The IRS asks you to allow about 7 weeks to be notified of your ITIN application status. Plan for roughly 9 to 11 weeks if you apply in peak tax season, from January 15 to April 30, or from outside the US, which fits most non-resident founders. The clock starts when the IRS receives your Form W-7, not the day you post it, and there is no online tracker. These week figures are current IRS guidance and can change, so confirm them on the live Form W-7 page before you count on a date.
The IRS says to allow about 7 weeks to hear about your ITIN status. Treat that as current guidance, not a promise.
Peak tax season, January 15 to April 30, and overseas applications run longer, and most non-resident founders apply from abroad.
Your wait runs from the day the IRS receives the W-7, not the day you mail it. There is no online tracker, so you check status by phone.
How long does an ITIN take? The IRS's stated timeframe
The IRS gives two headline numbers for an ITIN. It asks you to allow about 7 weeks to be notified of your application status. That figure stretches to roughly 9 to 11 weeks in two situations, which the next section covers. Both numbers are the agency's current guidance, and both can move with staffing and season, so verify them on the live Form W-7 page before you rely on a date.
Here is how the IRS frames the wait by situation. Read each window as the agency's current figure, not a promised delivery date.
Your situation | IRS-stated processing window |
|---|---|
Standard application, outside peak season | About 7 weeks to be notified of your status. |
During peak tax season, January 15 to April 30 | About 9 to 11 weeks. |
Filed from outside the US | About 9 to 11 weeks. |
Treat every figure in this table as the IRS's current guidance. The agency updates these windows without much notice, so confirm them on the IRS How to Apply for an ITIN page before you plan around them.
Why most non-residents should plan for 9 to 11 weeks
The IRS itself names the two cases that run longer. The first is peak tax season, which it defines as January 15 to April 30, when W-7 volume spikes because many people file an ITIN alongside a tax return. The second is any application sent from overseas. Most non-resident founders fall into that overseas bucket, so the 9 to 11 week window is the realistic planning figure, not the 7 week best case.
If you are not yet sure you even need one, our guide on when non-US founders need an ITIN comes first. For the wider picture, our EIN and ITIN guide for non-US founders sets the context around both numbers.
When the processing clock actually starts (receipt, not mailing)
This is the detail that saves you a needless panic call. The IRS measures the wait from the day it receives your Form W-7, not the day you drop it in the mail. Its ITIN documentation FAQ says it is currently processing W-7s within about 11 weeks after receipt, a live operational figure you should treat as a snapshot and re-check on the IRS page. From outside the US, international post can add days or weeks on top of the IRS window, so build that transit time into your plan and do not start counting from your mailing date.
What commonly delays an ITIN application
Two things stretch the wait beyond the standard window: raw volume and a problem with your paperwork. You cannot control the season's volume, but you can control the paperwork. When the IRS needs something more, it mails a CP566 notice asking for further information, and answering it restarts a chunk of the wait.
An incomplete or incorrect Form W-7. A missing box or a mismatch against your documents can trigger a CP566 request. Our step-by-step W-7 guide walks through the form line by line.
Missing, wrong, or uncertified supporting documents. The IRS is strict about what proves your identity and foreign status. Check which documents an ITIN application needs before you send anything.
Peak-season timing. Applying between January 15 and April 30 drops your W-7 into the busiest queue of the year.
How to check your ITIN application status
There is no online status tracker for an ITIN. The IRS does not run a Where's My ITIN tool the way it does for refunds, so status is a phone matter. Wait until the full window has passed, then call with your name and mailing address exactly as they appear on your W-7.
If you are calling from outside the US, the Form W-7 instructions give 267-941-1000, which is not toll-free. If you are inside the US, use the current IRS ITIN phone number shown on the live IRS page. The W-7 instructions list 800-829-1040, but the ITIN documentation FAQ lists a different number, so confirm the right one on IRS.gov before you dial.
When a decision is made, the IRS tells you by mailed notice, not by phone or email. A CP565 means your ITIN is assigned, a CP566 means it needs more information, and a CP567 means the application was rejected. The IRS describes each of these notices on its How to Apply page.
What you do next depends on which notice arrives.
CP566, more information needed. Send the IRS exactly what the notice asks for, by the date printed on it. Responding keeps your existing application open, so reply promptly rather than starting again.
CP567, application rejected. The IRS says a rejected application has to be resubmitted, so you file a corrected Form W-7 as a fresh application. Fix whatever caused the rejection before you send it.
When your original documents come back
If you mailed original documents with your W-7, the Form W-7 instructions say the IRS returns them within 60 days. If they do not arrive in that time, you can call the IRS to ask about them, using the same 267-941-1000 line from abroad. That 60-day return is separate from the decision on your ITIN, so getting your passport back does not by itself mean the number was assigned.
