How to Get an ITIN from Outside the U.S. Without Mailing Your Passport
You can apply for an ITIN from anywhere in the world without sending your original passport to the IRS. Here’s how the Certifying Acceptance Agent route works, step by step.
If you live outside the United States and need an ITIN, the hardest part is usually not Form W-7 itself — it’s proving your identity. The IRS needs to see original documents or certified copies, and many applicants don’t want to mail their passport overseas for weeks. You don’t have to.
What are the ways to submit an ITIN application?
There are three. You can mail Form W-7 with your original documents (or copies certified by the issuing agency) to the IRS ITIN Operation in Austin, Texas. You can book an appointment at a designated IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center — but those are only inside the U.S. Or you can use a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA), who examines your original documents and certifies copies for the IRS. The IRS describes all three on its How to apply for an ITIN page.
Can I just send a notarized copy of my passport?
No. Copies must be certified by the agency that issued the document. Notarized copies are not accepted. This is one of the most common reasons applications from abroad are rejected.
How does a Certifying Acceptance Agent verify my passport remotely?
A CAA is an agent authorized by the IRS under the Acceptance Agent Program to review identity documents. With us, our CAA examines your original passport live on a recorded video call, then certifies a copy and sends it to the IRS with your Form W-7. You keep your passport; you don’t mail the original to the IRS.
What do I need to have ready?
- A valid passport. The IRS accepts 13 documents. A valid passport is the only one that proves both identity and foreign status on its own; otherwise you need at least two, one with a photo.
- Your U.S. tax return, or proof of an exception. Form W-7 must be attached to a valid federal income tax return unless you qualify for one of the exceptions listed in the W-7 instructions.
- A foreign address where the IRS can mail its letters, written exactly as it should appear on the W-7.
Our free ITIN document checklist covers each of these in detail.
How long does it take?
Two clocks apply. We prepare and certify your application within 1–3 business days of receiving your documents and completing the video call. Then the IRS processes it: The IRS says to allow 7 weeks for an ITIN decision, or 9–11 weeks if you apply during peak season (January 15 – April 30) or from overseas. Nobody — no agent and no paid service — can make the IRS process an ITIN faster. See how long an ITIN takes for what can stretch that further.
Does using a CAA make rejection less likely?
The data says it helps. Applications filed through a Certifying Acceptance Agent were rejected 12.3% of the time, against 27.3% when originals were mailed to the IRS and 18.4% through IRS offices (National Taxpayer Advocate, CY2023 to September 2024). (National Taxpayer Advocate research). A CAA can’t guarantee the IRS’s decision, but certified documents and a carefully checked W-7 remove the most common errors.
Ready to apply? Read how our no-passport-mailing process works, check our acceptance-agent details, or start your application.