# Risk of obtaining ITIN



## Alltimegreat1 (Feb 25, 2015)

I just talked to an American guy this afternoon who works at an audit firm and used to work for the IRS. He claimed that if I apply for an ITIN for my wife, this will require her to report her taxes to the IRS every year, even if we later choose to file separately. So a non-resident alien simply having an ITIN equals a life-long commitment to report one's taxes to the IRS?

I'm not sure what to think of this.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

That's not the way I understand it. The ITIN is only for those who are being declared as dependents or for other purposes but who are not eligible for a US SSN. It does not oblige you to file US taxes for the rest of your life. (A Green Card or US citizenship does.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

If the guy said that, he's wrong. As it happens, plenty of people with _SSNs_ are not required to file anything with the IRS or the U.S. Treasury Department.


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