Ray

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/artic...=96287,00.html

JEM3110

We're also on L1a/L2's. When we registered our son for Kindergarten the only ID they needed was his birth certificate and proof of residency.

GetYourBritsOut

Hi, we're here on L1/L2's & when OH went to H&R Block to file his tax returns they never mentioned an ITIN for our son (he's 7). We came over in August last year so he only filed for 5 months - do you have to be filing for a full year to get an ITIN??? (hope this makes sense )

chicagojlo

If you only go to the regular HR Block and not a Premium office, they may not be fully competent in expat taxes. If you didn't get a notification of an ITIN for your child in the mail then they probably didn't apply for one.
I can't pull up the page on my computer for some reason but if you enter child tax credit ITIN in the search field on www.irs.gov you will see that you can claim it for kids with an ITIN. It's $1000 per year per child so if you didn't claim it already you should. Your tax professional is responsible for filing an amended return to correct this for you.
We were also here for only part of 2007 and we got it.

GetYourBritsOut

Thanks so much for this, it can be my project for the week!!

lisag8070

Hi

glad to know you've sacked your Tax Consultant...idiot that she was..

My DD is at public school and all they needed from us was her ITIN No and proof of address (catchment area rules)...but saying that each state/school are different in the way they do things...

Whereabouts are you in NC?..(if you don't mind me asking)..

HunterGreen

I have been trying to find out how long an ITIN is valid, seems like there are a lot of people here who have experience with ITINs, is it tied to how long you're allowed to stay and is it yours for good like an SSN?

gryff31

Hi, Yep, I knew we should have gone to someone like HR Block but a friend of the husband put us on the this woman who is a tax consultant! Shes had me chasing around for 2 days chasing a SSN which were not entitled to!!

Were in South Charlotte, Nr Carowinds. Where about are living?

denzil75

We filed our own taxes this year via turbo tax and filled out a W7 for our son who is on our visa to obtain his ITIN, you then file the whole of the federal tax return to the W7 processing centre who issues the number, adds it on to your tax form and forwards it to the tax refund processing centre. I have to say I was a bit dubious about everything ending up in the right place but it all worked out, we have had the refund and the ITIN number.

I'd check that this is what happened with H&R, I think we had to provide a notarised copy of the passport and possibly birth cert. If it's not done properly then it could end up a costly mistake on your tax return, as we learnt the previous tax year! Although I did get told we could have re-submitted.

You also need the ITIN for your state taxes so we held off filing those until the ITIN number came back, you can apply for an extension if needed.

Rete

Since when? It is unlawful for you to "have" to show that you are in the country legally to attend school. All school age children are entitled to a public and/or private education within the US regardless of their immigration status.

denzil75

I would have thought for life so there is no chance of someone taking on your identity. The ITIN's are only used for tax reporting purposes so unless you are filing your tax return I think the number is pretty much useless elsewhere.

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/artic...=96287,00.html

Rete

I have taken the liberty of merging your two threads. It is very confusing when you start the same thread in more than one forum.

Rete

lisag8070

Sorry...miles away I'm in Greensboro, which is part of the Triad..

At least you've got things sorted now though...

denzil75

My eldest has just registered for Kindergarten (although he is a dual US/UK citizen), we just had to take in his birth certificate and a copy of our deed/lease to prove that we were resident in the area as the schools work on catchment areas. I provided my other son's UK birth certificate at his pre-school and they were fine with that, we were never questioned about immigration status.

MsElui

we were using a large multinational accountancy firm -KPMG- provided for us for the first year by DH's company. I wasnt impressed at all. The first draft she sent showed a large tax deficit owing. over $10k. We were running round like idiots panicing trying to think how we could find 10k. Turns out that DH's company had to pay us an amount as they needed to cover the protected benefits so we didnt have to pay zip- got a refund in fact. She didnt tell us that just let us panic like crazy.

THEN we asked why the draft was just in DH's name and didnt include me or the kids? As Jlo said above there were possible allowances we were missing out on AND we knew that the potential rebate coming in May would only count my husband if filed like that. She said that they had tried a few ways and this way was the cheapest. We said is it cheaper by 600 dollars as thats the potential rebate we lose (as well as NOT getting ITINS for the kids). She had to go and look again and then came back and aplogised saying if we filed a partial year one for the whole lot of us it would be less tax for us and the coompany to pay - AND we should get the couples rebate and ITINS. Im so glad we challenged her!