Immigrating to the United States can be an immense challenge, and adjusting to your new life here poses its own difficulties. Part of that adjustment is making sure that you are compliant with U.S. tax laws. If you don’t have a Social Security Number (SSN), this can be intimidating and confusing. Thankfully, there is a way to be compliant with U.S. tax laws without needing an SSN. If you don’t have an SSN, you can obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Ensuring that you are compliant with U.S. tax laws can be beneficial when applying for immigration benefits like a green card or U.S. citizenship and receiving payments from contracting work. In this resource, we provide you with useful information that can help you obtain your ITIN.

An ITIN is a unique tax processing number assigned to an individual by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They are issued to people who do not have and are not eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN).

An ITIN is mainly used for filing tax returns, but it can also be used for other benefits, like opening a bank account at certain banks, or engaging in financial transactions with businesses.

For example, if you are not an employee, but you want to render a service to a business, you will often be required to file a W-9 form. A W-9 form is used when businesses have to pay you $600 or more for your services, and you are not considered an employee of that business. This can apply to independent contractors, freelancers, vendors, or other non-employee entities. Instead of using an SSN, you may be able to use an ITIN to fill out the W-9 form. For more information on this topic, read Immigrants Rising’s ITIN Guide: Information and Updates About the IRS’s Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN).

All persons who receive an income, regardless of their immigration status, must file taxes depending on their filing status and income level. You can speak to a tax specialist or visit the IRS website to learn more about whether the amount of income you make requires you to file taxes.

If you are required to pay taxes, and you fail to do so, it can be treated as a negative factor in some immigration applications, such as cancellation of removal, which is a remedy that leads to a green card in deportation proceedings. Failing to pay taxes can also affect your ability to obtain U.S. citizenship.

If you do not have and are not eligible for an SSN, getting an ITIN is recommended. As explained above, having an ITIN allows you to file tax returns and be compliant with U.S. tax laws, which can be beneficial for you to obtain your immigration status in the future, and be able to render services to businesses.