Obtain an ITIN Number

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to people who are not eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN), irrespective of their immigration status. It is used by individuals who are required to have a taxpayer identification number for tax purposes.

For non-citizens in the US, obtaining an ITIN is as crucial as the advice they most often hear about getting a Green Card. It is also relevant for NRIs in India who earn income in the US and need to file taxes there, so it is important to understand when you need one.

An SSN is for US citizens and authorised non-citizen residents, such as Green Card holders. It is needed to work, to collect Social Security benefits and pensions, and to be eligible for other social services.

An ITIN is for those who are not eligible for an SSN — such as non-resident aliens — and is required for them to file taxes.

The process of obtaining an ITIN is difficult and cumbersome and, without professional advice, prone to errors. Many applicants seek help only after their application has been returned to them a couple of times and months have been lost.

From January to April the IRS has its highest processing work, and as the majority of ITIN applications need to be filed with a tax return, they are usually filed in that period, which increases the time taken. Thus, one can't afford to make mistakes in Form W-7 or Form W-7 (SP) and get the application back. Renewing the ITIN is another task you have to look into.

We specialise in financial and legal services that assist Indian ventures with their US expansion. We deal with the IRS on behalf of our clients — including clients whose applications faced repeated rejection because of incomplete information in Form W-7 or issues with supporting documents.