Source: ITIN Services documentation. Last synced from GitBook content.
If the name or date of birth on an ITIN is wrong, the applicant must call the IRS personally to correct it. No third party can do it for you. This guide explains the call process, wording, and estimated wait time.
Why an ITIN can have an incorrect name or date of birth
Two situations most often cause ITIN record errors:
Name and date of birth corrections must normally be requested by the applicant personally. A third party or CAA generally cannot complete this call for you.
1. The IRS follows the passport instead of Form W-7
When processing the application, the IRS representative uses the passport as the identity document reference. If the name on the passport differs from the name on your W-7 in any way, such as order, extra paternal name, or hyphen differences, the IRS may directly enter the passport version.
2. Manual data-entry error
IRS representatives manually process applications. Mistakes happen: letters may be reversed, or one digit of the date of birth may be wrong. This type of error is not common, but it does happen.
A common scenario
Some applicants' passports list a full legal name that includes a father's name or patronymic, which is a convention in many countries. The applicant wants the ITIN to reflect the name they commonly use, so they complete Form W-7 accordingly.
Even so, the IRS representative reviewing the application may still follow the passport and enter the full name exactly as shown on the passport. The result is that the ITIN is issued under a name different from the one the applicant wanted.
How to correct it
Corrections to the name and date of birth on an ITIN record must be requested by the applicant personally by phone. No third party, agent, or CAA can make this call for you because the IRS requires direct identity verification.
Prepare before calling
Have the following ready:
The number currently assigned to the applicant.
The name or date of birth currently shown on the ITIN record.
The corrected name or date of birth you want the IRS to update.
The home address the IRS may use to verify identity.
Step by step: calling the IRS
1. Dial the correct number
Use the same IRS ITIN phone line used for checking ITIN status:
IRS ITIN-related phone number:
+1 800-908-9982
If you do not have a U.S. phone number, use an international calling service that can call U.S. numbers. Confirm the cost before calling because wait times can be long.
Business hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 21:00 Eastern Time
Best calling time: around 10:00 Eastern Time, which usually has a shorter wait time than early morning or later afternoon.
2. Use the phone menu
After the call connects, the system first asks you to choose a language. Press 1 for English.
After choosing English, the system continues playing the menu. Based on the path we have tested, press 1 again to reach a live-agent path. Use this same path as the ITIN status call. Here you must press 1, not 2. Pressing 2 is much harder to get through because that line has many callers from around the world.
When the system plays a long message, do not press random keys. Wait patiently. Usually after about 2 to 3 minutes, the system may begin transferring you to the live-agent queue.
Typical wait time: Wait time depends on the time of day. Based on our testing, calling at the right time can connect to the IRS hotline faster.
Wait time | Frequency |
About 5 minutes | Rare |
About 17 minutes | Most common |
About 35 minutes | Not uncommon |
Be prepared to wait. Do not hang up.
3. Identity verification
Before taking any action, the representative will ask a series of identity questions. Be ready to answer:
Name
Date of birth
Country of birth
Home address
ITIN number
4. State the request clearly
Name correction:
"My ITIN has been issued with an incorrect name. My name on record shows as [incorrect name], but my correct name is [correct name]. I need to correct the [first name / last name / middle name]."
If correcting a specific part:
"The name on my ITIN reads [incorrect version]. It should be [correct version]. Could you please update that?"
Date of birth correction:
"My ITIN record has the wrong date of birth. It currently shows [incorrect date], but my correct date of birth is [correct date]. I need this corrected."
Speak clearly and spell names letter by letter when the representative may not be familiar with them. When asked, confirm the correct spelling one letter at a time.
What may actually happen
Whether the correction can be completed during the call depends heavily on the representative you reach:
Most representatives will handle it directly and confirm the update before hanging up.
Some representatives may transfer you to another department or say they cannot do it. In that case, hang up and call again.
Occasionally, a representative may say they handled it, but the update does not show in the system afterward.
If the first call does not solve it, call again. It is normal for this type of correction to take 2 to 3 calls. Different representatives may produce different results.
After the call
The IRS does not issue a new ITIN notice letter because of a name or date of birth correction. Once the correction is confirmed:
The ITIN number stays the same.
The corrected information will be reflected in the IRS system, which is what matters for tax filing and withholding.
If a bank or institution requires a document showing the correct name, you can use the original ITIN notice letter together with a short written explanation. In most cases, the ITIN number itself is enough.
Quick reference
Item | Details |
Who can call | Only the applicant personally. Third parties are not accepted |
IRS ITIN phone line | +1 800-908-9982 |
Phone menu | Press 1 for English, then press 1 again for the live-agent path |
Business hours | Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 21:00 Eastern Time |
Best calling time | Around 10:00 Eastern Time |
Typical wait time | 15 to 35 minutes |
New ITIN issued? | No. The same number is updated |
Confirmation letter mailed? | No. IRS updates it internally without a separate confirmation letter |