How to get an ITIN without mailing your passport to the IRS

The Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is the number the IRS assigns to people who must comply with U.S. taxes but cannot get a Social Security number. It is needed, for example, by a foreign person selling real estate here, an LLC member with U.S.-source income or a spouse included on a joint return.

The passport problem

The application is made on Form W-7 and must include documents proving identity and foreign status. If you file it yourself, the IRS requires the original document or a copy certified by the issuing agency. In practice, that means mailing your passport and going without it for weeks.

What a Certifying Acceptance Agent does

A Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) is a professional with a current agreement with the IRS to verify documents in person. The CAA reviews the original, certifies the copy and returns the document at the same appointment. For the primary applicant and spouse, a CAA can authenticate any accepted document; for dependents, only the passport and birth certificate.

Accepted documents

A current passport is enough on its own, because it proves both identity and foreign status. Without a passport, you need at least two documents from the IRS list, such as a national identity card or a driver's license, and one must have a photo. Minor dependents usually also need proof of U.S. residence.

Timing and expiration

The IRS usually responds in about seven weeks, and nine to eleven in peak season or when applying from abroad. An ITIN not used on any return for three consecutive years expires on December 31 of the third year and must be renewed with the same Form W-7.