ITIN application rejected. What are my options now?
I recently submitted my ITIN application to take advantage of a tax treaty benefit with my home country, but just got a letter saying it was rejected for "missing information." I'm completely confused about what to do next because when I look at the IRS website, it says something about being able to resubmit, but I'm not sure what information they actually need from me. The rejection letter doesn't specify exactly what was missing, just that there was "incomplete information." I included my passport (certified copies), the tax return, and the W-7 form. I even had someone help me fill it out to make sure it was correct! Has anyone dealt with an ITIN rejection before? Do I just fix whatever they think is missing and send the whole packet again? Or is there a special resubmission process? Really stressed about this because I need this ITIN to claim the treaty benefits I'm entitled to.
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Natalie Chen
This happens quite often with ITIN applications. The IRS is very particular about the W-7 form and supporting documentation. The good news is you can definitely resubmit your application. First, call the IRS ITIN unit directly at 1-800-908-9982. They can tell you specifically what information was missing from your application. Common reasons for rejection include: incomplete W-7 form (missing signature or date), insufficient proof of identity, or inadequate proof of foreign status. Once you know what's missing, you can resubmit your complete application package - including the corrected/completed W-7 form, your certified copies of identity documents, and your tax return. Make sure to include a copy of the rejection letter with your resubmission. If you're claiming treaty benefits, also double-check that you completed the correct portions of the W-7 form (especially the "reason you're submitting Form W-7" section) and included any necessary supplementary documentation required for your specific treaty benefit.
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Santiago Martinez
•Thanks for the detailed info! Do you know if there's any time limit for resubmitting the application? My rejection letter arrived about 3 weeks ago and I've been trying to figure this out. Also, do I need to get my passport certified again or can I use the same copies I submitted before?
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Natalie Chen
•There's no strict time limit for resubmitting your ITIN application, but I would recommend doing it as soon as possible, especially if you're trying to claim treaty benefits for the current tax year. The sooner you resubmit, the sooner you can get your ITIN and claim those benefits. Regarding your certified copies, if they were properly certified according to IRS requirements (by the issuing agency or by an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent), you should be able to use them again. However, if there was any issue with the certification itself, you might need to get new certified copies. The IRS representative should be able to tell you if your documentation certification was part of the problem.
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Samantha Johnson
After struggling with my own ITIN rejection last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was honestly a game-changer. I uploaded my rejection letter and W-7 form to their system, and it immediately highlighted what information was missing and where I made mistakes. Their AI analyzed my documents and showed that I had missed checking a crucial box related to treaty benefits and had inconsistent information between my W-7 and my passport. They gave step-by-step guidance on exactly what needed to be fixed and even helped me prepare the cover letter explaining my resubmission to the IRS. Seriously saved me so much time compared to trying to figure it all out from the IRS website, which is confusing at best. Might be worth checking out if you're still struggling with understanding what went wrong with your application.
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Nick Kravitz
•How accurate is their analysis? I'm in a similar situation with my ITIN application getting rejected, and I'm wondering if this would actually help or just tell me generic stuff I could figure out myself from the IRS website.
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Hannah White
•I'm kinda skeptical about these services. Did you actually get your ITIN approved after using it? And how much does it cost? Seems like there should be a free way to figure this out since it's the government requiring this stuff in the first place.
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Samantha Johnson
•The analysis was incredibly accurate in my case. It identified specific issues with my W-7 that weren't obvious to me, like inconsistencies in how my name appeared across documents and a missing check box for treaty benefits. It's much more detailed than the general information on the IRS website, which just gives you broad categories of potential issues. I understand the skepticism, but yes, my ITIN was approved within 6 weeks after resubmitting with the corrections identified by taxr.ai. I don't want to discuss specific pricing here, but I found the value worth it considering the alternative was potentially getting rejected again or hiring a tax professional which would have cost significantly more. The peace of mind knowing exactly what needed to be fixed was worth it to me.
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Hannah White
I actually tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and wow - it really worked! I was super skeptical at first (as you can see from my earlier comment lol), but after getting my second ITIN rejection, I was desperate enough to try anything. Uploaded my documents and within minutes it pointed out that I had checked the wrong box for my treaty benefit category and that my foreign address was formatted inconsistently between my forms. Also showed me that my supporting documentation was missing a required translation certification (which the rejection letter never specified). Resubmitted everything with those fixes and got my ITIN approved last week! The whole process took about 5 weeks from resubmission to approval. Definitely saved me from what would have been a third rejection.
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Michael Green
I had a similar issue with my ITIN application last year. After two rejections, I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone at the IRS who could actually explain what was wrong with my application. The phone lines were constantly busy or I'd get disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent walked me through exactly what was missing from my application (turned out I needed additional documentation to prove my treaty benefit claim) and confirmed exactly what I needed to include with my resubmission. Honestly, that 15-minute conversation with the IRS agent saved me another rejection letter and months of delays. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person who can look at your specific case.
