Applying for an ITIN in Canada

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

To those residing in Canada with spouses in the US - How did you apply for your ITIN? How much did it cost? 

 

I have contacted two lawyers offices who are acceptance agents in Toronto, and they are quoting a fee of approx $500. Just wanted to check if that is a reasonable fee?

 

Note: I wanted to post this on a Canada specific forum, but did not know how to. Moderators, please redirect if necessary.

Edited August 6, 2021 by From_CAN_2_US

[randy32 165]

If you are close to border and allowed to enter the US, I would think using an acceptance agent in the US will be cheaper.

Paying $500 for someone to fill and sign a few lines sounds expensive. Your profile show Toronto so somewhere around Buffalo NY should be close to you.

Call an agent there.

 

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/acceptance-agents-new-york

 

Alternately, you can submit your passport with your spouse's tax return and Form W-7 and that is free. I think the backlog to process tax return has been eliminated so estimate about 7 to 10 weeks. Based on your timeline, this might be cutting it close.

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by randy32

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

4 minutes ago, randy32 said:

If you are close to border and allowed to enter the US, I would think using an acceptance agent in the US will be cheaper.

Paying $500 for someone to fill and sign a few lines sounds expensive.

 

Alternately, you can submit your passport with your spouse's tax return and Form W-7 and that is free. I think the backlog to process tax return has been eliminated so estimate about 7 to 10 weeks. Based on your timeline, this might be cutting it close.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

Yeah we are debating between waiting to amend 2020 and 2021 returns after i move and have my SSN vs getting my ITIN now.

 

I didn't know I had the option to apply in the US. We will consider that. Also did not know that I can submit my passport instead of the ITIN. But, yes I wouldn't be comfortable with that.

 

 

[randy32 165]

9 minutes ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

Thanks for the advice.

 

Yeah we are debating between waiting to amend 2020 and 2021 returns after i move and have my SSN vs getting my ITIN now.

 

I didn't know I had the option to apply in the US. We will consider that. Also did not know that I can submit my passport instead of the ITIN. But, yes I wouldn't be comfortable with that.

 

 

I submitted my spouse's passport at the height of the pandemic and we have it back, took a while. There are other ids you can submit but the name one the ids and return for you has to be the same (don't mix married and maiden names). The IRS will reject the application.

 

Download the form and instructions. Read through it. There are other options. The passport is the most convenient.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw7.pdf

[carmel34 3,633]

The $500 CAN fee sounds reasonable based on our experience doing the W-7 via an authorized agent in London a few years ago.  We paid  £299+VAT which is about $522 Canadian dollars.  It was worth it for us because we didn't want to send the passport and also worked well as we were in London for a trip together while waiting for my husband's CR-1 process (he went back to Brazil, me to the US).  I think it comes down to what you can afford and if you're ok with the long time without a passport.  Good luck!

[Chancy 6,241]

On 8/7/2021 at 5:59 AM, From_CAN_2_US said:

I didn't know I had the option to apply in the US.

 

In Jan 2020, we paid US$75 for a certified acceptance agent in Louisiana to verify my passport and sign my W-7.

 

We were not ready to file taxes at that time, but my flight to the Philippines was scheduled for the week after.  Luckily, the agent did have that W-7 and document verification service, although he did try very hard to upsell his tax filing service too.  When we finally got ready to file, we decided not to apply for ITIN after all, because we heard that USCs who filed with spouses with ITIN would not get their stimulus check (lots of confusion at that time about the 1st round).  We will just amend our previous tax filing to MFJ after I get my visa and SSN.

 

[Hawk Riders 814]

In June 2020 we sent Canadian Hawk Rider back to Toronto (expiring B2 authorization) and got an appt for the W-7 certification once quarantine was over; it was an expensive signature. Canadian Hawk Rider then mailed that along with our taxes to the Austin address where it sat for a couple months before processing was complete and IRS acknowledged A) the ITIN and B) the taxes. 

This was after the Portland OR appt at the IRS office in March 2020 for the W-7 got cancelled as Canadian Hawk Rider was on the way to said appt--thanks Covid.

Anyhow, W-7 in the US is easiest. Certified acceptance agent out of country is spendy, but also easy and does not involve being without a passport. Simplest is awaiting SSN if there are no tax penalties or financial hardships attached to doing so.

We used S+C Partners: "Our fee for the meeting and certification process is $375CAD plus HST."

Edited August 9, 2021 by Hawk Riders