ITIN for Your Spouse and Children, in One Visit
If you have a Social Security Number and your spouse and children don’t, they need ITINs before you can file jointly and claim your children. As an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent in San Jose, we verify each family member’s passport in our office, so no passport is mailed to the IRS. We prepare every Form W-7 and file them with your joint return. Outside tax season, many of our recent clients received their ITINs in about 3 to 4 weeks.
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Does your family need ITINs?
Most of the families we help have one spouse working in the U.S. with a Social Security Number, often on an H-1B, while the other spouse and the children are not eligible for one. Many come to us from India and China.
Spouse on an H-4 or other dependent visa
Without work authorization, your spouse can’t get a Social Security Number. An ITIN lets you file a joint return together.
Children living with you in the U.S.
Children without a Social Security Number need an ITIN to be listed as dependents on your return.
Spouse who arrived during the year
A joint return is often still possible in the year your spouse arrives. We review your dates before you file.
Who doesn’t need one
Children born in the U.S. receive a Social Security Number, and a spouse with an H-4 EAD can apply for one instead of an ITIN.
Many of our families had their ITINs in 3 to 4 weeks
The IRS publishes a processing time of about 7 weeks, and 9 to 11 weeks during tax season. Outside tax season, many of our recent clients received their numbers in about 3 to 4 weeks, because every application arrived complete and correct. After we mail your package, we follow up with the IRS until each number is issued.
Processing times are set by the IRS and vary by season and by case, so recent results are not a guarantee. Applying before January gives you the best timing.
Why families choose an in-person CAA
Passports stay with your family
We certify each passport here, so nobody is left without a passport for weeks while the IRS processes the application.
One appointment for everyone
Your spouse’s and children’s applications are reviewed together and sent in one package with your joint return.
Your joint return, same visit
We can prepare the joint return your ITIN applications attach to, so nothing is mismatched between the forms.
Follow-up until numbers arrive
We track your package and follow up with the IRS ITIN Unit, so you are never left guessing.
How your family’s ITINs affect your tax credits
- Filing jointly usually gives you a larger standard deduction and wider tax brackets than filing separately, which often lowers your tax.
- Your spouse’s ITIN does not block the Child Tax Credit for a child who has a Social Security Number, as long as you have a valid SSN on the joint return.
- A child with an ITIN does not qualify for the Child Tax Credit, which requires a Social Security Number, but may qualify for the $500 Credit for Other Dependents.
- Children who live outside the U.S. generally cannot be claimed as dependents, with limited exceptions for residents of Canada and Mexico.
We explain which credits your family qualifies for before anything is filed. See our tax preparation service.
What to bring for each family member
- Your spouse: a valid passport with the U.S. visa page.
- Each child: a valid passport. If the passport has no U.S. date of entry, the IRS also requires a U.S. medical record (under age 6) or a U.S. school record (under age 18).
- A child without a passport: a civil birth certificate plus other documents. Call us and we will tell you exactly which ones work.
- For your joint return: your W-2s, 1099s and other tax documents.
Family pricing
First applicant
Includes document review, in-office passport verification, Form W-7, Certificate of Accuracy, mailing and IRS follow-up.
Each additional family member
For families of 3 or more applicants. Two applicants are $325 each.
Tax return prepared with us
When we also prepare the joint return your ITIN applications are filed with.
Questions families ask
Can my H-4 spouse get an ITIN?
Yes. A spouse on an H-4 visa without work authorization is not eligible for a Social Security Number, so an ITIN is how your spouse is included on a joint federal return.
My spouse has an H-4 EAD. Do they still need an ITIN?
No. A spouse with an H-4 EAD can apply for a Social Security Number instead, which is used on the joint return.
Do my children need ITINs if they were born in the U.S.?
No. Children born in the U.S. receive a Social Security Number. ITINs are for children who are not eligible for one.
Will my spouse’s ITIN stop me from claiming the Child Tax Credit?
No. On a joint return, the Child Tax Credit for a child with a Social Security Number is still available when you have a valid SSN. A child with an ITIN may qualify for the $500 Credit for Other Dependents instead.
Can I claim children who live in India or China?
Generally no. To be claimed as a dependent, a child generally must be a U.S. citizen, national or resident, with limited exceptions for residents of Canada and Mexico.
How fast will my family receive their ITINs?
The IRS publishes about 7 weeks, and 9 to 11 weeks from January 15 to April 30. Outside tax season, many of our recent clients received their ITINs in about 3 to 4 weeks. Timing is set by the IRS and is not guaranteed.
Do we have to mail our passports to the IRS?
No. As an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent, we verify passports in our San Jose office and send a Certificate of Accuracy, so your family keeps their passports.
Get your family’s ITINs without mailing a passport
434 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, CA 95123 · Families come to us from across Santa Clara County, including Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Milpitas and Mountain View.