ITIN - request for suggestions?

hellomister40 · Post by **hellomister40** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:57 pm

Context:

- Canadian citizens (family of 4) with everyone in the US since Jan-2015.
- filing taxes for the first time ever in the US (have an extension for this tax filing till Oct)

Clarification Request:
I have SSN but my dependents naturally don't (H4s). Need to get an ITIN for them. I am getting mixed information:

1. One person mentioned I need to go to IRS office. Went there and they literally scared my away that there is only one application processed per day and I would have to be extremely lucky to be the one whose app gets processed
2. Spoke with HR Block. They first mentioned that they can do ITIN BUT will send passports of all dependents to IRS. Then when I spoke with them a second time, they said that spouse passport will need to go but that they can submit kids school/medical records in the US instead of their passports. A third time, they mentioned that spouse's passport doesn't have to be sent but there are no exceptions for kids
3. I then asked HR block .. what if I were to get the issuing authority of my passport (Passport Canada office) certify my identity (will be in Canada for a few days with family so thought of going through this route). They said that yes that can be done. I asked for the exact doc/statement that I need to get from passport Canada but they couldn't recall (needless to say I was pretty frustrated at this point)

For those who have gone through this process, any suggestions on the path to take? I want to avoid sending my dependents' passports so trying to see if there is at all an option to accomplish that.

Appreciate your help.

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:39 pm

HR Blockheads are the last people to ask.

hellomister40 · Post by **hellomister40** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 8:12 pm

agree fully. They did a great job at confusing me. Any suggestions on path I should follow? thank you

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri Apr 22, 2016 10:31 am

I think you would be better off going to an accepting agent, but even they will need you to submit the originals or certified copies, which is a no-go in my opinion.
The form you need from Canada is:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/passport/f ... 16-eng.pdf

Do NOT send an original valid passport ANYWHERE except to passport Canada, especially to any US govt agency. NEVER.

Any reason you waited 15 months to look at this?

btw, little tip. You only need to file an extension if you already know you owe IRS money, and are then excepted to send them money with the extension. Otherwise don't bother with extension, it is automatic. Always structure your withholding so that you never owe IRS, and laways get a small refund.

hellomister40 · Post by **hellomister40** » Mon Apr 25, 2016 5:56 pm

Thank you Nelsona. Your Q is valid...

I was told that ITIN can only be obtained at time of tax filing (which was April-2016 for the first time for me). I should have gotten a certification from Passport Canada earlier (my bad). I have already filed for extension. Thankfully, IRS owes me a few Ks so I am good there. I will get the processing going with Canada asap. I am really wary of sending IRS any of my passports (esp. with I94 attached).

Appreciate your help.

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 7:48 am

Even if you were to send PP to Canada (for renewal, for example) you would detach I-94.

HappyHunter · Post by **HappyHunter** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:49 pm

You need to have your tax return ready, then you fill in in the application for the ITIN for each member of the family. I my case I had to make an appointment with IRS office and this took more than 2 weeks to schedule. Then you bring you and your family members to this appointment and agent will certify copy of your passports and attach them to your declaration and then they will send it for processing.

3-4 weeks later you will get ITIN by mail.

In my case one of my kids was in university in Canada so he got his passport certified by Canadian Passport office and I attached his certified copy. But to do that you need to leave a passport with them for 2 weeks. Don't think it can be done in 30min.

In no circumstances you want to send your passports to IRS for bulk processing.

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 6:07 pm

I believe neither the IRS nor an acceptance agent are now allowed to make "their own" certified copies, that has changed. You would then need ot submit the passport without the passport Canada certificate.

HappyHunter · Post by **HappyHunter** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:23 pm

Yes, possible, my experience is from last April 2015

ND · Post by ND » Mon May 02, 2016 10:15 pm

"I believe neither the IRS nor an acceptance agent are now allowed to make "their own" certified copies, that has changed." The rules changed, but prior to April 2015 so if the IRS office did it for you then, that means such method should also currently work as well. Also, acceptance agent can certify the passport for a=h reason application (cannot certify as stand-alone without Passport Canada too when a return is filed).

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Mon May 02, 2016 11:32 pm

"that means such method should also currently work as well". Wow, that is being optimistic to a fault.

hellomister40 · Post by **hellomister40** » Thu May 19, 2016 4:15 pm

thanks for the inputs everyone. I am headed to Canada next week for a couple of days and plan to visit the passport office. I'm hoping that because I will show up at the ppt office in person, I will not have to leave my passport with them. The application form that nelson pointed out earlier mentioned that they 'may' want to keep the passport. If that turns out to be the case, I will come back to the US and re-apply from here (or else I wont be able to travel back to the US :)). I will update this thread with how it goes

nyrol · Post by **nyrol** » Fri May 20, 2016 7:28 am

In my experience, my wife needed a certified copy of her passport, and we went to the Canadian consulate in our area where they took 10 minutes to give her 3 certified copies right then and there. We submitted one of the copies with the ITIN application, and she was successfully granted her ITIN. We are just now waiting for the return to be assessed (we submitted late March, so hopefully it's all done by the end of June). Good luck!

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri May 20, 2016 9:31 am

What "assessment" are you waiting for?
IRS (or states) does not send out assessments. that is a canadain thing.

They cash your check or they send/deposit you a check, that is all. If there is a problem, you will find out, perhaps a year from now.

But you get no "blessing off" of a correct return.

Consulate is good option, if one is close.

ND · Post by ND » Wed May 25, 2016 5:06 pm

"I'm hoping that because I will show up at the ppt office in person, I will not have to leave my passport with them. "

No such thing. They require and hold the passport for ten days.

I have heard of people (i) negotiating with the manager an hour or an overnight wait (ii) using less busy rural Canada Passport office and getting it done on spot.

They charge $45 and will give you three copies, one of which you send to IRS and IRS will mail it back to you as they treat it as an original document.