Steps to do in the PH to get an ITIN

[magdasal 19]

Hi folks,

I need some advice...I have to get an ITIN for my wife and I want to confirm the steps she'll have to take in the Philippines to get a certified copy of her passport to accompany the W-7. As I understand it, she has to go to the DFA to have them give her a certified copy of her passport (it can take some time, I've heard) and then to the Consulate or Embassy and have it notarized. Then send that back with the signed W-7. So, she lives in central Mindanao. There is a DFA office in Cagayan de Oro and a US Consulate in Cebu. Does anybody know if she can get those tasks accomplished at those places. They are the closest ones to where she lives...she's going to be doing a heck of a lot of travelling to get this done...much worse if she has to go to Manila and take care of this.

Any experiences or thoughts would be appreciated.

[Dogwood_Poet 16]

I just sent in a copy of her passport without any certification and it went through OK. I know it is not what the application says, but we tried since my wife would have had to do a lot of traveling as well.

All they can do is ask for certified copy.

Just a thought.

[jkelly07 120]

she can download the w-7 there sign it get a copy of her passport and send it to you you also sign it get it notarized a copy of your marriage certificate.send it to internal revenue service, ITIN,OPERATIONS MAIL STOP 6090-AUSC 3651 SO.INTERREGINAL HWY 35 AUSTIN TX 78741-0000 FOR THE ITIN NUMBER if you need assistance call 800-908-9982 today is the last day to file your taxes so get extension until your itin number comes.

[magdasal 19]

Thank you both for the replies!

I filed my original taxes a month ago, so I'm filing an amended return as Married filing jointly to make the NVC happy. I've got an IRS office right across the street from me (they have terrible hours though) and I thought I would take an hour off work and just get the ITIN from them when I get the paperwork.

[yhang 20]

H&R Block did our taxes. All they asked from me is to send my hubby a signed W7 form, a signed authorization letter - authorizing my hubby to do taxes on my behalf, and a copy of my passport. That's it. They applied for my ITIN and we filed taxes jointly.

[RommelandApril 1]

Did this awhile back for ITIN for my wife. She went to DFA and got an aunthenticated copy of her passport (It is decorated with a red ribbon and a gold seal). According to the US Embassy, they do not notarize foreign documents or certified copies. They also assured me that the IRS will accept the authenticated copy from the DFA. So far, I haven't received any notice from the IRS.

[magdasal 19]

Did this awhile back for ITIN for my wife. She went to DFA and got an aunthenticated copy of her passport (It is decorated with a red ribbon and a gold seal). According to the US Embassy, they do not notarize foreign documents or certified copies. They also assured me that the IRS will accept the authenticated copy from the DFA. So far, I haven't received any notice from the IRS.

Hi RommelandApril,

Did she have to go to the DFA in Manila? They are the only ones I read that do handle the Red-Ribbon copies...my wife was going to try an Cagayan De Oro, where she got her passport.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

just for your info, you can use other forms of ID other than the passport. That was the one thing I was stuck on...so we didnt do it. We tried to get the copy from the DFA, but we didnt get the copy with the seal and red ribbon. They gave us a letter stating that my wife's passport was authentic. They glued a passport photo and listed all her bio info on it...it did have a raised seal though.

I ended up filing single and just amending the return. I needed the extra cash for my wife's ticket to come here at the time.

[magdasal 19]

just for your info, you can use other forms of ID other than the passport. That was the one thing I was stuck on...so we didnt do it. We tried to get the copy from the DFA, but we didnt get the copy with the seal and red ribbon. They gave us a letter stating that my wife's passport was authentic. They glued a passport photo and listed all her bio info on it...it did have a raised seal though.

I ended up filing single and just amending the return. I needed the extra cash for my wife's ticket to come here at the time.

Hi Scott,

Yes, I looked at that list of other IDs in the instructions...my wife doesn't have any that meet the requirements. The passport is the only thing with her picture on it. And now it seems anything else you send with the W-7 has to be red-ribboned anyway (or use the original).

And we're stuck at this point...the whole reason I'm doing this now is that I got RFE'd on my I-864 for filing my 2010 taxes as single. I was trying to do things just the way you did them, but they busted me. So, I'm going to have to figure something out.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

So she doesnt have a voter's registration card ? You could amend your return and just do married filing separately IIRC. You shouldnt need an ITIN for that, but you will need to paper file and put "applied for" in the SSN box. Even with getting the ITIN, it will take quite awhile to get your amended return (we are still waiting on ours and I filed it back in november).

[magdasal 19]

So she doesnt have a voter's registration card ? You could amend your return and just do married filing separately IIRC. You shouldnt need an ITIN for that, but you will need to paper file and put "applied for" in the SSN box. Even with getting the ITIN, it will take quite awhile to get your amended return (we are still waiting on ours and I filed it back in november).

I think I've got another 'approach' to this. I'll just get a 'true certified' copy of my wifes passport at the nearest DFA and just forget about sending her on a week long sojourn to Manila to get this stuff. The NVC said as long as I've filed what I'm sending to them with the IRS, they're fine with it...so I'll just file the amended return with the w-7 using the 'true certifed' copy from the DFA and send that both to the Austin IRS office and a copy of that to the NVC. The ITIN/Return will be a 'work in progress' but the NVC doesn't seem to mind that...as long as they have a signed copy of a return that was submitted to the IRS.

That way the NVC get's to finish up the I-864 while the IRS ponders whether or not to grant her an ITIN. If the IRS decides not to issue the ITIN...well, we tried. I can get that cleared up with another amended return...maybe by the time that happens, my wife will be here and have an SSN and it's all moot anyway.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Yeah that sounds logical..I hate the way they make an issue out of the tax return, but it is a valid one. We got lucky with the timing for our interview. It was 15 April 2010, so since they had accepted the AOS and it was on the filing deadline for taxes we were good. Good luck! Hope things go quickly for you guys.

[pepe 0]

Hi, I hope by this time your wife has Itin if so..could you please help me coz I want to get one for her too...she lives in Agusan del Norte Mindanao ..I am in California. I just started to look on this I know about the w-7 form but I am confused about the requirements. Can you please tell me the steps and requirements you did coz I may be able to be there at end of October for a month so I can have documents ready to bring them with me..Thanks..

[calibob 73]

Hi, I hope by this time your wife has Itin if so..could you please help me coz I want to get one for her too...she lives in Agusan del Norte Mindanao ..I am in California. I just started to look on this I know about the w-7 form but I am confused about the requirements. Can you please tell me the steps and requirements you did coz I may be able to be there at end of October for a month so I can have documents ready to bring them with me..Thanks..

This is an old thread but we just got our taxes filed. We had a certified copy of the wife's passport , took it to Jim Boyd Foundation in Angeles City Acceptance agent for the IRS. We had our returns/refunds and she had her ITIN within 7 weeks. Here is the link for the IRS Acceptance agents Two Philippines Located Acceptance Agents They'll, for a fee, 800 pesos is what I believe they charged for the service, to fill out and certify the info in the ITIN. The Michael Miller Brown wasn't available two months ago but he is located very close to the Manila Embassy. Best of luck!!!

Bob