Guide – W-8BEN & US Tax Forms

1) Introduction

In the US tax system, payors and platforms (Payoneer, Upwork, Amazon, AdSense, app stores, etc.) often require non-US users to submit a valid US tax form. The most common for individuals is the W-8BEN form (IRS: Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting). Filing the correct form can help you claim tax treaty benefits and reduce withholding tax.

2) Which form do I need?

3) How to fill W-8BEN (step-by-step)

Part I — Identification of Beneficial Owner

• Full name — Your legal name (as in passport).
• Citizenship — Your country of citizenship.
• Permanent residence address — A non-US address (country must be outside the US).
• Mailing address — If different from your permanent address.
• Foreign TIN (Tax Identification Number) — Required by many payors; improves acceptance.
• US TIN (ITIN/SSN) — Only if applicable (many non-US individuals do not have one).
• Date of birth — In the required format (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD).

Part II — Claim of Tax Treaty Benefits (if applicable)

If your country has an income tax treaty with the United States, you may claim a reduced rate of withholding tax for the applicable type of income (e.g., services, royalties). You must specify the treaty article and (if needed) a paragraph, plus the corresponding rate. AutoTaxForms can pre-select treaty articles when eligible, minimizing errors.

Part III — Certification

• Read the certification statements carefully.
• Sign and date the form. Many platforms accept a digitally signed PDF.
• Submit the signed W-8BEN PDF to your payor/platform as requested.

4) Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving Foreign TIN empty when your country requires it.
• Choosing the wrong treaty article/rate or claiming a benefit your country doesn’t have.
• Using a US address as permanent residence (W-8BEN is for non-US individuals).
• Forgetting to sign and date the form before submission.

5) How long is W-8BEN valid?

A W-8BEN form is typically valid for up to 3 calendar years, unless your residency/citizenship or treaty eligibility changes sooner. If anything changes, you should submit an updated form.

6) What if I don’t submit W-8BEN?

Your US-source payments may be subject to the default 30% withholding tax. Submitting the correct US tax form (W-8BEN for non-US individuals) helps ensure proper withholding and reporting.

7) Download & e-sign

AutoTaxForms lets you fill W-8BEN online with minimal fields, auto-maps to the official IRS PDF, and applies your e-signature. You can then download a ready-to-submit PDF for Payoneer, Upwork, Amazon, AdSense, and more.