No passport in the post
Apply for an ITIN without mailing your passport to the IRS
The IRS needs to see your original passport or a certified copy. A Certifying Acceptance Agent can examine the original and certify the copy, so the original stays with you. We’re an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent — verify us— and we do the examination on a recorded video call.
- Original passport examined on a recorded video call
- Certified copy and Certificate of Accuracy sent instead
- No weeks without your passport
- Lower rejection rate than mailing originals
- Reply within one business day
- Private service, not the IRS — read our disclaimer
- Passport scan uploadedVerified
- Reason for applying (W-7 box)Verified
- Foreign address verifiedVerified
- Tax return or exception documentsNeeds review
- CAA video verificationPending
How to get an ITIN without sending your original 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. Copies must be certified by the agency that issued the document. Notarized copies are not accepted.
- Find a Certifying Acceptance Agent. The IRS publishes the list of acceptance agents by country and U.S. state.
- The CAA examines your original passport (in person or on a video interview), certifies a copy and returns the original to you right away.
- The CAA sends your W-7, the certified copy, a Certificate of Accuracy and your tax return or exception documents to the IRS.
- The other routes: mail to the IRS (you mail originals or copies certified by the issuing agency; originals are returned by mail), or an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment (inside the u.s. only).
Sources: IRS — Acceptance Agent Program and Instructions for Form W-7 (Rev. December 2024), checked November 6, 2026. The IRS charges nothing for an ITIN. Our service is optional — compare the IRS routes below.
This service is built for these situations
You need your passport to travel
Mailing it to the IRS means weeks without it, while it travels to Texas and back.
You live outside the U.S.
IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers only help applicants inside the U.S.
Your local agency can’t certify a copy
The IRS accepts only copies certified by the issuing agency — not notarized ones.
A previous mailed application was rejected
Mailed applications are rejected far more often than those filed through a CAA.
You don’t want to risk losing it
International post and returns add points where an original document can go missing.
You’re applying with your spouse
Each adult’s passport can be verified the same way, on the same call if you like.
Getting an ITIN from outside the U.S. is full of small traps
The IRS rejects a large share of ITIN applications, and most rejections and long delays come from a handful of avoidable mistakes: the wrong documents, a missing tax return or exception proof, or originals lost in the mail.
Common pitfalls
What usually goes wrong when filing alone
- Posting your original passport to the IRS and waiting for it to be returned by mail.
- Sending a notarized copy, which the IRS doesn’t accept.
- Booking an IRS office appointment — only possible inside the U.S.
- Assuming a CAA can certify every family document — for dependents it can’t.
Our approach
How we prevent each of those problems
- Our CAA examines your original passport live and certifies a copy for the IRS.
- A Certificate of Accuracy goes with your W-7, confirming the documents were reviewed.
- The whole application is checked before filing — fewer avoidable rejections.
- For dependents, we tell you upfront which documents must go to the IRS as originals or agency-certified copies.
What we actually do for you
Video verification
A short recorded call where our Certifying Acceptance Agent examines your original passport, compares it with you and your W-7, and confirms it’s valid.
Certified copy & W-7
We certify a copy of your passport, attach the Certificate of Accuracy, and prepare the W-7 with your return or exception documents.
Filing & tracking
We file the application with the IRS by tracked courier and keep you updated until your ITIN is assigned.
Compare what each package includes on our ITIN service pricing page.
ITIN Without Mailing Your Passport
Prepared and certified by our CAA team
Three ways a Form W-7 reaches the IRS
Every ITIN application needs the W-7, proof of identity and foreign status, and usually a tax return. These are the routes the IRS lists for getting your documents to it. You can use any of them yourself — the ITIN is free.
| Route | How it works | Who can use it | Your original documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) | An IRS-authorized agent reviews your original passport (in person or on a video interview) and certifies a copy | Anywhere in the world | Original passport is not mailed to the IRS |
| Mail to the IRS | Internal Revenue Service, ITIN Operation, P.O. Box 149342, Austin, TX 78714-9342 | Anywhere in the world | You mail originals or copies certified by the issuing agency; originals are returned by mail |
| IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center | In-person appointment at a designated IRS office (844-545-5640) | Inside the U.S. only | Documents reviewed and returned at the appointment |
- Processing time. 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.
- Certified copies only. Copies must be certified by the agency that issued the document. Notarized copies are not accepted.
- A return, or 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.
Why the route matters: 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).
Get a clear next step for your case
Share your situation and a specialist will reply within one business day. The assessment is free.
- Free to askThe assessment costs nothing. Our packages have fixed prices, fully refundable until we file your W-7.
- Honest directionIf we're not the right fit, we'll say so and point you elsewhere.
- Private by defaultYour details stay with us. We don't sell or share data.
Common questions from non-U.S. applicants
If your question isn't here, contact us — we'll answer honestly, even if the answer is 'this isn't a fit for our service.'
Is it really allowed to apply without sending my original passport?
Yes. The IRS lets Certifying Acceptance Agents authenticate identity documents and send certified copies instead of originals. You don’t mail your original passport to the IRS; our CAA examines it on a recorded video call (or in person) and certifies a copy.
How do I know you are really a Certifying Acceptance Agent?
The IRS publishes its list of acceptance agents. Our Verify us page explains how to check our listing and what we are and aren’t — we work under an agreement with the IRS, but we are not the IRS.
Does using a CAA reduce the chance of rejection?
The data suggests so. 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). No one can guarantee an outcome — the IRS decides every application.
Can you certify my children’s documents too?
Partly. For dependents, a Certifying Acceptance Agent can authenticate only the passport and birth certificate; other dependent documents must be originals or certified copies sent to the IRS.
Can a notary or lawyer certify my passport copy instead?
No. Copies must be certified by the agency that issued the document. Notarized copies are not accepted. The two options are a copy certified by the agency that issued the passport, or a copy certified by a Certifying Acceptance Agent.
Does it make the IRS process my ITIN faster?
No. Nobody — no agent and no paid service — can make the IRS process an ITIN faster. 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. What it saves you is weeks without your passport and the risk of a rejection for avoidable document problems.
Ready to get your ITIN without mailing your passport?
Tell us who needs an ITIN and why. A specialist will reply within one business day with the documents you need and a clear plan.
Or email support@itinnumber.io
- Reply within one business dayA specialist reviews your case and outlines a clear plan.
- Free resubmissionPriority and Complete include one free resubmission if the IRS rejects your application.
- Refund before filingChange your mind before we file your W-7? Full refund, no questions.
Two clocks apply to every ITIN. Ours: we prepare and certify your application within 1–3 business days of receiving your documents and completing the video verification. The IRS’s: it says to allow 7 weeks, or 9–11 weeks from January 15 to April 30 or when you apply from abroad — and nobody can speed that up. We track your application through the IRS wait, follow up once the IRS window has passed, and tell you as soon as your ITIN is assigned. All prices are listed in USD with no hidden fees, and payments are made securely by debit or credit card through Razorpay. The IRS charges nothing for the ITIN itself.