| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Completing form W8-BEN: help needed Thread poster: Camille Frappier
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Hi everyone, I just signed in with a company based in the US and they ask me to fill the W8-BEN form. I don't know how to fill the following sections (they are in red so I can't send the form if I don't fill them):
US taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN)
Foreign tax identifying number
Reference number(s)
I am a French translator and just got started so I am completely lost. I think the Foreign tax identifying number and the reference number(s) shoul... See more Hi everyone, I just signed in with a company based in the US and they ask me to fill the W8-BEN form. I don't know how to fill the following sections (they are in red so I can't send the form if I don't fill them):
US taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN)
Foreign tax identifying number
Reference number(s)
I am a French translator and just got started so I am completely lost. I think the Foreign tax identifying number and the reference number(s) should be my SIREN number? I don't have a personal tax identifying number because I don't pay taxes yet.
Thanks for your help! ▲ Collapse
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US taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN)
Reference number(s)
You should leave them blank unless your client wants you to fill in a reference number. You are not a US taxpayer or resident, as far as I understand. So if the form blocks it, you need them to provide another version or download one yourself at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf .
... See more US taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN)
Reference number(s)
You should leave them blank unless your client wants you to fill in a reference number. You are not a US taxpayer or resident, as far as I understand. So if the form blocks it, you need them to provide another version or download one yourself at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf .
You can find the instructions for the form at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw8ben.pdf .
Foreign tax identifying number: it's also called a TIN (Tax Identification Number).
'The French name of the TIN is known as the numéro fiscal de référence or numéro SPI.'
(https://www.oecd.org/tax/automatic-exchange/crs-implementation-and-assistance/tax-identification-numbers/France-TIN.pdf)
You can find that under 'Vos références' on your avis d'impôt unless you have created a separate company.
If you have never received an avis d'impôt or otherwise been given a tax reference number, you need to contact your local centre d'impôt to get one. ▲ Collapse
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Thank you! I understand now. I was confused because US taxpayer... and reference numbers sections seemed mandatory.
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 20:03
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Camille Frappier wrote:
Hi everyone, I just signed in with a company based in the US and they ask me to fill the W8-BEN form.
You can download the form here:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf
IANAL, but you must fill in part 1 and part 4. Leave part 2 and 3 empty.
Part 1:
* Name of individual who is the beneficial owner : YOUR NAME AND SURNAME
* Country of citizenship : FRANCE
* (Previous versions of the W8 BEN form also asked for "Type of beneficial owner", which is "Individual" in your case)
* Permanent residence address (street, apt. or suite no., or rural route). : THE FIRST PART OF YOUR STREET ADDRESS
* City or town, state or province. Include postal code where appropriate. : YOUR CITY/TOWN AND POSTAL CODE
* Country : FRANCE
* Mailing address (if different from above) : (LEAVE EMPTY)
* City or town, state or province. Include postal code where appropriate. : (LEAVE EMPTY)
* Country : (LEAVE EMPTY)
* U.S. taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN), if required (see instructions) : (LEAVE EMPTY)
* Foreign tax identifying number (see instructions) : (LEAVE EMPTY)
* Check if FTIN not legally required : (LEAVE EMPTY)
* Reference number(s) (see instructions) : (LEAVE EMPTY)
* Date of birth (MM-DD-YYYY) (see instructions) : YOUR DATE OF BIRTH IN AMERICAN FORMAT
Part 4:
* I certify that I have the capacity to sign for the person identified on line 1 of this form. : TICK THE BOX
* Signature of beneficial owner (or individual authorized to sign for beneficial owner) : YOUR FULL SIGNATURE (the American idea of a signature is something that includes your full surname)
* Date (MM-DD-YYYY) : TODAY'S DATE IN AMERICAN FORMAT
* Print name of signer : YOUR NAME AND SURNAME
* (Previous versions of the W8 BEN form also asked "Capacity in which acting", which is "Self" in your case.
[Edited at 2021-10-12 12:17 GMT]
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William Tierney
United States
Local time: 14:03
Member (2002)
Arabic to English
| Confirm they actually need a form for you | Oct 12, 2021 |
Since you are not a US taxpayer, why does the agency need tax-payer documentation? They may have sent it to you automatically. Check back with them as to whether this is necessary.
