USA Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

[mogandave]

We received a notice that my wife's ITIN will expire at the end of the year, and must be renewed. 

 

To renew it, I need to submit the form and provide a certified copy of her Thai passport. The certification needs to be done by the original issuing agency, which I assume is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Does anyone know if they will provide certified copies?

 

If so, is the service available at all the passport offices?

 

We are in Bangkok

 

Thanks 

[lopburi3]

It has been reported that it can be obtained - a search might turn up details.  I just sent original passport last year when we had to do it as we do not travel and just made the new passport for this issue - it was returned OK.

[mogandave]

It has been reported that it can be obtained - a search might turn up details.  I just sent original passport last year when we had to do it as we do not travel and just made the new passport for this issue - it was returned OK.

Returned to your Thailand address?

I was thinking about just sending the original.

[lopburi3]

Yes returned to Thailand address by the ITIN folks.  Even if lost replacement passports here are probably less cost that a certification/trip to obtain.  They advise they will return PP to foreign address so believe it is normal.

Edited September 12, 2018 by lopburi3

[mogandave]

Thanks

[GinBoy2]

What you need is the US embassy stamp. 

 

Before Mrs G came to the US and got an SSN that’s what we did, they stamp the copy, ‘For ITIN purposes only'

 

So it’ll cost you the usual $50 and a trip to BKK for 10 mins inside the embassy, plus the wait outside on the sidewalk in the blistering heat!

I recommend you leave the missus to do the waiting, you head over the road and ‘sweat it out’ in Starbucks until she emerges!

Edited September 12, 2018 by GinBoy2

[mogandave]

Thanks, i was hoping to save the morning, and the $50...

It the Thai Department of State will give her a copy, don’t even have to go...

[GinBoy2]

1 hour ago, mogandave said:

Thanks, i was hoping to save the morning, and the $50...

It the Thai Department of State will give her a copy, don’t even have to go...
 

Now I’m gonna profess that I’m an oracle on these matters, but my ex who is CPA told me that to get the ITIN it needs to be a US certified document.

 

Pay the 50 bucks and it’s a slam dunk

[mogandave]

I’m pretty sure it is either the issuing agency, or the embassy. Last time I was at the consulate for notary it was 2 hours waiting after my appointment time...

[GinBoy2]

Actually my experience at the embassy has never been that bad.
Just don't turn up too early.

They are pretty Nazi like in only allowing you to enter at the prescribed time.

First time I I had to go there I thought, early is better. Bad bad bad idea. Get there as the instructions say 15 mins before the appointment and a lot less painful

[mogandave]

I was there two weeks ago getting my passport copy notarized. Had I known I needed to renew the ITIN I could have got it at the same time.

[GinBoy2]

Yeah that sucks, nobody wants to spend more time there than you need to

[lopburi3]

9 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Now I’m gonna profess that I’m an oracle on these matters, but my ex who is CPA told me that to get the ITIN it needs to be a US certified document.

 

Pay the 50 bucks and it’s a slam dunk

Passport of any country is a stand alone document for ITIN - obtained without any US certified document last year.

If you submit an original valid passport or a certified copy from the issuing agency, you don’t need to submit any other documents from the table, unless the passport is for a dependent and doesn’t include a date of entry.

Edited September 12, 2018 by lopburi3

[lopburi3]

9 hours ago, mogandave said:

I’m pretty sure it is either the issuing agency, or the embassy. Last time I was at the consulate for notary it was 2 hours waiting after my appointment time...

Believe you want to file her as - not as dependent - if I understand your OP correctly.

e. Spouse of U.S. citizen/resident alien.

 

• A resident or nonresident alien spouse who isn’t eligible to get an SSN but who’s electing to file a U.S. federal tax return jointly with a spouse who is a U.S. citizen or resident alien. For more information about this category, see Pubs. 501 and 519.

 

Edited September 12, 2018 by lopburi3

[mogandave]

Believe you want to file her as - not as dependent - if I understand your OP correctly.

e. Spouse of U.S. citizen/resident alien.

 

• A resident or nonresident alien spouse who isn’t eligible to get an SSN but who’s electing to file a U.S. federal tax return jointly with a spouse who is a U.S. citizen or resident alien. For more information about this category, see Pubs. 501 and 519.

 

Yes, we file joint....

[mogandave]

Passport of any country is a stand alone document for ITIN - obtained without any US certified document last year.
If you submit an original valid passport or a certified copy from the issuing agency, you don’t need to submit any other documents from the table, unless the passport is for a dependent and doesn’t include a date of entry.

Yeah, still considering this. My concern is not so much getting her passport replaced if lost, but her 10 year US visa.

[mogandave]

Well, wife ordered a “certified copy” of her passport today, B200 at Chiang Wattana, upstairs from the passport office. She picks it up Monday, I’ll see how it looks.

We have an appointment at the consulate to renew my boy’s US passport Wednesday morning, and then an hour later for notary if it looks like I’ll need it....

