ITIN Renewal Guide

Are you in need of an ITIN renewal? If that’s the case, then you must know what the requirements are and what steps to go through to renew it. You don’t have to look too far, as the following paragraphs will tell you just what you need to know for this process to unfold properly.

Do ITINs Need to Be Renewed?

An ITIN is a number made of nine digits, which the IRS issues to people who need a U.S. taxpayer identification number for U.S. federal tax purposes. This is possible for people who aren’t eligible for an SSN.

Now and then, ITINs need to be renewed because they expired. The IRS usually announces the number of ITINs that are set to expire. Not renewing your ITIN early enough will put you at risk of delays for tax returns.

Who Needs to Renew Their ITIN?

There are multiple categories of people who need to renew their ITINs.

For instance, people with ITINs that have the middle digits 70, 71, 72, 78, 79, or 80 have expired already. So, if you haven’t applied for a renewal before and you had one of these numbers, it’s essential to start your renewal process as soon as possible. You can still renew it any time you want, even if you haven’t renewed an ITIN before.

Besides, the digits 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81, and 82 should have filed the renewal application too. Form W-7 is the document that will have to be submitted to obtain a renewal. It has to be done even if the ITIN has been used in the last three years.

If you’ve received the CP-48 Notice from the IRS, then you surely have to renew your ITIN. The notice will specify “You Must Renew Your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to File Your U.S. Tax Return”. In addition to that, in the notice, you will find information about all the steps that need to be taken for an ITIN renewal.

Meanwhile, if you received the notice but you already filed for a renewal, then you don’t need to take any further action. You should only do so if you have another family member affected by it.

Being a spouse or dependent that resides in the U.S. also makes it necessary to renew the ITIN. Conversely, if you have a spouse or dependent that lives outside the U.S., then they do not have to file for an ITIN renewal. They only need to renew it if they expect to be claimed for tax benefits, or if they are the ones filing their tax return.

Requirements to Renew ITIN

If you want to renew your ITIN, then you have to submit Form W-7, aka the Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The form should be submitted with the necessary documentation. The documents need to prove your identity and foreign status. So, you may need to submit your passport, and/or other several documents. These could be:

• Birth certificate
• National ID card
• Visa
• School records
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services photo identification
• ID card for the U.S state
• Foreign driver’s license
• U.S. driver’s license
• Foreign military ID card
• U.S. military ID card

Also, it’s important to know that there is no tax return required to renew your ITIN. At the same time, in case you have a filing requirement, then the return should definitely be filed together with the renewing application. This will help you avoid any potential refund delays. If you have family members with an ITIN, then make sure they also submit Form W-7 at the same time as you do.

When submitting the documents, you should only do so with the original versions of the identification documents. You could also submit copies of the documents from the issuing agency, as they will be allowed.

Ensure the document is also valid and not expired. There should also be an expiration date featured on them. If there isn’t any expiration date available, then documents will be accepted by the IRS within 12 months of the application. Your documents should feature a picture as well as your name.

For dependents, the passport doesn’t serve as a stand-alone identification document anymore, especially if there is no date of entry on it. It will only be available as long as the dependent is Military Overseas. So, along with the passport, they will also have to submit particular documents, depending on their age.

How to Renew an ITIN

In case you need to go through an ITIN renewal, here are the steps you should be going through.

Option 1

Send your W-7 form by mail, along with foreign status documents and proof of identity to the IRS. There will be a 60-day period during which you will receive your identification documents back. The earlier you send them the documents, the more likely you are to avoid any delays. The address where you should send the documents is:

Internal Revenue Service
Austin Service Center
ITIN Operation
P.O. Box 149342
Austin, TX 78714-9342

Option 2

Use the services of an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent in order to apply for your ITIN in person. Working with CAAs means you don’t have to mail your documents to the IRS, especially if you’re not okay with mailing original documents. With the help of a CAA, your ITIN application will be checked to see if it’s correct, and your identification documents will be authenticated before being submitted.

Option 3

You can also avoid having your original documents mailed by making appointments with an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. You can call to make an appointment at the designated center, and you will then go for identity authentication in person. Your form W-7, along with the other necessary documents, should be brought.

Documentation Required for Minors

There has been a change in the ITIN program. Basically, dependents will have to use passports for authentication, and this also means that the date of entry into the U.S. will be required. This applies to dependents from other countries than Mexico or Canada, as well as dependents of military members in other countries. There are additional documents that need to be submitted in order to show evidence of residency. They are all based on how old the dependent is.

• If they’re under 6, medical records are required
• If they’re under 18, school records are required
• For those over 18, there should be bank statements, rental statements or utility bills with the U.S. address of the applicant, as well as their name

Read More

• ITIN Numbers for Immigrants in the U.S.
• How to Find an ITIN Number
• How to Get an ITIN Number
• How to Get a Credit Card With an ITIN Number

Conclusion

Getting an ITIN renewal is not that difficult. You just need to know how to complete and submit Form W-7, and where it can be submitted. As long as you have the necessary documents and you can prove your identity and status, getting a renewal shouldn’t be that difficult.

Remember to file for renewal early enough. If you don’t, then there may be delays when it comes to receiving your tax returns, and you certainly don’t want that to happen. Hopefully, our article will help you go through this process without any issue.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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