Mail your ITIN application to the IRS ITIN Operation in Austin, Texas. Which address you use depends on the carrier: the P.O. Box for U.S. Postal Service, and a separate street address for private delivery services like UPS, FedEx, or DHL. Both addresses appear in the current Form W-7 instructions, and using the wrong one, or mailing to the regular 1040 filing address, will delay your application.1Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form W-7 (Rev. December 2024)
The Two IRS Addresses for Form W-7
If you are mailing through USPS:
Internal Revenue Service
ITIN Operation
P.O. Box 149342
Austin, TX 78714-9342
If you are using a private delivery service such as UPS, FedEx, or DHL, the P.O. Box will not work. Use the street address instead:
Internal Revenue Service
ITIN Operation
Mail Stop 6090-AUSC
3651 S. Interregional, Hwy 35
Austin, TX 78741-0000
Send the package with tracking. Certified mail with a return receipt is a reasonable minimum, since in most cases you are sending original identity documents that the IRS will hold onto for weeks. Do not use the mailing address printed in the instructions for Form 1040 or 1040-NR. ITIN applications are processed by a separate unit in Austin, and packages sent to a general return-processing address get routed slowly or not at all.
What to Include in the Envelope
A complete ITIN application package has three parts: a completed Form W-7, your supporting identity and foreign-status documents, and in most cases a U.S. federal tax return.2Internal Revenue Service. About Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
Form W-7
Form W-7 asks for your legal name, mailing address, date and country of birth, citizenship, and foreign tax identification number if you have one. You also check a box indicating why you need an ITIN, such as filing as a nonresident alien, claiming a treaty benefit, or being listed as a dependent on someone else’s return.3Internal Revenue Service. Form W-7 Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number Attach the completed W-7 to the front of your tax return so the whole package moves together.
One detail that often causes problems: leave the SSN field blank on the tax return for each person who is applying for an ITIN. The IRS will write in the assigned number once it is issued and then forward the return for processing.4Internal Revenue Service. How to Apply for an ITIN A return attached to a W-7 cannot be e-filed. The whole package must be submitted on paper.
Identity and Foreign-Status Documents
A valid passport is the only document the IRS accepts on its own as proof of both identity and foreign status. Submit a valid passport, or a certified copy from the issuing government, and you do not need anything else.5Internal Revenue Service. ITIN Supporting Documents
Without a passport, you need two documents: one to prove identity and one to prove foreign status. Acceptable options include a national identification card showing your name, photo, address, date of birth, and expiration date, and a foreign driver’s license.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form W-7 (12/2024) – Purpose of Form The IRS requires originals or certified copies from the agency that issued them. Notarized photocopies are not accepted.
For child dependents, extra proof of U.S. residency is usually needed. A passport with a U.S. entry date stamp works. Without that stamp, expect to attach a U.S. medical record for children under 6 or a U.S. school record for children 6 through 17, dated within 12 months of the application.5Internal Revenue Service. ITIN Supporting Documents
How to Avoid Mailing Original Documents
Sending a passport or national ID through the mail worries most people, and reasonably so. Two options let you keep your originals in hand.
Certifying Acceptance Agents
A Certifying Acceptance Agent is a private professional or organization authorized by the IRS to verify your identity documents in person. The CAA reviews your documents at an in-person interview, certifies copies for the IRS, and mails the application package for you.7Internal Revenue Service. ITIN Acceptance Agent Program The IRS does not charge for the ITIN itself, but CAAs set their own fees. Typical charges run roughly $150 to $300 per applicant, with an additional $30 to $80 for each dependent or spouse on the same application.
IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers
Some IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers offer in-person ITIN document review. Staff authenticate your documents on the spot and hand them back before you leave.8Internal Revenue Service. IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers Providing In-Person ITIN Document Review TACs operate by appointment only. Call 844-545-5640 to schedule one. Not every TAC handles ITIN applications, so confirm the location offers the service before making the trip.
After You Mail the Application
The IRS says to allow 7 weeks for a status update. During tax season, roughly January 15 through April 30, or if you applied from outside the United States, the wait is closer to 9 to 11 weeks.9Internal Revenue Service. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
If your application is approved, the IRS mails a CP565 notice with the assigned number.9Internal Revenue Service. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) If you mailed original documents and have not received them back within 60 days, call the IRS to follow up.
Two other notices can arrive by mail. A CP566 asks for additional information because something in the application was incomplete or the documents did not meet the requirements; respond promptly with whatever the notice requests.10Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your CP566 Notice A CP567 is a formal denial. If you receive one, the IRS will still process the underlying tax return without an ITIN, but any refund tied to credits that require one is held back. To try again, submit a new Form W-7 with a copy of the same tax return, marked as a copy, and corrected documents to the address on the notice.11Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your CP567 Notice