Can you claim the child tax credit with an ITIN?
If you’re a foreign national living in the United States who doesn’t qualify for a Social Security Number (SSN), you’re still required to file an income tax return for money earned each year, and you do it by using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). While this IRS program allows you to pay taxes, it does keep you from claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit, which leads many people to believe you can’t claim other credits.
The good news is that even if you need ITIN number information to submit a return, you’re still eligible for the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), as long as you meet a few qualifications:
- Your children must live with you for more than half the year
- Each child must be younger than 17 years old at the end of the year
- He or she must be your child, stepchild, foster or adopted child, sister, brother, step-sibling, or descendent of any of these relations
- Your child can’t provide more than half of his or her own support
- He or she must be a United States resident or citizen
How To Apply
You may ask yourself “what do I need to get an ITIN number,” and the process is relatively simple. All you need to do is follow the W-7 form instructions to properly fill out this important document and submit it to the IRS along with a valid passport from your home country. If your passport has expired, you can also send in a combination of two items from the IRS list of approved documents to prove your identity and foreign status. Stay in Compliance With the Law No matter if you have children who qualify for the credit, you want to know where to send W-7 documents or you simply need help with your ITIN renewal, trust the professionals at ITIN W-7 Application.
