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Topic
What the ITIN is, how to get it and how to use it to open accounts, rent and buy. Also how to renew it, how to file taxes with it and what the IRS does with your data.
Stage 1 of 3
What to settle first: papers, accounts and how housing works here.
5 guides in this stage
Featured guide Essential guide 15 minute read
The ITIN is the IRS number for filing taxes without a Social Security number: what it does and does not do, how to apply with Form W-7, timing and expiry.
The most important thing
The ITIN is a tax number, nothing more: not a work permit, not a status and not an ID.
Verified on October 17, 2026
Essential guide How to get an ITIN with Form W-7, step by step Who can apply for an ITIN, which documents the IRS accepts, where to file Form W-7 for free, how long it takes and how to renew it. 15 min read Verified on October 17, 2026 
ITIN, passport or matrícula: what you can do with each What an ITIN, a passport and a matrícula consular are good for in taxes, banking, credit, loans and ID, according to the IRS, the CFPB and federal law. 10 min read Verified on October 17, 2026 
How to open a bank account without a Social Security number What banks and credit unions ask for to open an account without a Social Security number (ITIN, passport or consular ID) and which account to pick. 11 min read Verified on October 17, 2026 
How to renew an ITIN: when it expires and what to send When your ITIN expires, whether you really need to renew it, how to fill in a renewal Form W-7, which documents work and where to do it for free. 12 min read Verified on October 17, 2026 The data behind these guides
The guides on ITIN cite these figures. They update when their sources publish new ones; what you see here is current.
See all the dataSources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024) · Freddie Mac (As of November 5, 2026)
Stage 2 of 3
How much you need, where it can come from and how to document it so a lender accepts it.
2 guides in this stage
Featured guide 15 minute read
Which number the IRS requires for the EITC and child tax credit, what an ITIN filer can claim and how the credit for other dependents works.
The most important thing
The EITC requires a Social Security number valid for work for you and your spouse if filing jointly; with an ITIN you cannot get it.
Verified on October 31, 2026
Tools
The calculators these guides use. Each one leaves you with a result you can use today.
The documents you'll be asked for.
What you get → your document list
Your monthly payment with taxes and insurance.
What you get → monthly payment
The steps to build or improve your credit.
What you get → steps in order
How much is left for housing each month.
What you get → what is left
Stage 3 of 3
The most common scams, the laws that protect you and who to turn to when something is off.
1 guide in this stage
Featured guide 11 minute read
What the law says about the confidentiality of your tax return, when the IRS may share data, how to protect yours and where to get free help.
The most important thing
The law's general rule is confidentiality: the IRS does not disclose your return except as the Internal Revenue Code authorizes.
Verified on October 17, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Short answers taken from the guides on this topic; each one links the guide that explains it with its sources.
This guide cannot answer what happens in your case. What the IRS publishes is that the ITIN is for federal tax purposes only and that you can apply regardless of immigration status. If you have an open case or doubts, you can first consult a representative accredited by the Department of Justice at a nonprofit organization, or an immigration lawyer; never a notario.
Read the full guideBy mail, the IRS requires originals or copies certified by the agency that issued the document, and returns them within 60 days. If you do not want to let go of your passport, go to a Taxpayer Assistance Center, a VITA site with ITIN services or a certifying agent: they authenticate the document and hand it back at the same appointment.
Read the full guideNo. IRS Publication 596 says you cannot get the EIC if you, or your spouse on a joint return, have an ITIN instead of a Social Security number. The IRS ITIN page also says an ITIN does not qualify you for this credit.
Read the full guideNo. The IRS says an ITIN does not serve as identification outside the federal tax system. To identify yourself, bring a photo document such as your passport; the ITIN is the number that goes with that document in steps like opening an account.
Read the full guideThe full path with its steps in order, the calculators these guides use, and the agencies their rules come from.
The full path
This topic is part of a path with steps in order, so you know what to do first. Banking, credit, renting and buying with an ITIN. 8 steps in order.
See the pathEvery rule, number and date in these guides comes from what these agencies publish. Each guide links the exact page.
and 2 more official sources
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