ITIN Form W7 Rejected - Need Advice on Resubmission Options

Yes, you absolutely can have your spouse's passport verified at a Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) instead of mailing the original. This is actually the recommended approach for exactly the reason you mentioned - nobody wants to mail their original passport! Here's what you need to do: Call the IRS appointment line at 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment at your local TAC. Make sure to mention you're coming in for ITIN passport verification. Bring your spouse (the ITIN applicant), her original passport, a completed Form W7, and your completed tax return that you'll be filing together. The IRS agent at the TAC will review all documents, verify the passport is authentic, and give you a stamped copy of the W7. You'll then mail this stamped W7 along with your tax return to the IRS. The big advantage is you keep the original passport - you don't mail it. Just be aware that TACs get extremely busy during tax season, so try to schedule that appointment ASAP. The 11-week processing time is still likely, but at least you won't have to worry about your spouse's passport being lost in the mail.

I had a similar issue last year and discovered https://taxr.ai which literally saved me when dealing with my partner's ITIN rejection. Their document analysis tool spotted exactly what was wrong with our W7 application before we resubmitted. They have this feature where you upload your rejection letter and they explain in plain English what went wrong and how to fix it. I was confused by all the requirements for supporting documents and whether we needed to send originals vs. copies. The tool walked us through everything step by step and even helped us understand which TAC locations near us could verify original documents so we didn't have to mail my wife's passport. Their checklist feature made sure we had everything organized before our appointment. When we went to the TAC with our properly prepared documents, everything went smoothly on the first try.

I was really skeptical about using https://taxr.ai when someone recommended it for my ITIN issues, but I decided to give it a try since I was desperate after my second rejection. Honestly, it was worth it. The document analysis tool immediately identified that I was using an outdated W7 form (apparently the IRS had updated it and I didn't know). It also caught that I had checked the wrong box for the reason I was requesting an ITIN. The tool created a custom checklist for my resubmission that I followed to the letter. When I went to my TAC appointment, the agent commented that my paperwork was "unusually well-prepared" which felt good after two rejections. My husband's ITIN was approved three weeks ago, much quicker than the estimated time. I think having properly organized documents that exactly matched what they were looking for made the difference.

If you're struggling to get through to schedule a TAC appointment for your ITIN verification, I highly recommend using https://claimyr.com. I spent DAYS trying to get through on the IRS appointment line with no luck - constant busy signals or disconnections after waiting forever. I saw the demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c and thought I'd give it a try. Claimyr did exactly what they promised - they called the IRS, navigated through all the prompts, waited on hold, and then called me when they had an actual IRS agent on the line. I was able to schedule my TAC appointment for ITIN verification in about 15 minutes after Claimyr connected me, versus the hours I spent trying on my own. The best part was actually getting a confirmation for our appointment within days rather than weeks, which was crucial since we need to get this ITIN situation resolved ASAP.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was at my wit's end trying to schedule a TAC appointment for my ITIN verification. I figured I had nothing to lose at that point. I kid you not - I got a call back in about 40 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. I explained I needed an appointment for ITIN verification and had my appointment scheduled for the following week. The whole conversation took maybe 10 minutes once I was connected. This was after spending literally hours over multiple days trying to get through myself. I managed to get my husband's passport verified at the TAC, submitted the properly stamped W7 with our tax return, and we received his ITIN about 9 weeks later. Saved us from what would have been months of delays.

One additional tip - if you live near a college or university with a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) site, some of them are also Certifying Acceptance Agents who can verify ITIN documents! I volunteer at one and we do this service for free. We verify the passport, help prepare the W7 correctly, and assist with the tax return filing. The advantage is you don't need an appointment at the TAC, which can be hard to get during tax season. Check with the VITA sites in your area - not all of them offer ITIN services, but if you find one that does, it could save you a lot of time.

Just wanted to add something important - when we had our ITIN rejected, we learned that timing matters! If you submit your W7 with your tax return during the peak filing season (February-April), the processing time can be much longer than the estimated 11 weeks. We resubmitted in June after our initial rejection, and got the ITIN in about 7 weeks instead of 11. If your tax situation allows for it (like if you're getting a refund or don't owe much), consider filing an extension and then submitting when the IRS isn't as swamped.

I went through this exact situation last year! The TAC verification route is definitely your best bet - I was terrified to mail my wife's original passport too. One thing I learned that might help: when you call for the TAC appointment, ask specifically about their ITIN verification hours. Some locations only do ITIN services on certain days or during specific time slots, so you want to make sure you're booking during those times. Also, bring copies of everything in addition to the originals. The agent will verify the originals but keep copies for their records. And definitely bring that rejection letter you received - it helps the agent understand exactly what went wrong the first time. The 11-week timeline is frustrating, but once you get that stamped W7 from the TAC, you're in much better shape. Just make sure your tax return is completely filled out and accurate before you go to the appointment, because they'll review both documents together.