceptance Agency or Taxpayer Acceptance Center.

There are 13 acceptable documents approved by the IRS to use as proof of identity, SEE THE LIST HERE.

You should apply for an ITIN as soon as you’re ready to file your federal income tax return, since you need to attach the tax return to your application. You can apply for an ITIN any time during the year. If the tax return you attach to Form W-7 is filed after the tax return’s due date, you may owe interest and/or penalties. You should file your current year tax return by the prescribed due date to avoid this.

After you have qualified for an ITIN and your application is complete, you will receive a letter from the IRS assigning you to your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The approximate processing time to receive the ITIN is 7 to 11 weeks.