An ITIN handles a federal tax need when you cannot get an SSN.
From US$199 · one-time fee in U.S. dollars
Nolly.com is based in Toronto and works with people worldwide, including people living in the U.S. without an SSN.
Standard ITIN applications are US$199 and exclude the U.S. tax return. Priority is US$265, with a dedicated specialist, priority document review and priority replies.
Your interview is a live video call. No mailing your original passport to the IRS.
For a first-time ITIN application.
Includes:
Standard, plus a dedicated specialist, for US$66 more.
Everything in Standard, plus:
IRS processing time is the same for both.
You may be asked for a U.S. number by payroll, a tax preparer or a financial institution. Begin with the actual request and the number already assigned to you. The same nine-digit appearance does not mean that either identifier can be used in every field.
Do not submit Form W-7 if you already have an SSN or are eligible for one. If an SSN application is pending, wait for the Social Security Administration's determination rather than applying for both numbers at once.IRS Keep any SSA correspondence with the tax file.
A person who cannot get an SSN still needs a federal tax purpose for an ITIN. Living outside the United States, holding a foreign passport or wanting a convenient identifier is not the complete test.IRS Explain whether the number is needed for your own return, an allowable family tax benefit or a documented exception.
For a student or scholar, ask the school to review the employment and scholarship facts. W-7 has particular provisions for students who will not work, including certain school-official letters.IRS A school payment and an on-campus job should not be treated as the same event.
The IRS describes the ITIN as a federal tax processing number. It does not give you Social Security benefits, employment authorization or a new immigration status.IRS Filing tax forms and permission to work answer different questions.
If an employer asks you to get an ITIN in place of completing an employment eligibility process, clarify the request before paying for an application. Bring the actual form or message to the appropriate adviser. An ITIN assignment letter cannot establish permission that the number does not provide.
A valid SSN should still be used for tax filing even when it does not authorize employment, or employment authorization later ends.IRS Do not assume a change in your work situation means you must switch your tax returns to a new ITIN.
Keep employment, immigration and tax records labelled separately. This makes it easier to answer a specific question without handing someone an unrelated number or assuming one document settles every part of your situation.
An ITIN is available to certain resident and nonresident aliens. Having one does not itself establish that you are a nonresident for income tax.IRS The residence review, income and filing status still determine the correct return.
Similarly, a number does not create entitlement to every tax credit. IRS guidance says an ITIN cannot be used to claim the earned income credit.IRS Have the current-year rules checked before counting on a benefit, particularly when several family members have different identifiers.
For a first-time eligible ITIN applicant, the usual W-7 package includes the federal return and identity evidence; documented exceptions have separate requirements.IRS Prepare the tax purpose before treating identification as the only missing item.
If your return is already due, tell the preparer what is pending and which documents you have. Discuss the filing procedure instead of sending a return with a guessed number. Retain a copy of the package and any extension paperwork.
If you receive an SSN after using an ITIN, use the SSN for future tax filing and stop using the ITIN.IRS Tell your tax preparer so a familiar old number is not copied automatically into the next return.
Keep the ITIN notice and earlier tax records. They explain the identifier under which past filings were submitted and can help resolve a question about an earlier year. A switch in the current identifier is not a reason to throw away your filing history.
If you are considering ITIN renewal, confirm first whether an SSN has now been assigned. The IRS says not to renew when you get an SSN.IRS Explain the transition before starting another W-7 package.
Check assignment notices and previous returns.
RecordsExplain any pending SSA request or changed employment situation.
EligibilityDetermine the return or documented exception that supports an ITIN.
Tax purposePrepare the appropriate application and retain the submitted records.
ApplicationNo. SSA issues an SSN; the IRS issues an ITIN for an eligible federal tax purpose.IRS
No. An ITIN does not authorize employment or change immigration status.IRS
The W-7 instructions say not to apply while an SSN application is pending.IRS
Use the SSN and stop using the ITIN for tax filing.IRS
More questions? See the full Nolly.com FAQ.
Every IRS fact on this page comes from IRS.gov or the other official pages listed below and was checked on October 3, 2026. Nolly.com's own prices are the only exception. Nolly.com is a private company and is not part of the IRS.
Nolly Services Inc, d/b/a Nolly.com, appears on the IRS page Acceptance agents – Canada. Nolly.com is a private company and isn't part of the IRS.
Checked against IRS.gov on October 3, 2026. General information, not tax advice.
Start with your federal tax purpose and the number already in your records.
