Even if you don’t have a valid Social Security Number (SSN), you can file taxes safely by getting an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).  An ITIN is a number that IRS gives to individuals who can’t get a Social Security Number but need to file a tax return.

You should know:

• An ITIN may look like a Social Security Number, but don’t be fooled! It’s not the same.  An ITIN doesn’t let you work legally in the U.S.  It lets you file taxes and can help you open a bank account.
• Applying for an ITIN will NOT get you deported. The government agency that handles taxes and ITINs does not share information with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services except in the rarest of cases.
• By filing your tax return using an ITIN, you may be able to get a tax refund.  Be sure to keep those old tax records you filed with your ITIN.  They will be important to have when you file for citizenship.

How to Get an ITIN

We can help you can get an ITIN.  During tax season, we hold special events where we help people apply for ITINs, prepare their tax returns and answer questions.  This service is only for families (of 2 or more) with income less than $50,000 and individuals with income less than $25,000.

Please be sure to call us at (312) 620-0241 for an appointment to get your ITIN at the events listed below. 

To apply for an ITIN, you must bring:

• Two forms of original, unexpired identification:
  1. You must show that you were born in another country (examples: a passport, birth certificate, etc.); and
  2. An identification that shows your recent photo (example: a matricula consular). If you don’t have a picture ID, visit your country’s consulate.  Officials there can help you obtain one. 
•  All the employment information, pay stubs and any other forms that show how much your employer paid you last year.