IRS Form W-7
Answer plain questions about your situation. We turn them into a completed, IRS-ready Form W-7 with the right documents listed.
An ITIN, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, is a nine-digit number the IRS issues to people who must file or be named on a US tax return but cannot get a Social Security number. It always begins with a 9. You apply for one on Form W-7. It is for tax purposes only. It does not grant work authorisation or immigration status.
An ITIN is not a work permit and says nothing about your immigration status. It exists so the IRS can process your tax filings.
This is the part people underestimate. Preparing the form is quick; the IRS is not.
You answer questions, we produce the completed form and a document checklist.
You send the form, your tax return, and your identity documents to the IRS.
Longer during filing season, January through April. This wait is the IRS’s.
Because of that window, applying well before your filing deadline matters more than it does for an EIN.
Documents must be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies you made yourself get applications rejected.
A rejection costs you the whole processing window again. Every one of these is checked before you mail.
Form W-7 is free to file yourself, and we will say so when that is the better call. What $79 buys is IRS language turned into plain questions, a document checklist matched to your specific reason for applying, and a check for the errors that send applications back after an 11-week wait.
$79IRS Form W-7
The IRS currently processes ITIN applications in 7 to 11 weeks, and longer during filing season from January to April. Preparing the form itself takes about 15 minutes.
No. An ITIN is issued for tax purposes only. It does not authorise work, does not affect your immigration status, and does not make you eligible for Social Security benefits.
You send either the original or a copy certified by the agency that issued it. A photocopy you made yourself is the single most common reason applications come back. A Certifying Acceptance Agent can verify documents so you do not have to post the original.
An ITIN identifies an individual who cannot get a Social Security number. An EIN identifies a business. If you have a US company and no SSN, you may well need both.
Yes. An ITIN that goes unused on a federal tax return for three consecutive years expires, and some older ITINs have expired on a schedule set by the IRS. Expired ITINs must be renewed, again on Form W-7.
About 15 minutes. No account needed to start.
Start your ITIN applicationPractifile is a private document-preparation service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the IRS. You can apply directly at irs.gov at no cost. Nothing here is legal, tax, or immigration advice.