Your ITIN got rejected. That means your Stripe account stays blocked, your US LLC can’t open a bank account, and every dollar you earn from US clients sits under 30% federal withholding instead of the reduced rate a valid ITIN would get you. This isn’t a paperwork issue. Every month without an ITIN costs you money.

Read this before doing anything else. If you’ve already sent a second application while your first one is still being processed, stop. The IRS flags duplicate submissions, and it almost always results in a second rejection. Wait for a definitive notice on your first application before sending anything new.

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Understanding Your IRS Rejection Notice (CP-567 & CP-566)

First, identify which notice you actually received – these two letters mean different things.

A CP-566 means your application is still under review but the IRS needs something from you. It’s not a rejection yet. You have 45 days to respond. Miss that window and your application gets automatically rejected – no extension, no grace period. A lot of Pakistani applicants treat this as a formality and wait too long, losing the entire submission.

A CP-567 is the actual rejection. The IRS reviewed your application and denied it. The notice includes a reason code that tells you what went wrong. That code is your starting point.

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Why Pakistani ITIN Applications Fail: Common Pitfalls

The Notary Trap

This is where most Pakistani applications fail, and it rarely gets explained clearly.

Since 2011, the IRS stopped accepting notarized document certifications. Apostille stamps aren’t accepted either. If you had your passport copy stamped and signed by a notary in Karachi and included it with your W-7, that’s why it was rejected. The IRS has no way to verify a foreign notary’s credentials or authority, so the stamp carries no weight in their process.

This catches a lot of Pakistani applicants because notarization works for visa applications, SECP filings, and UK company documents. It feels like the right move. It isn’t here.

The Wet Signature Requirement

Form W-7 requires a physical, handwritten signature. Not a digital signature. Not a typed name. Not a stylus on a touchscreen. A real pen on real paper. The IRS checks for this, and a digital signature is grounds for rejection. This catches a lot of freelancers and agency owners who handle everything digitally. For this form, paper and pen only.

The Missing Tax Return

In most cases, your W-7 must be attached to a US tax return. For Pakistani NRPs earning from a US LLC or receiving US-source income, that’s typically Form 1040-NR. Submitting a W-7 alone without the accompanying return is one of the most common rejection reasons. Specific exceptions exist, but you need to qualify and declare the exception explicitly on the form. If you’re unsure whether you qualify, assume you need the 1040-NR.

The NRP Double-Bind

This one affects Non-Resident Pakistanis living in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, or elsewhere in the Gulf. They hold a Pakistani passport but their utility bills and bank statements show a Gulf address. The IRS looks for consistency between the mailing address on your W-7 and the supporting documents you submit. A Pakistani passport paired with a DEWA bill from Dubai creates a mismatch the IRS may not process cleanly. Your supporting documents need to match the address listed on the application, not just prove your identity.

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Step-by-Step Plan to Resubmit Your Application

Once you’ve confirmed your original application was formally rejected – not just delayed – here’s how to resubmit.

Start with a fresh Form W-7. Download the current version from the IRS website. Don’t reuse an old printed form. Fill it out by hand and sign it with a real pen.

Attach the correct US tax return. For most Pakistani freelancers, LLC owners, and Amazon FBA sellers with US-source income, this will be a 1040-NR. If you’re unsure which return applies, get help from someone who knows US tax requirements for non-residents.

For supporting documents, here’s how Pakistani paperwork typically fares with the IRS:

Your passport is the primary document. It must be current and valid – not expired by a single day. Everything else is secondary.

Bank statements from HBL, Meezan Bank, or Bank Alfalah are widely accepted and straightforward to obtain. Make sure they clearly show your name and address.

Utility bills from LESCO, SSGC, or KESC are accepted, but if the bill header or account details are printed in Urdu, you may need a certified English translation before including them. Don’t skip this assuming the IRS will figure it out.

One thing most people miss: each new application requires a fresh fee. This isn’t a reprocessing of your old submission – it’s a new application entirely.

On timelines: the IRS quotes 6 to 11 weeks. For international mail from Pakistan, the real figure is often 16 weeks or more once postal delays in both directions are counted. Plan for that, not the optimistic version.

On your CNIC: your Computerized National Identity Card is not accepted by the IRS as a standalone identity document for ITIN applications. It must be a passport.

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Why Working With a Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) Matters

A CAA is the only person the IRS has authorized to verify your original identity documents on their behalf. That’s not promotional language – it’s a legal designation. When a CAA certifies your documents, you don’t have to put your original passport in an envelope and mail it to the United States. For anyone who’s heard about passports getting lost in international mail – or who simply can’t be without their passport for three months – that matters.

Beyond the passport risk, a CAA reviews your application against current IRS requirements before it goes in. They’ll catch the wet signature issue. They’ll flag document mismatches. They’ll know whether you need a 1040-NR or qualify for an exception. That’s not something you want to discover through trial and error at six months per attempt.

For Pakistani NRPs, the financial side is real. Without a valid ITIN, US income is subject to 30% federal withholding. With a valid ITIN and correct filing, that rate drops under Pakistan-US tax treaty provisions. The longer you’re without an ITIN, the longer that gap costs you.

If you want help from a CAA who works with Pakistani applicants, Xpezia’s ITIN Application Service handles this. For help reviewing your W-7 before submission, start with the W-7 Assistance Service.

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Frequently Asked Questions