Can I Get an ITIN From Outside the US?

The three routes, and why one of them is better

1. Post your original passport to the IRS with Form W-7. It works. It also means being without your passport for an unpredictable stretch, and the IRS is explicit that it is not liable if a document is lost in transit.
2. Get a copy certified by the issuing agency — the authority that issued the passport, not a notary, not a lawyer. A local notary’s certification is not accepted, which is the single most common reason a W-7 is rejected.
3. Use a Certifying Acceptance Agent. A CAA is authorised by the IRS to verify your passport and certify it themselves, so the original never leaves your hands.

For anyone outside the US, the third route is the reason this is a manageable process rather than an alarming one.

You need a reason to have one

An ITIN is not issued on request. Form W-7 requires you to state the reason you need one, and the application is normally attached to the US tax return that creates the need. Common qualifying reasons for a non-resident business owner:

• You have to file Form 1040-NR because you have US-taxable income.
• You are a partner in an LLC filing Form 1065 and must be identified on the return.
• You are claiming a benefit under an income tax treaty that requires a taxpayer identification number.
• You need to reduce withholding on certain US-source payments.

"I own a US LLC" is not, on its own, a reason. Many non-resident owners never need an ITIN at all — see EIN vs ITIN before you apply.

Timing and expiry

Expect weeks to months, and longer between January and April when the IRS is processing returns. Apply well before a deadline rather than against one.

An ITIN also expires if it is not used on a US federal return for three consecutive years. If you obtained one for a single transaction years ago and now need it again, check before you rely on it — a renewal is quicker than a first application but it is not instant.