How Long Does It Take to Get an ITIN?
The IRS does not issue ITINs immediately. According to the IRS's own instructions, you should generally allow 7 weeks for processing — or 9 to 11 weeks if you submit during peak filing season (January 15 through April 30) or from outside the United States.
The most important thing to understand is that the processing time starts only after the IRS receives a complete and acceptable application. If Form W-7, the tax return, identity documents, or supporting paperwork are incorrect, the application may be delayed or rejected and the process can take much longer.
What Is the Normal Processing Time?
In general, you should expect the process to take 7 weeks from the time the IRS receives the complete application package — or 9 to 11 weeks during peak season or when applying from overseas.
Applicants outside the United States may also experience additional mailing time before and after IRS processing, on top of those published windows.
What Can Make an ITIN Take Longer?
Several things can add time to the process.
An Incomplete Form W-7
If information is missing or the wrong reason is selected, the IRS may not be able to process the application as submitted.
An Incorrect Tax Return
If a U.S. tax return is included with the ITIN application, that return also needs to be correct.
A properly prepared Form W-7 does not protect the application from problems caused by an inaccurate tax return.
Unacceptable Identity Documents
The IRS has strict rules for proving identity and foreign status.
If the documents are not acceptable, were not certified correctly, or do not satisfy the IRS requirements, processing can stop until the issue is resolved.
Missing Exception Documentation
Applicants who qualify to apply without a tax return often need specific supporting documents from another company or institution.
A letter that is missing required information can delay or prevent approval.
IRS Processing Problems
Even a properly prepared application can sometimes encounter a processing problem within the IRS itself.
Sharma, a single-member LLC owner, applied for her ITIN through ITIN Abroad. Her documentation was correct and complete — but the IRS rejected her application anyway. When I called to find out why, the IRS confirmed the mistake was on their end. I resubmitted her documentation immediately. It was rejected again. I called a second time, and the IRS again confirmed the error was theirs, not ours.
For the third submission, I included a letter explaining exactly what had happened, referencing the original case numbers from both prior rejections. That time, it was approved.
The process took longer than it should have — but because I'm a CAA, I was able to call the IRS directly both times to find out what had gone wrong, and because I had kept a complete copy of everything originally submitted, refiling each time was fast, and Sharma didn't have to track down or reassemble anything herself. A non-CAA preparer, or Sharma applying on her own, would not have been able to call the IRS directly to get that information in the first place — the ability to follow up directly with the IRS on an ITIN application is specific to CAAs, not something that comes from simply keeping good records.
When Does My Tax Return Get Processed?
If you apply for an ITIN with a U.S. tax return, the two are generally submitted together.
The IRS first processes the ITIN application. Once the ITIN is approved, the number is assigned to the return and the tax return continues through normal IRS processing.
That means your tax return and refund can take longer than the ITIN itself.
For example, receiving your ITIN does not necessarily mean your refund is about to arrive. The return still needs to move through the IRS tax-return processing system after the ITIN has been issued.
How Will I Know My ITIN Was Approved?
When the IRS approves the application, it issues a notice confirming the ITIN.
This notice is commonly called the CP565.
Keep it. Your CP565 is the IRS confirmation of your ITIN and should be stored with your permanent tax records.
If you apply through a CAA, the CAA also receives a copy of your CP565. This happens to matter more often than you'd expect — applicants frequently don't receive their own notice, whether it's lost in the mail, delayed, or sent to an old address, and having a CAA's copy on file means you're not left without proof of your own ITIN. (This is one of several practical advantages of working with a CAA — more on that in "Is Using a Certified Acceptance Agent Worth It?".)
Once your ITIN has been issued, you may also be able to create an IRS Individual Online Account through ID.me. This can be useful for following your tax-return and refund activity after the ITIN is added to the IRS system.
We will cover that process in the article: What Happens After I Receive My ITIN?
Can I Check the Status of My ITIN Application?
You generally need to allow the IRS its normal processing period — 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during peak season or from overseas — before following up.
If enough time has passed and no notice has arrived, the application may need to be checked with the IRS.
