What Are the Required Documents for a W7?

What Are the Required Documents for a W7?

Form W7 documents needed include official documents that establish both your identity and your foreign status. A valid passport is the only standalone document that can be used for this purpose. Completing the W7 and submitting certified copies of the necessary W7 documents is required to receive an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) from the IRS.

Accepted Form W7 Documents

While you can submit a passport alone, you must otherwise submit at least two other documents from this list along with your ITIN application. Documents that can be used to establish both identity and foreign status include: 

● United States Citizenship and Immigration Services photo ID 

● U.S. State Department visa 

● Foreign military id card 

● State or national ID card

● Civil birth certificate 

● Foreign voter ID card

Some documents establish identity, but not foreign status. These include:

● U.S. or foreign driver's license 

● U.S. Military ID card 

If you are currently in the United States, you can submit original copies of your documents at an official IRS office. Otherwise, you can mail certified copies. These must have an official seal from a U.S. embassy or consulate. 

Purpose of an ITIN

The ITIN is similar to a Social Security number. This nine-digit identifier establishes your identity with the IRS if you are a resident or nonresident alien, are married to a resident or nonresident alien, or are otherwise ineligible for a Social Security number. You can use the ITIN to file income taxes in the United States and otherwise meet your IRS obligations if you have earned income here. 

Obtaining an ITIN

ITIN W7 Application makes it easy to get your ITIN number online. Fill out our W7 application, where we'll walk you through the required information. When you're done, you'll receive a PDF of the form. This can be printed and submitted to the IRS along with your federal income tax return.