Required documents for ITIN — the official IRS list of 13

The IRS accepts exactly 13 documents for an ITIN application, and the rules that reject applications are not about which documents — they’re about certification. A current passport is the only stand-alone document: it proves identity and foreign status at once. Every other path requires two documents, at least one with a photo. Every document must be the original or a copy certified by the issuing agency — the IRS explicitly rejects notarized copies, and uncertified copies are the most common reason a W-7 comes back as a CP567 rejection. Dependents face one extra hurdle: proof of US residency beyond the identity documents themselves.

The two things every application must prove

  1. Identity — that you are who you say you are (photo requirement)
  2. Foreign status — that you are not a US citizen

Only the passport proves both alone. Every other combination needs two documents covering both columns of the table below.

The 13 documents — what each one proves

This table mirrors the current Form W-7 instructions:

DocumentProves identityProves foreign status
Passport (current — the stand-alone option)✅✅
National identification card (photo, name, address, DOB, expiration)✅✅
Foreign voter’s registration card✅✅
USCIS photo identification✅✅
Visa issued by the US Department of State✅✅
Foreign military identification card✅✅
Civil birth certificate (required for dependents under 18 without a passport)✅✅*
Medical records (dependents under 6 only)✅✅*
School records (dependents under 18, current school year)✅✅*
US driver’s license✅❌
US state identification card✅❌
Foreign driver’s license✅❌
US military identification card✅❌

* Birth certificates, medical records, and school records establish foreign status only for dependents. Documents that don’t prove foreign status (the bottom four rows) must always be paired with one that does.

Common working combinations without a passport:

  • National ID card (both columns — but pair it anyway if it lacks an expiration date)
  • Foreign birth certificate + foreign driver’s license
  • Foreign birth certificate + US driver’s license
  • Foreign voter’s registration card (both columns)

The certification rules — where applications die

The IRS accepts identity documents through exactly three doors:

1. The original document

Mailed to ITIN Operations in Austin, TX, and returned in roughly 60 days. Workable for a birth certificate; painful for the passport you may need before it comes back.

2. A copy certified by the issuing agency

Certified means the agency that issued the document produces and seals the copy — for a passport, that’s your country’s passport authority or its consulate. Many Latin American consulates in the US certify their nationals’ passports for exactly this purpose, often same-day and for a modest fee — find yours in the consulate directory.

What certification is not:

  • ❌ A notarized copy. A US notary public certifies a signature, not a document’s authenticity. The IRS rejects notarized identity documents every time — this is also the classic “notario” error.
  • ❌ A photocopy “verified” by a tax preparer without CAA credentials.
  • ❌ An apostilled photocopy — an apostille authenticates the official who signed, which still isn’t issuing-agency certification for W-7 purposes.

3. In-person verification — CAA or TAC

  • Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA): verifies your originals face-to-face, sends only the certification to the IRS, hands everything back. Typical fee $50–$200. Official IRS CAA directory. For dependents, note that CAAs can verify passports and birth certificates, but other dependent documents still go to the IRS.
  • IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC): the same in-person verification, free, by appointment at 844-545-5640. Find your nearest TAC.

Dependents: the extra US-residency requirement

A dependent’s identity documents alone are not enough when applying from inside the US. Unless the dependent’s passport carries a US date-of-entry stamp, the application must also include proof the dependent actually lives here:

Dependent’s ageAcceptable US-residency proof (in addition to identity documents)
Under 6US medical record (immunization or clinical record with name and US address)
6 – 17US school record from the current school year (report card or enrollment letter with name and US address)
18 and olderUS school record, or a rental statement, bank statement, or utility bill in the dependent’s own name with the US address

Two more dependent-specific rules:

  • A civil birth certificate is required for any dependent under 18 applying without a passport.
  • Since 2018, spouses and dependents are issued ITINs only when they’re claimed for an allowable tax benefit (such as the $500 Credit for Other Dependents) — listing them on the return alone isn’t enough.

Validity and translation rules

  • Expiration is checked when the IRS processes the application. A passport or ID that expires while your envelope sits in the Austin queue can sink the application — if your document is within a couple of months of expiring, renew it first or apply through a CAA/TAC where verification happens immediately.
  • Birth certificates don’t expire, but must be the official civil-registry version — and for many Latin American countries, recently issued copies are easier to certify. Your consulate can usually order a fresh one: see the consulate directory.
  • Non-English documents need a certified English translation attached (translator signs a statement of competence and accuracy). Standard passports generally don’t need translation; birth certificates and school records usually do.

Matching the W-7: small mismatches, real rejections

The IRS cross-checks every field. Before mailing, verify:

  1. Name on the W-7 line 1a = name on the identity document, character for character. Name changed? Attach the marriage certificate or court order.
  2. Date of birth identical across every document submitted.
  3. The document list on the W-7 matches what’s physically in the envelope.
  4. Each dependent’s envelope-mate documents cover identity + foreign status + US residency.

What this looks like assembled (mail route)

One envelope to ITIN Operations, Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 149342, Austin, TX 78714-9342, containing, in order:

  1. Form W-7 (signed) on top
  2. The federal tax return that needs the ITIN (unless renewing or claiming a documented exception)
  3. Original or agency-certified identity documents
  4. Dependent residency proof and certified translations, where applicable

Send it by certified mail or a private carrier with tracking — you’re mailing identity documents.

Official source: Form W-7 instructions — supporting documentation

Last verified: 2026-06-10.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a Certifying Acceptance Agent, Enrolled Agent, CPA, or licensed attorney.