Fill IRS Form W-8BEN Online
The W-8BEN for non-US individuals — certify your foreign status and claim treaty rates in your browser. Give it to the payer, not the IRS.
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About W-8BEN
Form W-8BEN is what a non-US individual gives a US business or financial institution to certify they're a foreign person — the mirror image of the W-9 that US persons use. If you're a freelancer in India, the Philippines, the UK, or anywhere outside the US getting paid by a US client, or you hold a US brokerage account from abroad, the payer needs a W-8BEN on file. Without it they must apply the default 30% withholding to US-source income; with it, and a valid tax-treaty claim, that rate often drops — sometimes to zero — depending on your country's treaty with the US.
The form is one page. Part I is your identifying information: name, country of citizenship, residence address (not a US address, and not a P.O. box), mailing address if different, and your foreign tax identifying number (your home-country tax ID) plus a date of birth. Part II is where the money is saved: name the country you're a resident of for treaty purposes, and if you're claiming a reduced rate, cite the treaty article and the rate. Part III is the certification you sign, attesting you're the beneficial owner and the information is true.
FormatFuse opens the official IRS W-8BEN and fills it entirely in your browser — your foreign tax ID and personal details never touch a server. Download the completed PDF and send it to the US payer who requested it (their vendor portal or AP department), not to the IRS. A W-8BEN is generally valid through the end of the third calendar year after you sign it, unless your circumstances change — then you file a fresh one. Note: this is the individual version; entities use W-8BEN-E instead.
How to fill W-8BEN
- 1
Part I — Identification
Enter your name, country of citizenship, and foreign residence address (no US address, no P.O. box).
- 2
Tax IDs
Add your foreign tax identifying number (home-country tax ID). A US SSN/ITIN is only needed in specific cases.
- 3
Part II — Treaty claim
State your country of tax residence. To claim a reduced withholding rate, cite the treaty article and the rate that applies.
- 4
Part III — Certify + sign
Sign and date, attesting you're the beneficial owner and the details are correct.
- 5
Send to the payer
Download and give it to the US business or bank that requested it — not to the IRS.
Privacy reminder. Your inputs — including your SSN, EIN, or PAN — never leave your browser. We do not log or transmit form values.
This tool fills the form, it does not give advice. It puts the information you enter onto the official PDF. It does not calculate your taxes, check your answers, or tell you if something is wrong. Compare everything to the official instructions, and if your situation is anything beyond simple, have a professional review it before you file or submit.
FormatFuse provides a privacy-first form-filling tool. We are not affiliated with the Internal Revenue Service and do not provide tax advice. Treaty positions can be complex — consult a cross-border tax professional if unsure. Give the completed W-8BEN to the requesting payer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the W-8BEN used for?
It certifies to a US payer that you're a non-US individual, so they apply the correct withholding on your US-source income (and the right tax reporting). Combined with a treaty claim in Part II, it can reduce the default 30% US withholding rate — often substantially — based on the tax treaty between the US and your country of residence.
What's the difference between W-8BEN and W-9?
W-9 is for US persons (citizens, residents, US entities). W-8BEN is for foreign individuals. If you're not a US person and a US company asks you for a 'W-9,' you almost always need the W-8BEN instead. Entities (companies, not individuals) use W-8BEN-E.
Do I need a US tax ID (SSN or ITIN) to fill the W-8BEN?
Usually no. For most treaty claims you provide your foreign tax identifying number — the tax ID from your home country. A US ITIN/SSN is only required in specific situations (for example, certain US-source income types). Enter your foreign TIN in the designated field.
How do I claim a tax treaty rate?
In Part II, state your country of tax residence, then cite the specific treaty article and the reduced rate that applies to your income type. The IRS publishes treaty tables (Publication 515 / Tax Treaty Tables) listing the rates by country and income category. If you're unsure of the article number, check those tables or ask a cross-border tax professional.
Where do I send the completed W-8BEN, and how long is it valid?
Give it to the US payer or financial institution that requested it — never to the IRS. It's generally valid from the signing date through the end of the third following calendar year (e.g., signed in 2026 → valid through Dec 31, 2029), unless your circumstances change, in which case you file a new one.
Is filling this in my browser private?
Yes. The PDF and everything you enter — including your foreign tax ID and address — stay on your device. Nothing is uploaded. Download the finished form and deliver it only through the payer's secure channel.
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