Form W-7 — Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

This skill produces a complete Form W-7 ITIN application package — including the W-7 itself, the supporting tax return that triggers the ITIN need, the right combination of identification documents, and the correct submission channel (mail, Acceptance Agent, Certifying Acceptance Agent, or in-person at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center).

The W-7 is not a standalone form. With a few specific exceptions, it must be filed together with a federal tax return that requires the ITIN. This is the single most-misunderstood mechanic — applicants frequently mail W-7s by themselves, get rejected, and lose time. This skill optimizes for getting the package right the first time.

The math is mechanical (there's no math on a W-7 itself). The judgment is in picking the correct reason code (a-h), handling identification documents (originals are most reliable but lose them in the mail; certified copies must come from the issuing authority, not a notary; CAAs can sidestep mailing originals), and timing (when ITIN is needed, the tax return cannot be e-filed; it must be paper-filed with the W-7 attached).

When to invoke

Engage this skill when any of the following is true: