The standard ITIN application asks you to mail your original passport to an IRS processing center in Austin, Texas, then wait around two to three months to get it back. For a founder who travels, banks, and signs contracts with that passport, that is not a real option. The good news: you can get an ITIN without sending your passport anywhere near a mailbox.
The IRS itself created the alternative. Certified Acceptance Agents, or CAAs, are authorized to verify your identity documents, certify them to the IRS, and hand them straight back to you. Your application still reaches the IRS. Your passport never does.
This guide covers what an ITIN is, who actually needs one, how the Form W-7 process works, why mailing a passport goes wrong more often than people think, and what to expect on timelines, rejections, and renewals. Brio is an IRS Certified Acceptance Agent, so this is a process we run every week.
What an ITIN is and who needs one
An ITIN, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, is a nine-digit number the IRS issues to people who need to appear on a US tax return but are not eligible for a Social Security Number. It is purely a tax processing number. It does not grant work authorization, immigration status, or residency.
For non-US founders, the common triggers look like this:
- You own a single-member US LLC with US-source income that requires a personal return, typically Form 1040-NR
- You are a foreign partner in a multi-member LLC and receive a K-1
- You want to claim a tax treaty benefit that reduces US withholding on your income
- A bank, broker, or platform asks for a personal US taxpayer number
Founders mix up ITINs and EINs constantly. The short version: an EIN identifies your company, an ITIN identifies you personally, and many non-resident founders eventually need both. If you are not sure which applies to you, start with our breakdown of EIN vs ITIN vs SSN.
How the Form W-7 process works
Every ITIN application runs through Form W-7. The form is one page, but the package around it is where applications live or die. In most cases you must attach a completed federal tax return, usually a 1040-NR, because the IRS wants evidence that you have a genuine tax reason to hold an ITIN.
There are exceptions to the tax return requirement, for example when a withholding agent or bank needs your number for reporting, or when you claim treaty benefits on certain income. Each exception has its own paperwork, and choosing the wrong one is a classic rejection cause. If your ITIN is tied to your first filing, it typically makes sense to prepare the US tax filing and the W-7 together as one package.
Once the package is ready, you have three ways to get your identity verified and the application submitted.
Three ways to apply, compared
| Route | What happens to your passport | Practical downside | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mail to the IRS | Original passport, or a certified copy from the issuing agency, mailed to Austin, Texas | You are without your passport for the full 7 to 14 week processing window, and mail loss is on you | Almost nobody |
| IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center | Shown in person and returned the same day | Requires an appointment at a US location, so it only works if you are already in the country | Applicants physically in the US |
| Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) | Verified by the agent and stays with you | You need to pick a legitimate, IRS-authorized agent | Non-resident founders anywhere |
Why mailing your passport is a genuine risk
Start with the time. The IRS processing window is 7 to 14 weeks, plus international mail on both ends. That is two to four months without the document you need for travel, visa appointments, bank verification, and in many countries everyday identification.
Then there is loss. If your passport disappears somewhere between your country and Austin, you are looking at an emergency replacement through your embassy, visa stamps that may not be replaceable at all, and an ITIN application you restart from zero.
The official workaround, a certified copy from your passport-issuing agency, is often no workaround at all. Many countries take weeks to issue one, some only issue them in person, and a plain notarized copy does not count. The IRS rejects notarized copies outright.
The CAA route: get an ITIN while your passport stays with you
A Certified Acceptance Agent is a person or business that holds a formal agreement with the IRS to verify ITIN applicants’ identity documents. The CAA checks your passport, confirms it is genuine and matches you, and issues a Certificate of Accuracy, Form W-7 (COA), which travels to the IRS in place of your original document.
The practical difference is enormous. Your passport is verified and handed straight back, so it never sits in a mail bag or an IRS drawer. Your application gets professional review before submission, which catches the small errors that cause most rejections. And when the IRS sends correspondence, the agent handles it.
Brio is an IRS Certified Acceptance Agent. Our ITIN service covers the full chain: document verification, the W-7, the Certificate of Accuracy, the attached tax return when one is required, and IRS correspondence until your number is issued. Your passport stays in your hands the entire time.
Documents you need
If you have a valid passport, the list is short, because a passport is the only document that proves both identity and foreign status on its own:
- A valid, undamaged passport
- Form W-7, completed with the correct reason code
- A federal tax return, usually Form 1040-NR, unless an exception applies
- Exception documentation if you use one, such as a letter from a bank or withholding agent
No passport? The IRS accepts certain combinations of two documents, such as a national ID card plus a birth certificate, but the rules tighten and processing slows. In most cases the passport route is the one to take.
Timeline: what 7 to 14 weeks really means
Count on 7 to 14 weeks from the day the IRS receives your application to the day the CP565 assignment letter arrives. Applications filed during peak season, January through April, tend to land at the slow end. A CAA application does not jump the queue, but it is far less likely to bounce and restart the clock.
Plan backwards from your filing deadline and start months ahead, not weeks. And remember that the rest of your US setup does not wait on the ITIN: you can form the LLC, get an EIN, and open banking first. Mercury and Wise both open accounts remotely for non-resident-owned US LLCs, though Mercury excludes some countries. Our guide to opening a US business bank account from abroad covers the details.
Rejections and renewals
The IRS rejects applications with a CP567 notice, and the causes are usually boring: an unsigned W-7, the wrong reason box, a missing tax return, a notarized copy instead of a certified one, or a name that does not match across documents. There is no real appeal. You fix the issue and reapply, and the 7 to 14 week clock starts over.
ITINs also expire. If yours is not used on a US federal tax return for three consecutive years, it lapses and must be renewed with a new W-7 before you file again. Renewals generally do not need a tax return attached, and a CAA can process them the same way, with no passport mailing involved.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really get an ITIN without sending my passport to the IRS?
Yes. The IRS authorizes Certified Acceptance Agents to verify your passport and certify it on Form W-7 (COA), so only the certificate travels to the IRS. Your passport is checked and returned to you. Brio is an IRS CAA and runs this process end to end.
How long does it take to get an ITIN?
Typically 7 to 14 weeks from IRS receipt to the CP565 assignment letter, slower during the January to April filing season. Errors are the real timeline killer, since a rejection restarts the clock. That is the strongest argument for having a CAA review the package before it goes out.
Do I need an ITIN before forming my LLC or getting an EIN?
No. The LLC and the EIN come first, and neither requires an ITIN. Most founders form the company, get an EIN, open banking, and start selling, then apply for the ITIN when their first personal filing obligation appears.
What happens if my ITIN application is rejected?
You receive a CP567 notice stating the reason. Fix the issue and resubmit; there is no penalty for reapplying, but processing starts over. If the problem sits in the tax return rather than the W-7 itself, get professional eyes on it. A free tax consultation is a sensible first step.
Does an ITIN expire?
Yes. An ITIN that is not used on a federal tax return for three consecutive years expires and must be renewed with a new W-7 before your next filing. Renewals follow the same CAA process, so your passport stays with you for those too.
