Country guide · Italy
Get an ITIN as an Italian citizen
Last updated: August 2026
Bottom line
Get an ITIN as an Italian citizen is straightforward once the Italy paperwork is in order. As a Hague Convention member, Italy issues a single apostille that the US recognizes without further legalization. Treaty status (for ITIN holders): Active US treaty available, use Form W-8BEN to claim reduced withholding once the ITIN is assigned.
Italian commercialisti often default to an SRL when an LLC would be more useful for online clients. Different tools for different jobs. This is the country-specific guide for Italian citizens to get an itin, apostille, banking, and treaty notes that change by jurisdiction. For the canonical procedural sequence (the steps everyone follows regardless of citizenship), see the main ITIN application page.
An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is the IRS-issued tax ID for non-US residents without an SSN. It unlocks US tax filings, US bank accounts at issuers that require a TIN, and, most importantly for digital nomads, a US credit file. The application is Form W-7 + a valid reason code + original ID documents. Wrong reason code is the #1 cause of rejection.
What Italian citizens need to apply for an ITIN
Apostille
Prefettura or Procura della Repubblica
~2·4 weeks, ~USD 20. As a Hague Convention member, Italy issues a single apostille that the US recognizes without further legalization.
Banking flow
Italian residents open Mercury or Relay remotely with passport + utility bill + US LLC docs. Italian banks (Intesa, Unicredit) accept Mercury transfers without extra friction.
Timezone
UTC+1 (CET), 6 hours ahead of IRS Austin. IRS Austin is on UTC-6 / Asunción Migración on UTC-3.
Country-specific note
Most common: Italian creators with US-paying clients (TikTok Creator Fund, Twitch payouts) who need to file Form 1040-NR to claim treaty-rate withholding instead of the default 30%.
Treaty status (for ITIN holders): Active US treaty available, use Form W-8BEN to claim reduced withholding once the ITIN is assigned.
Questions Italian citizens ask about itin application
How long does the apostille take for Italian citizens? +
2·4 weeks through Prefettura or Procura della Repubblica, at roughly USD 20. As a Hague Convention member, Italy issues a single apostille that the US recognizes without further legalization.
How do Italian-resident clients usually handle banking with their US LLC? +
Italian residents open Mercury or Relay remotely with passport + utility bill + US LLC docs. Italian banks (Intesa, Unicredit) accept Mercury transfers without extra friction.
What is the most common reason Italian citizens apply for an ITIN? +
Most common: Italian creators with US-paying clients (TikTok Creator Fund, Twitch payouts) who need to file Form 1040-NR to claim treaty-rate withholding instead of the default 30%.
Apply for your ITIN, Italian citizen
See the full procedural sequence on the canonical ITIN application page, or jump straight to the apply form.
Apply for your ITINKeep going
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