An Acceptance Agent is an individual, business or organization (college, financial institution, accounting firm, etc.) authorized by IRS to assist individuals in obtaining ITINs. Certifying Acceptance Agents review applicants’ documentation, complete a certificate of accuracy, and forward the certificate and application to the IRS for processing. Some Acceptance Agents may charge a fee

You may call the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040 for information and help in completing your Form W-7 and your tax return, or to check on the status of your application six weeks after submitting Form W-7.
Assistance is also available by appointment at IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) in the United States to provide in-person help with ITIN applications on a walk-in or appointment basis. Applicants outside the United States may contact an overseas IRS office to find out if that office accepts Form W-7 applications.
You may also use the services of an IRS-authorized Acceptance Agent.

If you qualify for an ITIN and your application is complete, you will receive a letter from the IRS assigning your tax identification number, usually within four to six weeks. The IRS has changed from an ITIN card to an authorization letter to avoid any possible similarities with a Social Security Number card. Current ITIN holders’ cards will not be replaced; they should continue to use the numbers previously issued when they need to supply identifying numbers for tax purposes.

If you have not received your ITIN or other correspondence six weeks after applying, you may call the IRS to find out the status of your application.

You should complete Form W-7 as soon as you are ready to file your federal income tax return, since you need to attach the return to your application.

If you meet one of the exceptions and do not need to file a return, submit Form W-7, along with the documents required to meet your purpose for needing an ITIN, as soon as possible after you determine that you are covered by that exception.

You can apply for an ITIN any time during the year; however, if the tax return you attach to Form W-7 is filed after the return’s due date, you may owe interest and/or penalties. You should file your current year return by the April 15 deadline to avoid this.

Use the Febuary 2008 revision of Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to apply. Attach a valid federal income tax return unless you qualify for an exception, and include your original or certified proof of identity documents.

Because you are filing your tax return as an attachment to your ITIN application, you should not mail your return to the address listed in the Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ instructions. Instead, send your return, Form W-7 and proof of identity documents to:

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

You may also apply using the services of an IRS-authorized Acceptance Agent or visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in lieu of mailing your information to the IRS in Austin. TACs in the United States provide in-person help with ITIN applications on a walk-in or appointment basis. Applicants outside the United States should contact an overseas IRS office to find out if that office accepts Form W-7 applications. The IRS’s ITIN Unit in Austin issues all numbers by mail.

IRS has streamlined the number of documents the agency will accept as proof of identity to obtain an ITIN. There are now 13 acceptable documents.

An original, or a certified or notarized copy, of an UNEXPIRED passport is the only document that is accepted for both identity and foreign status. If you do not have a passport, you must provide a combination of current documents that contain expiration dates - we accept docs issued within 12 months of the application if no expiration date is normally available. The documents must also show your name and photograph, and support your claim of foreign status.

IRS will accept certified or notarized copies of a combination (two or more) of the following documents, in lieu of a passport:

• National identification card (must show photo, name, current address, date of birth, and expiration date)
• U.S. driver’s license
• Civil birth certificate
• Foreign driver’s license
• U.S. state identification card
• Foreign voter’s registration card
• U.S. military identification card
• Foreign military identification card
• Visa
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) photo identification
• Medical records (dependents - under 14 years old - only)
• School records (dependents and/or students - under 18 years old - only)

The revisions to the ITIN application process will help ensure ITINs are used for their intended tax administration purposes.

Effective immediately, each ITIN applicant must now:

• Apply using the revised Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ; and
• Attach a federal income tax return to the Form W-7.
  Applicants who meet an exception to the requirement to file a tax return (see the instructions for Form W-7) must provide documentation to support the exception

No. ITINs are for federal income tax purposes only. Getting an ITIN does not change your immigration status or your rightto work in the United States.

No. ITINs are not valid identification outside the tax system. Since ITINs are strictly for tax processing, IRS does not apply the same standards as agencies that provide genuine identity certification.

ITIN applicants are not required to apply in person, and IRS does not further validate the authenticity of identity documents. ITINs do not prove identity outside the Federal tax system, and should not be offered or accepted as identification for non-tax purposes