[khaepmu]

I have been using my Thai wife's ITIN number on my IRS tax returns for the last 15 years or so. She is a valid dependent so I am able to save a little money on my meager savings in the US should the IRS determine that I owe some taxes. The ITIN people in the US  recently sent me a letter saying that her ITIN number will expire Jan. 2019. I then sent an email to the US Embassy in Bangkok asking if they could certify my Wife's ID in order to renew her ITIN number and they replied that they could.  I would need to make an appointment and bring her passport to the embassy but she did not have to come. I was also instructed to bring the letter that the ITIN people sent me. I am not sure how the certification process works.  Do they make a copy of her passport there at the embassy and then stamp it and I sign it? 

 

As far as I remember, in order for my Thai wife to get the new ITIN number, the  ITIN people in the States want me to send them the completed  W-7 form along with  one of my previous tax returns which has her ITIN number. This along with the Thai passport certification and the letter the ITIN people sent me informing me of her soon to be expired ITIN number. 

[GinBoy2]

See my previous post

[mogandave]

I got the copy of my wife’s passport back and the seal looks good and is certified by the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, which is also the “issuing agency” so it should work.

[GinBoy2]

So, this is more of additional info.

If ever you do go back to the US, with your wife on an immigrant visa, then with an SSN, don't let it slide.

You need to send a letter to the IRS requesting that they merge her ITIN & SSN to your relevant service center.

It actually became an issue for us this year, with her in the US & an SSN, and I filed married jointly, which I had done previously, but with her ITIN.

I spent waaaaay too long talking to the 1-800-'help'-1040 line

[mogandave]

Thanks for the tip. I think I should have two years, and I can start investigating now.

[GinBoy2]

2 hours ago, mogandave said:

Thanks for the tip. I think I should have two years, and I can start investigating now.
 

It’s not hard, it’s just I was totally blind sighted by it.

 

The fact that had filed two consecutive years with the same spousal name, but one with an ITIN and one with an SSN, was enough to raise a flag, and none of us want that with the IRS.

 

Had I realized this, I would have done all of this ‘merging’ prior to me filing 2017 taxes, but who knew!

[mogandave]

It’s not hard, it’s just I was totally blind sighted by it.
 
The fact that had filed two consecutive years with the same spousal name, but one with an ITIN and one with an SSN, was enough to raise a flag, and none of us want that with the IRS.
 
Had I realized this, I would have done all of this ‘merging’ prior to me filing 2017 taxes, but who knew!

You’re lucky you’re in FL and not CA...

CA would have attached your wages until you got it straightened out...

[GinBoy2]

18 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

You’re lucky you’re in FL and not CA...

CA would have attached your wages until you got it straightened out...

 

Actually I gave up ‘Hotel California’ years ago, now I’m a very happy zero tax South Dakotan

 

I lived most of my life in California, born in Bakersfield, lived and worked in the Bay Area & San Diego(which is close to perfection)

But maintaining a residency there is really risky if you’re overseas for tax.

 

Now because of a quirk of fate I’ve had a house in South Dakota, that for all the time so I was in Thailand that was my US residency, and where I ultimately returned to

Edited September 22, 2018 by GinBoy2

[riclag]

On 9/13/2018 at 5:44 PM, mogandave said:

Well, wife ordered a “certified copy” of her passport today, B200 at Chiang Wattana, upstairs from the passport office. She picks it up Monday, I’ll see how it looks.

We have an appointment at the consulate to renew my boy’s US passport Wednesday morning, and then an hour later for notary if it looks like I’ll need it....

  Just recently got married and I want to get a ITIN for my wife. I want to avoid going to Bangkok ,from Sakon Nakhon .How do I explain this to the wife? "certified copy". of her passport!  Can I get this at any Thai passport office! We are going to Udon Thaini very soon to renew her passport. 

Edited August 25, 2019 by riclag

[GinBoy2]

18 hours ago, riclag said:

  Just recently got married and I want to get a ITIN for my wife. I want to avoid going to Bangkok ,from Sakon Nakhon .How do I explain this to the wife? "certified copy". of her passport!  Can I get this at any Thai passport office! We are going to Udon Thaini very soon to renew her passport. 

I don't think there is any way around going to the embassy in Bangkok and getting that stamp as I described in post #6.

 

Remember this is the IRS!

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I don't think there is any way around going to the embassy in Bangkok and getting that stamp as I described in post #6.

 

Remember this is the IRS!

As I posted you can send an original passport and it will be returned.  Done it.  

[riclag]

On 9/13/2018 at 6:44 AM, lopburi3 said:

Passport of any country is a stand alone document for ITIN - obtained without any US certified document last year.

If you submit an original valid passport or a certified copy from the issuing agency, you don’t need to submit any other documents from the table, unless the passport is for a dependent and doesn’t include a date of entry.

There is a possibility that she might need her passport once we renew it( We will be traveling outside Thailand )so the "certified copy" is the option that I would be interested in. In my original post(#26) I asked for help on this 

Edited August 26, 2019 by riclag