Filing for ITIN

[alohafromkona 0]

Aloha everyone,

I am wondering about filing for an ITIN for my wife.

I have been looking at the W-7 form, and the IRS website. I am a little confused.

It says I need to fill out the W-7 form and attach it to last years tax return.

Does this mean her tax return from Japan, or mine from the States?

Also, if anyone can look at the form, at line 6c- "Entry Date in US"

Does this assume she is already living here? If so, then I shouldn't apply for this, because she is still in Japan, waiting for USCIS approval.

One last question.

I see it takes about 10-14 weeks to complete the application and get the ITIN. If we get lucky, and happen to get USCIS approval, and do NVC next, would it even be worth it to get the ITIN in the first place? Eventually she will get a SSN anyway, so maybe its easier to just wait.

I am still listed as single on my taxes (married last Nov), which I will change to married soon. I assume I can just change it to married, filing separately- without applying for the ITIN.

Thanks in advance, sorry to jump all over the place.

[payxibka 10,045]

If you have no current need then I would say "Don't bother"...

PS.. The IRS could care less about another country's tax return.... The application and evidence is usually included to the 1040

[Nita&Assaad 0]

I did the ITIN number for my hubby 2 years ago and I had to send it to him to sign and also he had to get a notorized copy of his passport from the US Embassy in his country for the IRS to accept it. I think this is good because it shows proof of your relationship to the NVC and Embassy.

And this is for United States not Japan, hoped you understand this part.

good Luck

Nita

[brnidokiegurl 0]

I was married last nov i attached to my income tax filed in feb and they have denied his number twice...i still dont know the reason my state rep is checking now....but they went ahead and adjusted my tax and depostied my refund...if u married last year that tax form should have show u as married even if filing seperate u were considered marrried for the whole year

[LRA 0]

You attached the W7 to the year you are filing for. If you filed for this year already....then you have to wait until next year. When I applied for my ex, I had to send in a certified copy of her passport (have her go to the Consulate and heave them do this...it runs $30 US) or you can also mail in her passport. Note, you don't mail your tax forms to the address on the 1040...you mail it to if I recall correctly Philadelphia. I also went to my local IRS office and submitted the forms in person, they stamped them and all that and submitted them for me. Few months later I got the letter with her number and also my $$.

[LRA 0]

You mean 6d? You can leave that blank. That is what I did. For 6c, Visa Type, just put "None".

[Saddle Bronc 124]

As the visa in question is a IR-1/CR-1 (which allows the holder to work)--why an ITIN rather than an SSN?

[LRA 0]

If you have no current need then I would say "Don't bother"...

PS.. The IRS could care less about another country's tax return.... The application and evidence is usually included to the 1040

It is worth the bother.....and he's talking about US taxes. OP, try filling the forms out both ways (MFS and MFJ)....usually it means more $$ for you if you file MFJ.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

As the visa in question is a IR-1/CR-1 (which allows the holder to work)--why an ITIN rather than an SSN?

in my case hes not here yet, so no social

[xuemei 0]

You attached the W7 to the year you are filing for. If you filed for this year already....then you have to wait until next year.

I disagree with this. I filed an amended tax return in August of 2007 for my 2006 return to add my wife to get her an ITN. She sent a letter from her email address to me stating that she would give me permission to sign the w-7 form for her, plus she sent me her passport, which I returned during my visit this year. I also took our chinese marriage certificate.

I think you need to file an ammended return for the year you were married, it shows an additional tax year with her in a bonafide relationship as evidence

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Yes u can amend past years, i know a person her SO just arrived but they were married thru two tax filings and they are amending. They also had filed for the itn number for last year and kept being turned down, then he arrived anyway and got social security number

[alohafromkona 0]

Thanks for all the responses.

So I think the best thing for me to do is first- change my status to married.

Second- Amend 2007, since we were married in Nov.

I am still on the fence about applying for the ITIN. It seems like if I just change my status and amend, I dont really need to.

There will only be a few months after she gets an ITIN, that she should get her SSN anyway. So doesnt seem to be worth it. Please let me know if I am wrong though.

Thanks again for all the info!

Everyone here gives more clear answers than any other site.

[LRA 0]

You attached the W7 to the year you are filing for. If you filed for this year already....then you have to wait until next year.

I disagree with this. I filed an amended tax return in August of 2007 for my 2006 return to add my wife to get her an ITN. She sent a letter from her email address to me stating that she would give me permission to sign the w-7 form for her, plus she sent me her passport, which I returned during my visit this year. I also took our chinese marriage certificate.

I think you need to file an ammended return for the year you were married, it shows an additional tax year with her in a bonafide relationship as evidence

So what did you do for 2007? Amend that one as well or file late?

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf

Instructions:

2. Your original, completed tax return(s) for which the ITIN is

needed. Attach Form W-7 to the front of your tax return. If you are

applying for more than one ITIN for the same tax return (such as for

a spouse or dependent(s)), attach all Forms W-7 to the same tax

return. After your Form W-7 has been processed, the IRS will assign

an ITIN to the return and process the return

[LRA 0]

Thanks for all the responses.

So I think the best thing for me to do is first- change my status to married.

Second- Amend 2007, since we were married in Nov.

I am still on the fence about applying for the ITIN. It seems like if I just change my status and amend, I dont really need to.

There will only be a few months after she gets an ITIN, that she should get her SSN anyway. So doesnt seem to be worth it. Please let me know if I am wrong though.

Thanks again for all the info!

Everyone here gives more clear answers than any other site.

You will prob get more money back. And you were married in 2007, so you cannot file Single for 2007. You were married you have to choose MFJ or MFS. Don't forget you will have to provide the NVC/consulate with this information. Are you going to tell them you are Single as you 1040 states and interview for a CR1?

[brnidokiegurl 0]

In my case they didnt include him as a exemp and refigured and paid...we are working now (state rep) to find why they didnt give the number....then i supposed IF he got the number they would have to adjust or hopefully he will get visa (and social) and we can still amend Now the state is still holding mine until i faxed them the fed letter stateing that he was denied then i will get the same state adjustment until its figured out

my friend..1st year she didnt do anything, last year she tried to file with the w7 and was denied the number, they were working on and holding their tax, then he got the visa anyway and came here. Now he has social number and thru their state rep they are amending both past years

(hope this makes sense)