I'm trying to get an ITIN for my non-resident alien spouse to file a joint tax return. I have the tax return and W-7 ready, but I don't see any realistic way to file it.
These are the 3 ways to file:
1. Send my wife's documents in mail to the IRS. In my case the only document we can send is her passport. This is not an option because she is not a resident and is in the US for a limited time. If there is a delay (and I'm sure there will be a delay), she won't be able to leave the US on time and can be barred from entry in the future. Also, passport is the only picture id she has while she's here.
2. Filing in-person at IRS tax payer assistance center. I need to make an appointment by phone but they never answer. I called them many times, it's just about 2 minutes of robot talking and then they drop the call.
3. Filing via an acceptance agent. I went through a list of the certified acceptance agents from the IRS website and called all of them that are within 50 miles radius. Most of the don't answer, some said they don't have a license anymore, others said they won't accept any tax returns unless they make it themselves. So they want to start over, make a new return for me and my wife for an extra 1-2 thousand dollars, even though I already have a completely finished return and w-7.
So none of these options work.
Is there any other way I can file?
Is there a trick to get an appointment with a taxpayer assistance center?
Are there acceptance agents that can confirm identity without making a tax return from scratch?
Thanks
