Ibrahim Gardner
As an international student in the United States, you will need to file tax forms each year with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US agency that collects federal taxes. If you are employed or intend to start working soon, you should apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) and not an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). If you are not eligible for an SSN, you may need to apply for an ITIN, which is a unique tax-processing number issued by the IRS for those who pay taxes but are not eligible for an SSN.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who needs an ITIN? | International students who are not working but still need to report taxable non-wage income to the IRS as part of their tax filing process. |
| What is an ITIN? | A unique tax-processing number issued by the IRS for those who pay taxes but are not eligible for an SSN. |
| When to apply for an ITIN? | At any time of the year where there is a tax filing requirement. |
| Where to apply for an ITIN? | International students can coordinate with their international student office to collect, verify, and submit their application once they have arrived on campus. Dependents should plan to apply for an ITIN in person at the local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. |
| How long does it take to get an ITIN? | It will take the IRS approximately 7-11 weeks to issue an ITIN. |
| How to check the status of an ITIN application? | Call the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040. |
| What documents are required for an ITIN application? | Documents that prove identity and foreign status—a foreign passport and visa stamp work well, but the IRS also accepts alternative documents. |
| What is the difference between an ITIN and an SSN? | An SSN is for individuals who are employed or intend to start working soon, whereas an ITIN is for those who have non-employment income, such as scholarships, fellowships, or grants, that need to be reported for tax purposes. |
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What You'll Learn
When to apply for an ITIN
As an international student, you can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) at any time of the year when you have a tax filing requirement. You will need an ITIN if you are not eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN) but need to report taxable non-wage income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
If you are employed or intend to start working soon, you should apply for an SSN instead of an ITIN. International students are eligible to apply for an SSN as soon as they have a job, including on-campus jobs and off-campus work. You can apply for an SSN if you are in F-1, J-1, M-1, or Q-1 non-immigrant status and are employed in the United States.
If you are not working yet but still need to report taxable non-wage income, such as scholarships, grants, or fellowships, you will need to apply for an ITIN. Common “qualifying exceptions” for international students include situations where they earn a taxable scholarship, grant, or fellowship from a U.S. source. In these cases, you must submit a certification letter with your full name and SEVIS number from your university instead of a tax return. Check with your university's international student office for the requirements for a certification letter.
Additionally, you can coordinate with your international student office to collect, verify, and submit your ITIN application once you have arrived on campus. The processing time for an ITIN application is approximately 7-11 weeks.
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How to apply for an ITIN
As an international student, you will need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to pay taxes on non-wage income if you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN). An ITIN is a unique tax-processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for those who pay taxes but are not eligible for an SSN.
To apply for an ITIN, you must have a valid tax reason, such as taxable non-wage income to report to the IRS as part of your tax filing process. Common examples include taxable scholarships, grants, or fellowships received from U.S. sources. In these cases, you must submit a certification letter (with your full name and SEVIS number) from your university instead of a tax return. Check with your university's international student office for the requirements for a certification letter.
You can apply for an ITIN at any time of the year when you have a tax filing requirement. Coordinate with your international student office to collect, verify, and submit your application once you have arrived on campus. You will need documents that prove your identity and foreign status, such as your foreign passport and visa stamp.
After submitting your application, it will take the IRS approximately 7-11 weeks to issue your ITIN. You can check the status of your ITIN number application by calling the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040. Once you receive your ITIN, you may be able to use it to access U.S. financial products, such as applying for a bank account and credit card, in addition to filing your taxes.
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ITIN vs SSN
As an international student in the United States, you will need to file tax forms each year with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US agency that collects federal taxes. If you are not working, you will need to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to report any non-wage income when filing these taxes.
An ITIN is a unique tax-processing number issued by the IRS for those who pay taxes but are not eligible for an SSN. International students are eligible to apply for an SSN as soon as they have a job, including on-campus jobs and off-campus work. If you are employed or intend to start work soon, you should not apply for an ITIN but rather an SSN.
An ITIN is a nine-digit number that begins with the number "9" and is formatted like an SSN (NNN-NN-NNNN). It is for tax reporting purposes and/or for claiming tax treaty benefits. A Social Security Number (SSN) is also a nine-digit number assigned by the Social Security Administration for tax and wage reporting purposes.
