Apply ITIN for my wife. How long will it take ?

[Critter-3]

If you already filed the 2019 return with the W-7 and are still waiting for the ITIN then do NOT file the 2020 return until you get the ITIN.

For check ITIN status you have to call: 1-800-829-1040 (IRS Phone number) Please be sure that you have all information with you, they can ask you any data from your application.

Try  calling to check the status of your refund at the IRS website.

https://www.irs.gov/refunds

800-829-1040

First choose your language.
Then 2
Then 1
Then 3
Then 2
When asked for SSN do nothing it will ask twice
Then 2
Then 4
You should then be transferred to an agent, but there is likely to be a long wait.

If they can't assist you can try the Tax Advocate in your state. most are working remotely and have a backlog. 

https://www.irs.gov/advocate/local-taxpayer-advocate

[ReneeM7122]

You can use the TurboTax stimulus-check tool to check the status of your payment.   If the IRS still has not issued your payment, complete your 2020 tax return with TurboTax.   At the end of the interview, the software prompts you about your stimulus payment. If you did not receive one, it will factor in as a credit and you will receive a refund.

@kittu1310

[amir4]

Updating my timeline.

Applied ITIN: Aug 6th, 2020

Received ITIN: Nov 15th, 2020

Tax Return Approved on IRS Tracker: Feb 20th, 2021

Tax Return received: Expecting to receive in the next week or two.

Thanks all for sharing your timelines! Hopefully 2021 is quicker as we have an ITIN/SSN to apply directly online!

[Panky]

Hi SMU/Roy2020,

Did you get your ITIN?

My W7 also having USPS status that ready for pickup at 73301 while I send by certify mail to 78714.

[Yesemmu]

Hi,

I received ITINs on 10/20/20.

[ReneeM7122]

As long as you have received an ITIN, you can file a tax return.   You may be eligible for certain credits and deductions, as well.  Here is a TurboTax article with more information.

@Yesemmu

[Panky]

Hi Yesemmu,

What is the address you sent W7?

can you pleas check that your USPS tracking if it was delivered to Austin 73301?

Thanks

[kittu1310]

I received final confirmation for refund. IRS actually corrected my return mentioning I did not claim a credit and added more money for refund 🙂

My Timeline

1. April 22,2020 - Sent paper return, W-7 and passport of my daughter

2. Sep 16,2020 - Received passpoort back

3. Sep 25,2020 - Checked on IRS website confirming return is being processed

4. Feb 15,2021 - Confirmed my refund.

Now I'm waiting for the check. They cant do direct deposit because refund is for last year.

[ReneeM7122]

You can call the IRS toll-free at 800-829-1040 to check the status of your W-7.

@Panky,  @Yesemmu has stated that the ITIN has already been received.

For those who wish to speed up the process of obtaining an ITIN, it is possible to get it done quicker than sending original documents to the IRS.  This can be done through an Acceptance Agent -  a person who has been designated by the IRS to verify the authenticity of required identification needed to apply.  More information can be found on the IRS website, including a list of acceptance agents in your area.

[Yesemmu]

I mailed to ITIN, Austin [social security number removed]. Yes Delivered to Austin 73301.

[hyha600]

Hi Roy its been a year since your post now, have you heard back from IRS? I'm going through the same process and saw my package tracking info on USPS Exactly same as yours, it got "Delivered to AUSTIN, TX 73301" which is different from where I sent to (ITIN Operations at TX 78714), I'm really concerned.

[Pankaj4]

Hi Friends,

Does anybody received any update on ITIN those sent their forms in this year 2021?

I have sent on 9 Feb 2021 and almost 7 weeks passed but no sign of processing and when I call to IRS helpline, got the answer to check again after April as they still have delay due to covid-19.

Thanks

[ToddL99]

Because of COVID-related workplace and staffing challenges, there is no definitive answer on how long the IRS is taking to issue an ITIN this year.

Numerous websites say that it takes anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks for the IRS to issue an ITIN under normal circumstances; the IRS website says "within 7 weeks", also under normal circumstances. .

There is nothing normal about IRS processing times this tax season - 10 to 12 weeks would not be an unreasonable estimate., but it would still be an educated guess. 

From How do I apply for an ITIN? "You will receive a letter from the IRS assigning your tax identification number usually within seven weeks if you qualify for an ITIN and your application is complete."

[Drahsanali92]

Has anyone received ITIN number this year ? I sent my application and documents on Feb 7th and still waiting for the response 

[ToddL99]

Be patient -  ITINs are usually issued within 7 weeks of receiving your application, but this is hardly a "usual" time at the IRS.

From the IRS article  How do I apply for an ITIN?:   "You will receive a letter from the IRS assigning your tax identification number usually within seven weeks if you qualify for an ITIN and your application is complete".

This tax season, the IRS has been running behind on practically everything they do - processing returns, sending out refunds, processing payments and, it appears, issuing ITINs.

Why is this happening? Tax season (normally Jan 1 - Apr 15) is the busiest time of the year for the IRS. This year, they have also had to deal with major changes in the tax law, including ones that were passed retroactively in the past two weeks. They are also struggling with the same COVID workplace and workforce issues the rest of the country has encountered. 

According to  the Washington Post (Mar 12, 2021): 

Nearly 7 million tax filers are in limbo and facing substantial delays in getting refunds so far this tax filing season, as the Internal Revenue Service struggles to keep up with the demands of issuing stimulus checks and implementing myriad tax code changes from coronavirus relief packages, including the one President Biden signed this week. 

There are 6.7 million returns that have not yet been processed, more than three times the number in the same period last year, when fewer than 2 million returns faced delayed processing, IRS data shows. 

The delays are largely a result of a year’s worth of extraordinary stimulus measures that have created more complicated tax returns for millions of Americans. The IRS was already straining to adjust after the December stimulus package. The newest package, the American Rescue Plan, adds even more tasks for the agency, including sending out another round of one-time payments, making changes to tax rules to help unemployed workers and paying out a new child tax benefit.