ITIN application rejected: CP566, CP567 and what to do next

CP566 vs CP567: what your notice means

A CP566 means your application is on hold until you send the IRS more information. A CP567 means the IRS has rejected it. The third ITIN notice is the CP565, the letter you get when an ITIN is assigned.

Start with the notice itself. A CP566 lists what the IRS wants, and a CP567 says why it rejected the application. For the approval letter, see the CP565 notice guide.

Why ITIN applications get held up or rejected

The IRS notice pages give the broad reasons. For a CP566, the IRS says you may have sent an incomplete form or the wrong documents. For a CP567, you may not be eligible, your documents may be invalid, or the IRS didn’t get a reply when it asked for more information.

The W-7 instructions, the ITIN FAQ and Publication 1915 point to these specific problems:

• You’re eligible for an SSN. If you can get a Social Security number, you can’t get an ITIN.
• No federal tax purpose. The IRS says a tax return with all zero entries generally doesn’t show one.
• A spouse or dependent isn’t claimed for an allowable tax benefit. For the credit for other dependents, the box next to the dependent’s name has to be ticked on the return.
• Notarized copies or plain photocopies. The IRS accepts only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Certified passport copies explains the difference.
• Expired documents. A passport or ID card must be unexpired on the day you submit.
• Unclear or damaged documents. The IRS says documents that aren’t clear or have blemishes are likely to be treated as invalid.
• Blank or invalid entries on Form W-7. Pub 1915 says these can get an application suspended or rejected. Every section needs an entry or “N/A”.
• A P.O. box or “in care of” address on line 3. Pub 1915 says this can get the application rejected.
• A missing Social Security denial letter, if you hold a US visa that would let you get an SSN. Pub 1915 says the application will be rejected without it.
• No tax return and no exception documents, or a dependent without the proof of US residency they need.

The ITIN document checklist covers what each applicant should send.

How to answer a CP566

You have 45 days from the date of the notice. Reply by mail, not by phone.

1. 1

   Read what the notice asks for

   It lists the information or documents the IRS needs. Go back over the Form W-7 instructions and your application to see what was missing.

2. 2

   Check you still qualify

   Make sure you aren’t eligible for an SSN and that you do need an ITIN.

3. 3

   Get the right documents

   Send originals or copies certified by the issuing agency, current and clear. If the IRS asks for a translation into English, use a certified translator.

4. 4

   Complete and sign the response form

   It’s at the end of the notice. Fill it in and sign it before you send it.

5. 5

   Mail it to the address on the notice

   Include the response form and every document requested, and send it well inside the 45 days.

If you don’t reply in time, the IRS rejects the application and you have to submit a new one.

This reply is also where you correct a mistake you spotted after posting your Form W-7. Pub 1915 tells applicants not to file a second Form W-7 with the correct information, but to wait for the IRS letter and send the correction with the reply.

How to reapply after a CP567

A rejection means starting a new application, not answering the old one.

1. 1

   Find the reason on the notice

   The CP567 says why the IRS rejected the application or revoked the ITIN.

2. 2

   Fix the cause

   That might mean getting a certified copy instead of a notarized one, adding the missing return, choosing a different reason box, or confirming you’re eligible at all.

3. 3

   Complete a new Form W-7

   Fill it out completely and answer every question. The line-by-line W-7 instructions guide covers each entry.

4. 4

   Attach a copy of your tax return

   You don’t file a new return. Attach a copy of the one you sent and mark it as a copy. If you’re applying under an exception, attach the exception documents instead.

5. 5

   Send it with your documents

   Mail the application and your supporting documents to the address on the notice.

The W-7 instructions go through every line, which helps if the rejection came from how the form was filled in.

The IRS notice page doesn’t describe an appeal. If you think the rejection is wrong, call the number at the top right of the notice. Meanwhile, the IRS processes the tax return you sent without an ITIN. To get any refund on it, you reapply and attach a copy of the return.

Getting your documents back

The IRS returns original documents within 60 days: after it has processed the application, for a CP566, or from the date of the notice, for a CP567. They go to the mailing address on line 2 of your Form W-7, so tell the IRS if you’ve moved. You can do that with the notice you received or with a letter to the ITIN Operation address. If the documents haven’t arrived after 60 days, call the number on the notice. From outside the US, the IRS number is 267-941-1000, which isn’t toll-free.

To avoid mailing your passport again for the new application, send a copy certified by the agency that issued it, or use a Certifying Acceptance Agent or an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center, who can check the original and hand it back.

Where to get help

• The IRS. Call the number on the notice. In the US, an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center can help you respond to a notice about your ITIN application; appointments are on 844-545-5640.
• A Certifying Acceptance Agent. A CAA can work with the IRS to resolve problems with an ITIN application and receives copies of its clients’ ITIN notices. It charges a fee.
• Free help. Both notice pages say you may be eligible for free help from the Taxpayer Advocate Service or a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.
• An application service. TheITINapp prepares and reviews a new Form W-7 and your documents, submits the application and helps with IRS letters about it, for a one-time fee (see pricing).