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Mateo Silva
•How does this even work? The IRS phone lines are impossible to get through - I've tried calling dozens of times about my own ITIN issue. Does this service just keep calling for you or something?
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Victoria Jones
•This sounds like BS honestly. I've tried EVERYTHING to get through to the IRS. No way some random service can magically get you through when millions of people can't get through. Sounds like a scam to take advantage of desperate people.
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Michael Green
•It works by essentially holding your place in line. Their system navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an actual agent is ready to talk. So instead of you personally waiting on hold for hours, their system does it for you. It's definitely not BS - I was skeptical too after spending countless hours trying to get through myself. The technology simply automates the holding process. Think of it like having someone else wait in a physical line for you, then texting you when it's your turn. I was connected to a real IRS agent who had access to my file and previous rejection information. Nothing magical about it, just a smart solution to a frustrating problem.
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Victoria Jones
I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my ITIN rejection, so I decided to try it anyway. The service actually did exactly what it claimed. I got a call back in about 35 minutes telling me an IRS agent was on the line. The agent was able to pull up my rejection information and explained that my passport certification wasn't done correctly (needed to be certified by the issuing embassy, not just notarized) and that I had missed filling out Schedule OI for my treaty claim. Saved me from sending in another incorrect application and wasting months. I resubmitted with the proper certification and completed forms last month and just got my ITIN approval letter yesterday. Sometimes it pays to be wrong!
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Cameron Black
One thing nobody mentioned yet - check if you qualify to use an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) for your ITIN application! They can verify your original documents in person so you don't have to mail them. I had similar rejection issues and discovered I could make an appointment at my local TAC office. They reviewed everything in person, spotted the issues with my application (signature issues and inconsistent name format), and helped me correct them on the spot. My ITIN was approved just 3 weeks later. You need to call 844-545-5640 to make an appointment, but it's SO worth it if you have a TAC office near you. Much better than mailing documents back and forth multiple times.
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Jessica Nguyen
•Do you need to bring anything special to the appointment? And can they actually submit the application for you right there, or do you still have to mail it yourself after they verify your documents?
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Cameron Black
•You need to bring all your original identification documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.), a completed W-7 form, and your tax return that you're attaching the ITIN application to. Also bring any supporting documents for treaty benefits if that applies to you. The TAC staff will verify your original documents right there and give you a stamped copy of your W-7 form. Then you mail in your application package yourself, but now with the verified documents. You don't need to include original documents or certified copies since the TAC verification replaces that requirement. This eliminates the most common reason for rejections. The stamped form essentially tells the IRS that a TAC employee has already verified your identity documents.
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Isaiah Thompson
Does anyone know if the ITIN numbers ever expire? I got mine about 8 years ago and haven't used it for the past 3 years since I moved back to my home country. Now I'm returning to the US next month and wondering if I need to apply for a new one or if my old one is still valid.
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Ruby Garcia
•Yes, ITINs do expire if not used! According to current IRS rules, ITINs that haven't been used on a federal tax return at least once in the last three consecutive tax years will expire. Also, all ITINs issued before 2013 have been set to expire in batches based on the middle digits of the ITIN. You should check the status of your ITIN before you file. You can call the IRS ITIN unit at 1-800-908-9982 to verify if yours is still active or needs to be renewed.
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Lydia Bailey
I went through the exact same frustrating experience with my ITIN application last year! The "missing information" rejection letters are so vague and unhelpful. What worked for me was calling the IRS ITIN unit at 1-800-908-9982 first thing in the morning (around 7 AM) when the lines weren't as busy. It took a few tries, but I eventually got through to someone who could look up my specific case and tell me exactly what was missing. In my case, it turned out to be two issues: 1) I had used a regular notary instead of getting my passport certified by the issuing embassy, and 2) I hadn't filled out the treaty benefit section completely on the W-7 form. After fixing those specific issues and resubmitting, my ITIN was approved in about 6 weeks. The key is getting that specific feedback from the IRS rather than guessing what might be wrong. Don't give up - you can definitely get this sorted out!
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Roger Romero
•This is really helpful advice! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got my ITIN rejection about two weeks ago and have been putting off calling because I assumed I'd never get through. The early morning tip is great - I'll try calling at 7 AM tomorrow. Did you have to wait on hold for a long time even calling early, or did you get through pretty quickly? Also, when you resubmitted after fixing those issues, did you need to include a cover letter explaining what you had corrected, or just send the updated application package? I'm really hoping to get this resolved before the tax deadline since I need it for treaty benefits too. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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