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Thank you everyone for answering my questions, I was able to leave the sections blank!
| | | | Jean Lachaud
United States
Local time: 14:03
English to French
+ ...
I have lived in the USA for > 30 years. No one has ever objected to my signature, which does not include my full name, or any name at all for that matter.
J L
Samuel Murray wrote:
* Signature of beneficial owner (or individual authorized to sign for beneficial owner) : YOUR FULL SIGNATURE (the American idea of a signature is something that includes your full surname)
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
I sign three letters. In Cyrillic.
No one cares.
Jean Lachaud wrote: I have lived in the USA for > 30 years. No one has ever objected to my signature, which does not include my full name, or any name at all for that matter. J L Samuel Murray wrote:
* Signature of beneficial owner (or individual authorized to sign for beneficial owner) : YOUR FULL SIGNATURE (the American idea of a signature is something that includes your full surname)
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Adieu
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
I sign three letters. In Cyrillic.
No one cares.
PS they DO look like semi-legible *letters* though. Something like a Chinese character or the formerly known as Prince symbol might be too much.
Jean Lachaud wrote: I have lived in the USA for > 30 years. No one has ever objected to my signature, which does not include my full name, or any name at all for that matter. J L Samuel Murray wrote:
* Signature of beneficial owner (or individual authorized to sign for beneficial owner) : YOUR FULL SIGNATURE (the American idea of a signature is something that includes your full surname)
[Edited at 2021-10-12 15:52 GMT]
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 14:03
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
William Tierney wrote:
Since you are not a US taxpayer, why does the agency need tax-payer documentation? They may have sent it to you automatically. Check back with them as to whether this is necessary.
American clients need this form signed to avoid the requirement to withhold 30% of the payment for tax purposes. They have to keep the signed form on file in case of an audit, to prove that the vendor was not required to pay American taxes.
[Edited at 2021-10-12 17:46 GMT]
| | | | RobinB
United States
Local time: 13:03
German to English
| Pretty simple | Oct 14, 2021 |
Camille Frappier wrote:
Hi everyone, I just signed in with a company based in the US and they ask me to fill the W8-BEN form. I don't know how to fill the following sections (they are in red so I can't send the form if I don't fill them):
US taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN)
Foreign tax identifying number
Reference number(s)
I am a French translator and just got started so I am completely lost. I think the Foreign tax identifying number and the reference number(s) should be my SIREN number? I don't have a personal tax identifying number because I don't pay taxes yet.
Thanks for your help!
It's actually quite simple. You only need to complete the following fields (in some cases multiple boxes per field):
1
2
3
4
6
8
9
and sign and date the form. Scan it and mail it to your US client. If the form they sent requires a US TIN, they must send you a new form. Or download it yourself, as Samuel suggested. It should take you no longer than five minutes to complete.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 20:03
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
RobinB wrote:
Or download it yourself, as Samuel suggested. It should take you no longer than five minutes to complete.
Plus, the form is not client-specific. The agency is not mentioned anywhere on the form. You can fill in the form once, sign it once, scan it once, and then send that file to as many different agencies as you wish. In fact, some agencies will gladly accept a W8BEN form with an old date on it (and only rarely do agencies ask me for an updated W8BEN file with the new year's date on it).
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| Client answer | Oct 14, 2021 |
Hi everyone,
So the client answered my email and he said that I could fill the "Foreign tax identifier number" with my SIREN number but I wrote my "numéro de référence fiscal" as you told me. He said to leave the US taxpayer identification number blank.
Thank you so much!
| | | | Jean Lachaud
United States
Local time: 14:03
English to French
+ ...
So, now, the fact that you work for a US company may be made available to your bank in France, which may decide that you are a "US person" and close your accounts.
Good luck.
J L
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Jean Lachaud wrote:
So, now, the fact that you work for a US company may be made available to your bank in France, which may decide that you are a "US person" and close your accounts.
Good luck.
J L
Ridiculous scaremongering. Paranoid. Not based on facts.
The W-8BEN does not make anyone a 'US person' and neither does being paid by a US company.
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