US Tax ID# Q for Non-Americans

Kate B.

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Hi AWers!

I am a long-ago lurker who learned a ton from this site, hoping for a little more help! My (American) agent has recently sold my book in the US and the UK, and I need an ITIN in order to get paid.

My question for those who have applied for an ITIN: what supporting documents did the IRS accept?

My contract won't come through for another couple of months. I'm wondering if it's possible to get my ITIN before then? To that end, I was planning to send along my literary agency agreement (I have an original copy) and my deal memo from the US publisher, but I'm wondering if that will cut it?

Has anyone applied with their agency agreement as supporting documentation?

I did speak to a man at the IRS and he seemed to think it would do, but I thought I'd solicit some first hand advice from those who have BTDT.

Thanks very much in advance!
 

Kate B.

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Thanks, Waylander. I actually did read through that thread yesterday, and perhaps not carefully enough, but I saw mostly talk of proving ID, not need?

The regulations also changed in 2012 (ie. from Canada, the best way used to be to go through an acceptance agent for a fee-- now you take your passport to the issuing authority and get it certified).

I was just hoping for a reply from someone who'd been through it recently.
 
seun

seun

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Polenth did it recently. I did mine over a year ago (and followed the excellent advice in the link waylander posted).
 
Polenth

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Mine's still being processed, so I can't tell you if they accepted my proof. I used CreateSpace's letter, which sometimes gets rejected, because it's not an original. But you can ask your agent and/or publisher for the letter, so you won't have that issue.

My understanding is it needs to be on paper with the official letterhead of the company. It needs a statement that you will require an ITIN. CreateSpace notes you'll be receiving royalties from them in the current tax year, and that they require an ITIN to handle any reductions in federal tax withholding. And then the publisher's representative signs it.

There's talk on the site of no longer accepting notarised copies of passports, so I sent my passport to the US directly. Phoning everyone up to find out what they really meant would have cost more than the airmail, and I hate phones with a fiery passion, so I didn't do that.
 

Kate B.

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Thanks for the replies, Polenth and Suen.

I think I'll proceed with my agency agreement (original) and see what happens-- they have accepted my certified passport as ID already (but rejected my application because I didn't demonstrate need appropriately).

I'll update on the other thread when I find out.
 

Xalarik

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A notarized (apostille) copy of my passport + tax treaty number, and that was it.
 
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