# ITIN supporting documents: the 13 the IRS accepts

A valid passport alone proves identity and foreign status for an ITIN. Without one, you need two documents from the IRS list of 13, and one must show a photo.

Updated 2026-10-02. Also on the [web page](https://itinagents.fyi/guides/itin-supporting-documents).

Every ITIN application package must prove two things about the applicant: identity and foreign status, which is the applicant's connection to a country outside the US. Documents must be originals or certified copies, and they must be current, not expired, on the day you submit the package. (A civil birth certificate never expires, so it is always current.)

The simplest case is a valid passport. A passport is the only stand-alone document on the IRS list: an original valid passport, or a certified copy, proves both identity and foreign status, and nothing else is needed. For dependent applicants, a passport with a US date of entry also proves US residency; otherwise the passport needs a companion document for residency.

Without a passport, you must submit two supporting documents: one to prove identity and another to prove foreign status, with at least one showing your photo. The IRS accepts twelve documents besides the passport. Six prove identity or foreign status: USCIS photo identification, a US Department of State visa, a foreign military ID card, a national ID card, a foreign voter's registration card, and a civil birth certificate (required for applicants under 18 without a passport). Medical records count for dependents under 6 and school records for dependent students under 24; both prove foreign status only when they are foreign documents. Four prove identity only: a US driver's license, a US military ID card, a foreign driver's license, and a US state ID card.

Dependents face extra rules. With some exceptions, a dependent applicant must also submit proof of US residency, and applicants claimed for certain tax benefits need specific records, so read the Form W-7 instructions for your case. A certifying acceptance agent can authenticate most of these documents and return them at once, except foreign military ID cards and dependent documents other than passports and birth certificates, which must be mailed.

## Sources

- [IRS: ITIN supporting documents](https://www.irs.gov/tin/itin/itin-supporting-documents)
- [IRS: How to apply for an ITIN](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-do-i-apply-for-an-itin)

## Questions

### Is a passport enough for an ITIN application?

Yes. An original valid passport, or a certified copy from the issuing agency, is the only stand-alone document: it proves both identity and foreign status.

### What if I do not have a passport?

Submit two documents from the IRS list: one proving identity, another proving foreign status. At least one must show your photo.

### Must documents be originals?

Yes, originals or certified copies, and current, not expired, on the day you submit the package. A civil birth certificate has no expiry, so it is always current.