This Post is Now Out of Date and Contains Innaccurate Information, Please Refer to My Post Here

I have recently been going through the process of getting my Windows Phone Developer account setup so that when the Marketplace opens up I can receive payment from MS. For this process – being an international residing in a country who has a Tax Treaty Benefit with the United States – I had to submit a W7 Form with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to obtain an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number).

-Make sure to put your Treaty Country and Treaty Article in!

When filling in the section “Reason for submitting Form W-7″ if you ticked Box A (Nonresident alien required to get ITIN to claim tax treaty benefit) make sure you put in under Box H the last two boxes where it says “Additional information for a and f: Enter treaty country” and “treaty article number”.

Be sure to read Publication 901, rev April 2010 for a list of US Tax Treaties. Find your country and have a read.

- Make sure you get your documentation signed by a US Public Notary!

All of your Identification Documentation must be signed by a US Public Notary. Google “Public notary” and Google Maps will pop up with hopefully a good selection of them in your area. Ring around and find one that is US qualified and will be able to put their seal on it. Shop around too because some charged between $88, $70, $60, and $50 dollars. Also ask how much a second copy is because they might do it cheaper and you could need it! (Read the next step).

- Before you send it ring IRS Internationally!

The process takes around 6 weeks and if you are rejected you have to submit everything all over again! (They don’t send your documents back).

So get a cheap calling card and ring between Office Hours (Austin Texas, Central Daylight Time). Their international calling number is 215 516 2000 (from Australia I dialed 001112155162000). Their staff are rather helpful and although you may get bounced around a few times you will eventually find someone you need.

- Be sure to include Microsofts Cover Letter!

Make sure you also put it in the format;

• Date – The date you print the form in MM/DD/YYYY format.
• To – The Developer’s full name in first name + last name format.

Please note I haven’t touched on topics such as VAT or countries without a Tax Treaty as Australia isn’t influenced by these two things.

- Beau Allison