How to avoid the longest delays
You cannot pay to expedite the IRS review, and no service can make the agency decide faster. What you can do is remove the reasons a W-7 stalls in the first place.
Submit a complete, correctly filled W-7 with documents that match it, so nothing triggers a CP566.
Apply outside the January 15 to April 30 peak if your deadline allows it.
Have your documents verified in person rather than mailing your original passport.
If you have not filed yet, our guide to filing Form W-7 walks through submitting it correctly the first time.
Planning ITIN timing around your Wyoming LLC
Here is the part that trips up founders: your ITIN timeline does not block your company. You do not need an ITIN to form your Wyoming LLC, and you do not need one to get the company's EIN. A foreign responsible party can get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN, so the two processes run on separate tracks.
It also helps to keep the timelines apart in your head. An EIN can arrive in days or a few weeks through the non-resident channels, while the ITIN runs on the multi-week window above. If you need an ITIN at all, start it early and treat it as the long pole, but do not let it hold up forming the company.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an ITIN take to process?
The IRS says to allow about 7 weeks to be notified of your status, and about 9 to 11 weeks if you apply during peak tax season, from January 15 to April 30, or from overseas. These are current IRS figures and can change, so confirm them on the live Form W-7 page.
Why does an ITIN take longer when you apply from outside the US?
The IRS itself lists overseas applications and peak tax season, January 15 to April 30, as the cases that run about 9 to 11 weeks instead of the usual 7. Most non-resident founders fall into the overseas bucket.
When does the ITIN processing clock start?
It runs from when the IRS receives your Form W-7, not the day you mail it. The IRS notes it processes W-7s within about 11 weeks after receipt, so add international mail transit time on top of the stated window.
How do I check my ITIN application status?
There is no online tracker. Wait the full window, then call the IRS with your name and mailing address exactly as on your W-7. From outside the US, the Form W-7 instructions give 267-941-1000, which is not toll-free. For a US number, confirm the current ITIN line on the live IRS page before you call.
When do I get my original documents back?
The IRS returns original supporting documents within 60 days. If they do not arrive in that time, call the IRS to check on them. You can avoid mailing originals altogether by using a Certifying Acceptance Agent or a Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment.
Can I speed up ITIN processing?
There is no paid IRS expedite for the review itself. You lower the delay risk in three ways. Submit a complete, correctly documented W-7. Apply outside the January 15 to April 30 peak. And use a CAA or TAC, so a documents problem does not trigger a CP566 that restarts the wait.
How long does a tax refund take after your ITIN is approved?
The IRS assigns your ITIN first, then forwards the attached tax return for processing, so any refund follows the ITIN decision rather than your posting date. The IRS does not set a fixed post-ITIN refund time, so track it with the IRS Where's My Refund tool once the return is moving.
How much does an ITIN cost?
The IRS does not charge a fee to file Form W-7 itself, and applying in person at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center or a VITA site is free. A Certifying Acceptance Agent or a paid preparer may charge for their help, but that is a service fee, not an IRS charge.
Can you apply for an ITIN while waiting for an SSN?
No. The IRS says do not file Form W-7 if you have an SSN application pending, or if you already have or are eligible for an SSN. Most non-resident founders are not eligible for an SSN, so this rarely applies, but wait for the SSN decision first if one is pending.
How this article was prepared
The processing windows, phone numbers, notices, and document-return rules here come from the IRS How to Apply for an ITIN page, the IRS Instructions for Form W-7, the IRS ITIN documentation FAQ, and the IRS ITIN overview pages. The week figures are the IRS's current guidance and change with staffing and season, so every one should be re-checked on the live Form W-7 and ITIN pages before you rely on a date. Last reviewed July 2026. This is general information and not legal or tax advice, and CORPBOLT is a formation service, not a law or accounting firm.
A quick note on CORPBOLT: CORPBOLT forms and maintains Wyoming LLCs for non-residents from $349/year (Foundation). The EIN is included from $599/year (Launch) or as a $199 add-on, so your company can get its tax ID without an ITIN. If you do need an ITIN, we can help you prepare a complete W-7 package, but the IRS controls the review and no one can guarantee a date. Start your US LLC.
Official references
IRS: How to Apply for an ITIN (7 week and 9 to 11 week windows; CP565, CP566, CP567 notices)
IRS: Instructions for Form W-7 (status phone numbers; 60 day document return)
IRS: ITIN documentation FAQ (11 weeks after receipt; CAA and TAC in-person verification)
IRS: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) overview