This is one advantage of working with a CAA. Only a CAA can follow up directly with the IRS on an ITIN application's status — it isn't simply a matter of having kept a copy of what was submitted. A CAA can also often get the ITIN number itself confirmed over the phone once it's been assigned, something an individual applicant or a non-CAA preparer generally cannot do. At ITIN Abroad, we keep copies of the application package and follow the normal IRS processing process so that if something goes wrong — as it did with Sharma's application — we know exactly what was submitted and can call the IRS directly to determine the next step immediately.
What If My Application Is Rejected?
A rejection can add significant time because the problem usually must be corrected before the application can be submitted again.
The frustrating part is that the IRS rejection notice does not tell you exactly what caused the problem. Applicants may therefore submit the same application several times and receive the same result.
Common problems can involve:
Form W-7
The attached tax return
Identity documentation
Missing supporting paperwork
Exception documentation that does not meet IRS requirements
Sometimes, as with Sharma, the problem isn't with the application at all — it's an IRS processing error. Even then, resolving it quickly depends on being able to call the IRS directly, which is a CAA-specific ability, combined with having a complete record of exactly what was submitted.
This is why the best way to shorten the overall process is often getting the application right before it's submitted, working with a CAA who can follow up directly if something goes wrong, and keeping thorough records either way.
Should I Wait Until I Need the ITIN Immediately?
Usually, no.
If you know you will need an ITIN for a current tax reason, waiting until the last minute can create unnecessary pressure. This can be especially important when the ITIN is connected to:
A tax refund
U.S. real estate
A mortgage
A business transaction
A retirement or inheritance payment
A foreign spouse or child who needs to be included on a tax return
However, you also cannot simply apply far in advance "just in case." You must have a current qualifying reason.
The goal is to apply as soon as the qualifying reason exists and the required documents can be prepared correctly.
There's also a hard deadline worth knowing about if a refund is involved: you generally have 3 years from a return's original due date to claim a refund before it's forfeited. If you're behind on more than one year of returns, the IRS also allows multiple prior-year returns to be attached to a single Form W-7. (We'll cover both of these in a dedicated future article.)
A Note for Military Families
Military families stationed abroad may need extra planning time.
A foreign spouse or child may need an ITIN before the service member can file the correct U.S. tax return. At the same time, the family may be dealing with deployment schedules, international moves, foreign identity documents, and limited access to U.S. tax assistance.
Starting early once the family has a valid ITIN reason can help prevent a rejected application from delaying the tax return or refund.
Can ITIN Abroad Make the IRS Process Faster?
No one can make the IRS process an ITIN faster simply by preparing the application.
What we can do is reduce preventable delays by making sure the application is complete, consistent, and supported before it reaches the IRS — and, when the IRS itself makes a mistake, respond quickly because we can call the IRS directly as a CAA and already have everything documented.
That includes:
Confirming why you qualify
Preparing Form W-7
Preparing the related tax return when included in the engagement
Reviewing identity and supporting documents
Making sure required exception documentation is included
Keeping a complete copy of the submission
Following up when appropriate
We cannot control the IRS. We can control the quality of the package we send them — and how quickly we respond if something still goes wrong.
FAQ
How many weeks does an ITIN usually take?
The IRS generally advises allowing 7 weeks for processing, or 9 to 11 weeks if the application is submitted during peak filing season (January 15 through April 30) or from outside the United States.
Does applying from outside the United States take longer?
It can. International applicants may have additional mailing time on top of the standard processing window, and applications during peak filing periods can also take longer.
Will my tax refund arrive when my ITIN is approved?
Not necessarily. If a tax return was submitted with the application, the return still needs to go through normal IRS processing after the ITIN is assigned.
Can I call the IRS immediately to check my ITIN?
Usually, you should allow the published processing period before following up unless there is a specific reason to believe something is wrong.
What if the IRS asks for more information?
The response depends on what the IRS is requesting. Keep the notice and respond carefully rather than resubmitting the entire application without understanding the issue.
Can I apply early to avoid delays?
You can apply once you have a current qualifying tax reason and the required documentation. You generally cannot obtain an ITIN years in advance simply because you think you may need one later.
The IRS controls how long an ITIN takes to process. The part you can control is what you send them — and how well you're prepared if something goes wrong on their end too. A complete and accurate application gives you the best chance of avoiding preventable delays and getting your ITIN right the first time.
