What a Certifying Acceptance Agent is
An acceptance agent is an individual or business that the IRS has authorized to help people get an ITIN. A Certifying Acceptance Agent has extra authority: it can check your original documents itself.IRS
That matters because an ITIN application needs proof of who you are and that you are a foreign person. Applying on your own means mailing your original documents, or certified copies from the issuing agency, to the IRS in Austin, Texas, or visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in the U.S.IRS A CAA is a third route. It works in the U.S. and abroad.IRS
The IRS publishes a directory of approved agents, sorted by U.S. state and by country.IRS Our ITIN service is built around this route.
CAA vs acceptance agent (AA)
The IRS compares the two agent types like this. The short version: a CAA can authenticate most of your documents and hand them back on the spot, an AA cannot.IRS
| What the agent does | Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) | Acceptance Agent (AA) |
|---|---|---|
| Helps you complete Form W-7 | Yes | Yes |
| Authenticates your supporting documents | Yes Except foreign military ID cards. For dependents, passports and birth certificates only. | No Reviews your documents and sends them on. |
| Returns your documents | Immediately, once they are authenticated | The IRS returns them after processing. If they have not arrived within 60 days, you can call the IRS.IRS |
| Mails the application package to the IRS | Yes | Yes |
| Can work with the IRS to fix problems with your application | Yes | Yes |
| Receives copies of your ITIN notices | Yes | Not listed by the IRS |
| Prepares your tax return | If the agent offers it | If the agent offers it |
Source: the IRS acceptance agent program page. The highlighted row is the one that matters most.IRS
You do not need either type. The IRS also takes applications by mail, at designated IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers in the U.S. (by appointment) and at some Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites.IRS Our guide on getting an ITIN without mailing your passport compares all three routes.
What a CAA does on your application
In order, this is the CAA's part of the job:
- Interviews you. The IRS requires acceptance agents to interview each applicant. The interview can be done by video call. A CAA must have your original ID documents or certified copies from the issuing agency in its possession during that interview.IRS
- Checks your documents. It authenticates your identity and foreign-status documents. A current passport is the only stand-alone document; without one you need at least two types from the IRS list of 13.IRS
- Signs a certificate. The CAA completes Form W-7 (COA), the Certificate of Accuracy, and attaches it to your Form W-7. It states that the agent reviewed your original documents or certified copies.IRS
- Sends the package to the IRS. That is your Form W-7, your tax return if one is required, and the agent's certificate. The IRS then assigns the ITIN and mails you a notice.IRS
- Stays in the loop. A CAA receives copies of your ITIN notices and can work with the IRS if there is a problem.IRS
The IRS says to allow about 9 to 11 weeks when you apply from overseas or during tax season.IRS The agent does not control that clock, and neither does anyone else. Timing depends on the IRS.
How to choose a Certifying Acceptance Agent
Fees vary from one agent to the next, so compare what you get, not just the price.IRS Ask each one:
- Are you in the IRS directory of agents? Check the IRS acceptance agent page for your country. The IRS marks regular acceptance agents with an asterisk, so an entry without one is a Certifying Acceptance Agent.IRS
- Can the interview be done by video? If yes, you do not need an agent "near me". The IRS allows the interview itself to be done by video.IRS
- What exactly do I need to have ready? For most people it is a current passport. Spouses and dependents can need more.IRS
- What does the fee include? Does it cover preparing Form W-7, and does it cover a tax return? An ITIN application usually travels with a U.S. return.IRS
- What happens if the IRS rejects it? Ask for the refund terms in writing before you pay.
At Nolly.com the fee is US$199 for a Standard application and US$265 for Priority, one time. Most applicants also need a U.S. tax return: from $199, quoted before you pay. Money back if the IRS rejects your ITIN application. Terms apply.
Using Nolly.com as your Certifying Acceptance Agent
Nolly Services Inc, d/b/a Nolly.com, is a Toronto company. We work with people anywhere in the world, including people living in the U.S. without a Social Security number. You answer a short form and join a video interview. Your interview is on a live video call. No mailing your original passport to the IRS. We'll tell you exactly how to get your documents to us. We prepare your Form W-7, review it and your documents before they go to the IRS, and file it. The how it works page shows each step.
Money back if the IRS rejects your ITIN application. Terms apply. Prices in U.S. dollars.
Nolly.com is a private company. It is not the IRS and the IRS does not endorse it.
Your questions answered
A CAA is a person or firm approved by the IRS to help people apply for an ITIN. It helps complete Form W-7, authenticates most supporting documents, returns them right away and mails the application to the IRS.IRS
Both help complete Form W-7 and mail the package to the IRS. Only a CAA can authenticate your supporting documents and hand them back immediately. An acceptance agent reviews them and sends them to the IRS.IRS
No. You can mail your application to the IRS or apply in person at a designated IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in the U.S.IRS A CAA is an alternative, mainly useful if you live abroad or do not want to post original documents.
The IRS charges nothing for an ITIN. Agents set their own fees, and they vary.IRS Nolly.com charges US$199 for a Standard application and US$265 for Priority, one time. Most applicants also need a U.S. tax return: from $199, quoted before you pay.
Yes. Nolly Services Inc, d/b/a Nolly.com, is listed on IRS.gov as a Certifying Acceptance Agent (Canada list).IRS Nolly.com is a private company and is not part of the IRS.
Yes. The IRS says Acceptance Agents and Certifying Acceptance Agents are available both in the U.S. and abroad.IRS Nolly.com serves people worldwide.
It is the Certificate of Accuracy. A CAA completes one for each Form W-7 it sends to the IRS, to show it reviewed your original documents or certified copies.IRS
The IRS says to allow about 9 to 11 weeks when you apply from overseas or during tax season. It depends on the IRS and is not guaranteed.IRS
More questions? See the full Nolly.com FAQ.
How we checked this
Every IRS fact on this page comes from IRS.gov or the other official pages listed below and was checked on October 2, 2026. Nolly.com's own prices are the only exception. Nolly.com is a private company and is not part of the IRS.
Nolly Services Inc, d/b/a Nolly.com, appears on the IRS page Acceptance agents – Canada. Nolly.com is a private company and isn't part of the IRS.
- Instructions for Form W-7 (Rev. 12-2024)https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw7
- Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)https://www.irs.gov/individuals/individual-taxpayer-identification-number
- How do I apply for an ITIN?https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-do-i-apply-for-an-itin
- Acceptance agents - Canada (IRS list; page reviewed 30 September 2026)https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/acceptance-agents-canada
- ITIN Acceptance Agent Programhttps://www.irs.gov/individuals/itin-acceptance-agent-program
- Acceptance agent program (compare agent types, agents abroad)https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/acceptance-agent-program
Checked against IRS.gov on October 2, 2026. General information, not tax advice.
