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laurafoto · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 55 Location: Rome

thanks for this post

davidarts · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 788 Location: Italy

Hi,

I'm Italian too.
The number is 12 (not 14) . I'm 99% sure of this! :-D

I've got an answer:
What should we write in those 2 letters? :
"- lettera, ovviamente in inglese, con la motivazione della richiesta
- lettera d'incarico da parte del cliente americano
"

Can we post here a fac-simile of those 2 letter?

Many Thanks!

DAvid

g2studio · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Naples, Italy

Username: your shutterstock username
Your name and surname
Home Address

City, State
CAP

Dear your name,

This letter is to advise you of potential changes in the amount of tax that may be withheld from your Shutterstock earnings.

In reviewing our files we discovered that we do not have a record of having received any US withholding tax certificates from you. Based upon the information in our files it appears that you may be a resident of Italy, which has an income tax treaty with the United States that provides for a reduced rate of withholding tax on royalties.

If you are a resident of Italy and qualify for benefits under the US/Italy income tax treaty, you will need to complete a U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding. We are in the process of installing an online version of Form W-8BEN on our website; however, in order to complete Form W-8BEN you must have a U.S. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). If you do not currently have an ITIN, you can obtain one by filing a Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, with the IRS. This process takes only 4-6 weeks and could reduce your withholding taxes significantly.

Please complete the most recent version of Form W-7 by checking Box a (Nonresident alien required to obtain ITIN to claim tax treaty benefits), providing the information requested in Lines 1 through 6, and signing the form where indicated. You must provide certified or notarized copies of documents, such as your passport, that substantiate the information contained on Form W-7.

After completing the W-7 form and providing the required documentation as described above, you can apply for an ITIN in any of three ways:

1. by mail through the IRS, with details available here:

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

2. using the services of an IRS-authorized Acceptance Agent in your country

3. by visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in Frankfurt, London, or Paris, where they will provide in-person help with ITIN applications on a walk-in or appointment basis.

http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/article/0,,id=101292,00.html

Please note that without an ITIN and a completed IRS Form W-8BEN on file at Shutterstock, we will be required to deduct a 30% US withholding tax from royalties payable to you.

We will send you a separate email when our online Form W-8BEN is ready for use. Your early June royalty payment will not be subject to withholdings but subsequent royalty payments may be.

If you have questions on tax withholding from your Shutterstock earnings, please visit our submitter forum.

Thank you for your cooperation and attention to this matter.

Best Regards,

Shutterstock Images LLC

Shutterstock Images LLC |=
60
Broad Street, 30th Floor | New York, NY 10004 | USA

g2studio · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Naples, Italy

g2studio · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Naples, Italy

citylights · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 38

FOLLOW THE LINK
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

AND CLICK ON "How can I obtain an ITIN from abroad?" in section HELP AND INFORMATION.
You'll find out that thanks to the HAGUE CONVENTION (and Italy is part of that convention) you can have your passport or any other of the 13 valid documents validated by the same authority who issued the original one, copies must be accompanied by an "APOSTILLA". The APOSTILLA can be downloaded from a link provided in tha same page. The one I found myself is in English and I don't know if it exists in Italian too, so I think this could be a problem.... imagine to ask for it to the middle age lady working in the Anagrafe of your Comune.... Maybe it could be simplier in Questura. Anyway the "APOSTILLA must be attached to copies when sent by registered mail to IRS in the USA.

g2studio · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Naples, Italy

g2studio · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Naples, Italy

Ok the embassy issue and the Apostilla can be avoided just going to the Questura or Police dep. of your city and ask for a certified copy of your passport, that will do according to what the IRS says.

then you put all together: certified copy of the passport, letter from shutterstock, w-7 filled properly and sen everything via Posta Raccomandata to the IRS agency address given in the Shutterstock letter.

This should put the word end to this odyssey

Then just wait for the ITIN number to come via mail and you can finally fill the W-8 form.

Wheeeew

Ora se permettete stacco che mi sono bruciato il cervello.

citylights · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 38

GRAZIE MILLE

ollirg · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 64 Location: Italy

g2studio · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Naples, Italy

ollirg · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 64 Location: Italy

claudiodivizia · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 338 Location: www.postpop.co.uk

g2studio · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Naples, Italy

yes I knew about that. They won't validate your documents... I hope Police will make it for a passport since it's a document you usually use abroad.
I'll find that out by tomorrow and I'll let you know posting here.

if that doesn't work either... then the pilgrimage to Rome seems the only way to get our documents certified

claudiodivizia · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 338 Location: www.postpop.co.uk