Common reasons for rejection letters

Applicants bring us their rejection letters for help.  These are the most common mistakes we see:

Problems with the Applicant

• Not eligible for an ITIN (for example, spouse or child)
• Reason is not acceptable to IRS
• Applicant is deceased and identity documents have expired (no driver's license, expired passport)

Problems with the W-7 Form

• Ticked too many boxes
• Ticked the wrong box
• Ticked a box, but didn't provide the matching supporting documents
• Wrote name in the delegate box

Problems with Identity Documents

• No Identity Documents
• Sent certified copy that the IRS doesn't accept
• Wrong Identity Documents
• Expired Identity Documents
• Name mis-match between application and identity documents

Problem with the Signature

• The signature on the W7 Application form needs to be original in ink, not machine-applied.

Problem with the Supporting Document

• Missing documents required by the reason you selected
• Missing authentic signature on supporting letter
• Missing letterhead on supporting letter
• IRS Mistake
• letter is a photocopy or signed by machine
• letter is generic, not personalized

The IRS will reject a supporting letter that is machine-signed or is not personally addressed to the applicant. We see this problem most often when the ITIN Applicant is a beneficiary of a pension or insurance policy. Typically, the financial insitution will only provide generic instructions that the beneficiary must obtain an ITIN.  This letter will cause the IRS to reject the application.