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igabrielle · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Romania

Hi everyone,

I think in order to make it easier for SS to help us with the ITIN and all this IRS thing, we should try and concentrate a bit our questions. On this post we should all post our questions regarding Romania and applications for Romanians.

So here we go:

I have asked my lawyer friend about where to get the legalized copies of the documents, and she said this should be done at the "prefectura". I am assuming the "prefectura" where we have our address in the national ID card (CI). I will know more about it tomorrow and see which costs apply. However she did say after this stamp ("apostula") from the "prefectura" we might still be required to translate the copy and legalize it a normal notary or something.

Here comes question no 1, what does the IRS says about this? Is only the stamp from the "prefectura" ( a branch of the city hall in other words) enough for IRS or do we need to pursue further and go to a notary as well and legalize the documents?

Question no 2 which I am not sure IRS can respond...does a person have to be present when legalizing the documents...or I can legalize it in behalf of my bf which resides in a different city?

Question no 3 is, what happens if we live at 2 addresses in the same country? Do we have to go to the "cityhall" where our address in the ID is?

Question no 4 is: Can we choose a different delivery address for the answer from the IRS? I for one am officially living in one city on my ID, but practically am residing in another one, and on the form it does not says anywhere if we can choose a different delivery address to receive mail from IRS, and it would be a real inconvenience to stay for 1 month or 2 at the address in the hope I will receive mail from IRS.

Question no 5: What is the most secure way to mail this to IRS? I do not want my mail to get lost and all the work gone to waste.

Question no 6: Do we have to do this paperwork every year? Is there any way to get this ITIN for an extended period of time?

Question no 7: Does having a tourist visa for 10 years help in any way with the documentation?

Question no 8: Do we get proof back from the IRS that we have paid this tax so we do not get taxed in Romania as well? How does this work?

These are all the questions I could think of so far, and I apologize if some do not make sense. I am not a genius with paperwork :).

Hope other Romanians are going to share their questions and finding on this thread. I honestly do not want to quit SS unless I really have to.

Gabriela

zu1u · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 77 Location: Romania

All this about taxing non-us citizens is just one big pile of utter crap. I honestly will not be submitting any documents unless the costs are under what I make here in a month [~$50].
If i get taxed 'unfairly' I will simply remove my portofolio because the earnings will simply not be worth my time.

I am looking forward to your reply regarding the papers and costs involved.

igabrielle · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Romania

xalanx · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 1:35 pm

As far as I know at this point:

- the notary has to certify the passport copy in "Hague Convention way". According to the document, this all Hague thing means that we need that "apostile".
- the best way is to go to an authorised translator who will translate the passport and take care of the notary certification too. From him / her you'll get this apostile. I don't know how much it costs, I'll see tomorrow when I'll talk with the translator.
- we still need the SS letter to attach to the documents to be sent to IRS. We can't move until then.

That's all, so far.

Catalin.

igabrielle · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Romania

Here comes another question to mind.

All our ID's, passport, drivers license do have english language in it...so what exactly do we need to translate?
Maybe the legalized copy from the notary? do a double legalization of the passport and than translation of the legalization?

mackin43 · Site Admin Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 427

Hi xalanx,

See below.

-jm

zu1u · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 77 Location: Romania

It would also help if we knew once we have the apropriate papers where do we send them?

zu1u · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 77 Location: Romania

pilgrimartworks · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 78 Location: Romania

Multumesc Gabriela ca ai deschis un topic separat pentru Romania.

xalanx · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 1:46 pm

Great, so we have the letter. Well, at least some of us. I'm confident that the ones who haven't received it yet, will get it soon. I think I'll get started tomorrow, I'll let you know the costs.

igabrielle · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Romania

On the W-7 form that we have to complete it says that by mail we have to send to:

Internal Revenue Services
ITIN Operation
P.O. Box 149342
Austin, TX 78714 - 9342

igabrielle · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Romania

medveh · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 1829 Location: Transylvania

I don't get why can't you just go to a simple notary office and legalize your passport, ID or driver's license, I think it's absolutely possible and you don't need to go to the city hall at all, why would you? I don't get it.

So I think it's pretty simple,

1. you need a legalized copy of two IDs of some kind... (permis, buletin, pasaport) - 2 of these only
2. printed email from Shutterstock
3. completed W-7 form http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf

I think these 3 steps are enough to apply for ITIN.

Send all the above through post to the following address:

Internal Revenue Service
Austin Service Center
ITIN Operation
P.O. Box 149342
Austin, TX 78714-9342

If everyhting's ok you will get your ITIN in 4-6 weeks, after that you should file the W-8BEN form which will be available by that time online on shutterstock submitter's page.

Did I miss something? Am I right?

igabrielle · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Romania

igabrielle · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Romania