Can I file taxes without a Social Security number?
Yes, with an ITIN: who has to file without a Social Security number, which credits you can get, and what to do if you don't have an ITIN yet.
Yes. If you don't have a Social Security number (SSN) and can't get one, you file your federal taxes with an ITIN, the nine-digit number the IRS issues for exactly that purpose, regardless of immigration status. With an ITIN you can file your 2025 return, get back taxes that were withheld from your pay, and claim credits such as the $500 Credit for Other Dependents. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), on the other hand, requires a Social Security number.
Free to start. Nothing is charged until you check out.
How do you file without a Social Security number?
With an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). The IRS issues it to people who have federal tax obligations but can't get a Social Security number, and it issues it regardless of immigration status. On your return, the ITIN goes in the same place a Social Security number would.
An ITIN is for taxes only. According to the IRS, it doesn't qualify you for Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit, doesn't provide or change immigration status, doesn't authorize you to work, and isn't identification outside the federal tax system.
Do I have to file if I don't have a Social Security number?
The rules for whether you have to file are the same with or without a Social Security number: they depend on your filing status, your age, and your income. If you were self-employed (for example in construction, cleaning, landscaping, or as a driver), you generally have to file if your net earnings were $400 or more, even if you were paid in cash.
According to the IRS, you need an ITIN if the law requires you to file a federal return, if you want to claim a refund or an allowable tax benefit, or if someone claims you as a spouse or dependent for an allowable benefit.
Why file even without a Social Security number?
- To get your money back: if your employer withheld federal tax, filing is the only way to get back what was over-withheld. The IRS points out that even if you aren't required to file, you may want to file to get a refund.
- To get the credits you are entitled to, such as the Credit for Other Dependents.
- To follow the law and avoid penalties: if you owe tax and don't file, the failure-to-file penalty adds up every month.
- To have your income on record with the IRS. Filing doesn't change your immigration status; for immigration questions, talk to an immigration attorney.
Which credits can I get with an ITIN?
- Credit for Other Dependents: up to $500 for each qualifying dependent. You can get it with an ITIN, and a dependent with an ITIN counts too.
- Child Tax Credit ($2,200 per child in 2025): starting in 2025 it requires that you have a Social Security number valid for work. If you file jointly, only one spouse needs one, and the child also needs a valid Social Security number of their own. We explain it in "Married with one ITIN and one SSN: how to file".
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): you can't get it with an ITIN. You, your spouse if filing jointly, and each child you claim need a valid Social Security number.
- The standard deduction does apply: for 2025 it's $15,750 for single filers, $31,500 for married couples filing jointly, and $23,625 for heads of household.
What if I don't have an ITIN yet?
You apply for an ITIN with Form W-7. Generally, the W-7 goes together with the tax return you need the number for: the IRS asks you to include the return in the same application package and not to send it separately. For credits, the ITIN has to be assigned by the due date of the return (including extensions), so it pays to apply in time.
Vordana Tax does not prepare Form W-7, and a return that goes with a W-7 can't be e-filed: it's mailed on paper with the application. Our guide "Form W-7: how to apply for an ITIN" walks through the IRS process. Once you have your ITIN, you can file your next returns online.
How to file with your ITIN on Vordana Tax
In the interview, under your personal information, check the box "Files with an ITIN instead of an SSN" (there's a matching one for your spouse). The software then applies the rules above for you: it gives you the Credit for Other Dependents when you qualify, applies the Child Tax Credit's Social Security number rule, and doesn't offer you the EITC, so your return isn't rejected and you aren't asked to pay money back later.
The whole interview is available in English or Spanish, your federal return gets a free review before you file it, and it's e-filed with the IRS. For how the return is filled in with an ITIN, see our guide "How to file taxes with an ITIN".
Questions
Can I do my taxes without a Social Security number?
Yes. If you can't get a Social Security number, you file with an ITIN. The rules for whether you have to file are the same, and you can get your refund and some credits, though not the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Does filing with an ITIN affect my immigration status?
According to the IRS, an ITIN is for tax purposes only and doesn't provide or change immigration status. For immigration questions, talk to an immigration attorney.
Can my ITIN expire?
Yes. If your ITIN isn't used on at least one federal tax return for three tax years in a row, it expires on December 31 of the third year and has to be renewed with Form W-7 before you use it again.
My spouse has a Social Security number and I have an ITIN. Can we file jointly?
Yes. The IRS lets a person with an ITIN file a joint return with a spouse who is a U.S. citizen or resident alien. See "Married with one ITIN and one SSN: how to file".
Sources
This guide is general information about 2025 federal returns. Your situation may differ; the IRS's instructions are the final word.
Free to start. Nothing is charged until you check out.
Start my return →