Help with W7 application - IRS requesting additional information after filing with taxes
So I'm in a bit of a pickle right now. Earlier this year, I filed my taxes and included my husband's W7 application (he's not a US citizen and doesn't have an SSN yet). We thought everything was good to go, but we just received a letter from the IRS requesting "additional information" for his W7 form. They didn't really specify what exactly they need, just that there was missing or incomplete information. I'm totally lost on what to include or how to respond. Has anyone dealt with this before? Do I need to resubmit the entire W7 application? Or just provide whatever they're asking for? The letter mentions something about "supporting documentation" but I'm not sure if that means his passport (which we already sent copies of) or something else entirely. We're trying to get this sorted ASAP since I'm pretty sure there's a deadline to respond. Any advice would be super appreciated!
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William Schwarz
The IRS is probably looking for additional documentation to verify your husband's identity or foreign status. When you receive a notice requesting more information for a W7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), it usually means some supporting documents were missing or not clear enough. Common things they request include: clearer copies of passport pages, visa documentation, proof of foreign status, or certified translations of documents not in English. The letter should include a specific form number at the top (something like CP566 or similar) which can help identify exactly what they're looking for. I recommend calling the IRS ITIN unit directly at 1-800-908-9982. They can tell you exactly what documents are missing. Don't wait too long - there's typically a 30-day window to respond to these requests before they reject the application entirely.
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Lauren Johnson
•Did you have to submit original documents with your W7 or were certified copies acceptable? I'm about to file one for my wife and I'm worried about sending her actual passport.
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Jade Santiago
•My brother got the same letter last month. Turns out they wanted better copies of his birth certificate because the one we sent was too faded. Definitely call them though because they were actually pretty helpful on the phone!
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William Schwarz
•For most applicants, you'll need to submit original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency. The IRS is very particular about this - regular photocopies usually aren't accepted, even if notarized. This is one of the most common reasons for additional information requests. You have a few options to avoid sending original passports: schedule an appointment at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center where they can verify documents in person, use an IRS-authorized Acceptance Agent who can certify documents for you, or some foreign applicants can use certified copies from their embassy/consulate. The requirements vary based on your specific situation.
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Caleb Stone
Had a similar issue last year with my husband's W7 application. After weeks of frustration trying to figure out what the IRS actually wanted, I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me so much headache. They have this document review feature where they look at your IRS notices and tell you exactly what's missing or incomplete. I uploaded the confusing letter we got from the IRS and within a day they explained we needed to provide a certified translation of my husband's birth certificate since it wasn't in English (something the IRS letter completely failed to specify). They even provided a checklist of exactly what we needed to submit back to avoid further delays.
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Daniel Price
•Does it work for other tax issues too? I've got this weird letter about my retirement account distributions and I can't make sense of it.
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Olivia Evans
•Sounds interesting but do they actually have access to your IRS account or are they just interpreting the letter? I'm always nervous about sharing tax docs with random services.
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Caleb Stone
•Yes, it definitely works for other tax notices too! I've seen people use it for CP2000 notices, audit letters, and all kinds of confusing IRS correspondence. The tool breaks down what the notice means in plain English. They don't access your IRS account at all - they just analyze the documents you upload. I was hesitant about that too, but their privacy policy is solid and they use bank-level encryption. They're just interpreting the notices and forms, not logging into anything. You only upload the specific document you need help with, nothing else.
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Olivia Evans
Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after the recommendation here. I decided to try it with my W7 additional information request letter, and wow - it was seriously helpful! The letter from the IRS was so vague, but the analysis showed they were actually requesting evidence of my spouse's "foreign status" since we hadn't included enough proof that he wasn't eligible for an SSN. The tool identified that we needed to include a letter from the Social Security Administration showing he was denied an SSN, which wasn't obvious at all from the IRS letter. Just submitted everything yesterday and feeling much more confident. Thanks for suggesting this - would've spent weeks figuring it out otherwise!
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Sophia Bennett
If you're still struggling with the IRS about your W7 application, you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in the same situation last year - filed my partner's W7 with our taxes and got some cryptic letter requesting "additional information" with zero specifics. I spent DAYS trying to get through to an actual human at the IRS ITIN unit. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally tried Claimyr (you can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes! The agent walked through exactly what documents were missing and even noted it in our file so when we sent the additional docs, they were processed faster.
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Aiden Chen
•How does this actually work? Do they have some special line to the IRS or something? I've been trying to reach someone about my amended return for weeks.
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Zoey Bianchi
•Yeah right. Nothing gets you through to the IRS faster. They probably just keep you on hold themselves and charge you for the privilege. The IRS phone system is deliberately designed to be impossible.
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Sophia Bennett
•It works by using their callback system that continuously redials the IRS until it gets through, then it calls you once it has an agent on the line. It's not a special access line - they're just using technology to handle the frustrating redial process for you. They don't put you on hold at all - that's not how it works. You only get called when there's an actual IRS agent ready to talk. I was skeptical too, but it legitimately worked. The IRS phone system is absolutely terrible, which is exactly why this service exists. You can watch that YouTube video I linked to see exactly how the process works.
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Zoey Bianchi
I have to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr in my previous comment. After struggling for another week trying to reach someone at the IRS about my own tax issue, I broke down and tried it yesterday. I'm shocked to admit it actually worked exactly as advertised. I submitted my request around 9am, got a text about 35 minutes later saying they'd reached an IRS agent, and then my phone rang with the agent already on the line. The agent confirmed exactly what documents were needed for my situation (turned out I needed proof of "exception to filing" status since I was claiming an exception). Whole thing cost less than what I was paying my tax preparer for hourly advice, and I got actual answers straight from the IRS.
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Christopher Morgan
When I got that "additional info" letter for my wife's W7, it turned out they needed proof she wasn't eligible for an SSN. We had to get a formal rejection letter from the Social Security office saying she couldn't get an SSN due to her visa status. That was the missing piece! Make sure you're also sending certified translations of any non-English documents. My wife's birth certificate was in Spanish and they rejected it the first time even though we sent a translation, because the translation wasn't certified by an official translator.
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Ella Knight
•Thanks so much for this! I didn't even think about getting an actual rejection letter from the SSA. I just assumed since he's on a tourist visa that would be obvious, but I guess they need it officially documented. Did you have to make an appointment at the Social Security office or could you do it online?
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Christopher Morgan
•We had to go to the Social Security office in person with her passport and visa documentation. You can't do it online unfortunately. We made an appointment through the SSA website which saved us from waiting for hours. The appointment was quick - they reviewed her documents, confirmed she wasn't eligible based on her visa type, and gave us a formal letter stating she was ineligible for an SSN and would need to apply for an ITIN through the IRS instead. That letter was exactly what the IRS needed to process the W7.
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Aurora St.Pierre
One thing to keep in mind - if the IRS is asking for additional info for a W7, check if they mention Exception 1(d) or 2(d) anywhere on the letter. These are specific exceptions for dependents or spouses of U.S. citizens/residents. If you're filing the W7 with a tax return as a spouse, you need to make sure you're claiming the right exception on the form. Also, the IRS has gotten super strict about documentation in the last couple years. When we filed my wife's W7 in 2022, we had to provide: 1. Original passport (or certified copy from issuing agency) 2. Proof of U.S. residency (utility bills in her name) 3. Marriage certificate with certified translation 4. Letter explaining why she needed an ITIN instead of SSN
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Grace Johnson
•This is helpful! My girlfriend and I are planning to marry next year and she'll need an ITIN. Did you send your wife's actual passport in the mail? That seems so risky!
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