You can apply for an ITIN at any time of the year when you have a tax filing requirement. As an international student, you can coordinate with your international student office to collect, verify, and submit your application once you have arrived on campus. It will take the IRS approximately 7-11 weeks to issue your ITIN. You can check the status of your ITIN number application by calling the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040.
To obtain an ITIN, you must complete IRS Form W-7, IRS Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The Form W-7 requires documentation substantiating foreign/alien status and true identity for each individual. You may either mail the documentation, along with the Form W-7, to the address shown in the Form W-7 Instructions, present it at IRS walk-in offices, or process your application through an Acceptance Agent authorized by the IRS.
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Using an ITIN to access US financial products
As an international student in the United States, you will need to file tax forms each year with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US agency that collects federal taxes. If you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN) because you are not working, you will need to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to report any non-wage income when filing these taxes.
An ITIN is a unique tax-processing number issued by the IRS for those who pay taxes but are not eligible for an SSN. International students are eligible to apply for an SSN as soon as they have a job, including on-campus jobs, as well as off-campus work. If you are not working yet but still have non-wage income to report on your taxes, you will need to apply for an ITIN. Common examples of taxable non-wage income for international students include taxable scholarships, grants, or fellowships received from a US source.
Once you have received your ITIN, you may be able to use it to access US financial products in addition to filing your taxes. With many US banks, it is possible to apply for a bank account and credit card using your ITIN in place of an SSN. A bank account is a safe place to store your money. Cash can be easily lost or stolen, and in the unlikely event that your bank is robbed, the money is insured and would be replaced.
An important part of building a firm financial foundation in the United States is establishing a history of good credit. The most common way to establish credit history and a credit score is through the use of credit cards, which are almost impossible to obtain without an official bank account in the country. By opening a bank account, you can help build your credit history, which will, in turn, make it easier for you to borrow money at some point to buy a car, a house, or to open a business of your own in the future.
Some US banks and credit unions of all sizes will accept an ITIN to open personal checking accounts and savings accounts. Examples of banks that accept ITINs include Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, and Amplify Credit Union. Online banks or "neobanks" in the US are financial technology platforms that give you access to American bank details from a digital app, often for free. Neither an ITIN nor an SSN is required to open an account with these banks, making them some of the most accessible options available to US residents and foreigners. Examples of online banks include Wise and Revolut.
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ITIN application requirements
As an international student, you will need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to pay taxes on non-wage income if you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN). An ITIN is a unique tax-processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for those who pay taxes but are not eligible for an SSN. International students are eligible to apply for an SSN as soon as they have a job, including on-campus jobs and off-campus work. If you are not working yet but still have non-wage income to report on your taxes, you will need to apply for an ITIN. Common examples of taxable non-wage income for international students include scholarships, grants, or fellowships received from U.S. sources.
To apply for an ITIN, you must submit the following items to the IRS:
- Documents that prove your identity and foreign status, such as your foreign passport and visa stamp.
- If you applied for an SSN and your application was denied, you must submit the denial letter that you received.
- A completed Form W-7.
- If you received a taxable scholarship, grant, or fellowship from a U.S. source, you must submit a certification letter (with your full name and SEVIS number) from your university in place of submitting a tax return.
You can apply for an ITIN at any time of the year when you have a tax filing requirement. As an international student, you can coordinate with your international student office to collect, verify, and submit your application once you have arrived on campus. The IRS will issue your ITIN by mail, and it typically takes 6 to 11 weeks for the application to be processed.
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Frequently asked questions
ITIN stands for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. It is a unique tax-processing number issued by the IRS for those who pay taxes but are not eligible for an SSN.
International students who are not working but have non-wage income to report on their taxes need to apply for an ITIN. Examples of non-wage income include scholarships, grants, or fellowships.
You can apply for an ITIN at any time of the year when you have a tax filing requirement. You can coordinate with your international student office to collect, verify, and submit your application. You will need documents that prove your identity and foreign status, such as your foreign passport and visa stamp. Use Form W-7 or Form W-7 (SP) (in Spanish) to apply.
Once you have submitted your application, it will take the IRS approximately 7-11 weeks to issue your ITIN. You can check the status of your application by calling the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040.
In addition to filing your taxes, you may be able to use your ITIN to access U.S. financial products such as applying for a bank account or credit card.
