Do You Need an ITIN to Get Paid as a Non-US Creator?

No. A non-US creator generally does not need a US ITIN to receive FanBell payouts, because Stripe verifies a connected account against its own country, entity type, and tax status, and eligible non-US individuals supply their country's own tax identifier instead. A US ITIN matters only when a separate US federal tax obligation requires one.

What is an ITIN, and who is it actually for?

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a 9-digit number the IRS issues to people who need a US taxpayer identification number for federal tax purposes but are not eligible for a Social Security number, and the IRS states that an ITIN "is issued by the IRS for federal tax purposes only" (IRS, "Individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN)"). It is a tax-filing credential, not a payment credential.

The IRS lists four things an ITIN does not do: it does not qualify the holder for Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit, provide or change immigration status, authorize the holder to work legally in the US, or serve as identification outside the federal tax system.

An ITIN is a nine-digit number beginning with the digit "9" whose fourth and fifth digits fall in the ranges 50 to 65, 70 to 88, 90 to 92, and 94 to 99, per IRS Publication 1915.

To get an ITIN, IRS Publication 1915 states an applicant "must complete Form W-7/W-7(SP) and attach a valid U.S. Federal income tax return, unless you qualify for an exception" (IRS Publication 1915) — a tax-return-driven application, not a payment-platform onboarding step.

The IRS also states plainly that "you cannot have both an ITIN and an SSN," and that someone who has or is eligible for a Social Security number should not apply for or renew an ITIN.

For someone who does need one, the IRS states it generally takes 7 weeks to notify an applicant of their ITIN status, or 9 to 11 weeks if the Form W-7 is filed during tax season (January 15 to April 30) or from overseas (IRS, "How to apply for an ITIN"). That 7-to-11-week IRS timeline runs independently of any payout platform's onboarding, because it is an IRS filing process rather than a Stripe or FanBell step.

An ITIN that is not used on a US federal tax return for any 3 consecutive tax years expires on December 31 after the third tax year of non-use, but the IRS states that an ITIN "only used on information returns that report payments you receive, like Form 1099" does not need to be renewed (IRS, "How to renew an ITIN").

Do non-US creators need an ITIN to connect Stripe?

No. Stripe states that connected-account verification requirements vary according to the account’s country, business type, requested capabilities, and other account details. Stripe's own SSN/ITIN collection rules confirm this is a US-specific check: Stripe requires the last four digits of an SSN or ITIN "at onboarding" only from US-resident account representatives, and from US-resident owners only once lifetime payment volume exceeds $500,000 (Stripe Support, "SSN/ITIN Collection Requirements")—a threshold and residency test that does not apply to a non-US individual's own connected account.

The non-US equivalent of the US tax form is a Form W-8, not an ITIN: Stripe collects Form W-8 from non-US individuals and businesses so they can self-certify that they are not a US person for tax purposes (Stripe Support, "Form W-8 and Affidavit of Unchanged Status"), while the Form W-9 that asks for an SSN, EIN, or ITIN is the form for US-located taxpayers.

The US reporting form behind that request is also US-specific: Stripe reports the federal Form 1099-K filing threshold as $20,000 in total gross volume and 200 transactions for tax year 2025, a form Stripe issues to US taxpayers rather than to a non-US creator verifying with a local tax identifier.

The exact identifier and documents requested can differ by country, so creators should follow the requirements displayed during Stripe onboarding. A creator onboarding in Germany or Canada, for example, should expect country-specific requirements rather than assume that the same tax number applies in both countries.

Stripe’s separate guidance for representatives or owners of US companies says that someone without an SSN or ITIN may provide a local, non-US tax ID and documentation establishing that they are not a US taxpayer. That page concerns US-company representatives and owners, so it should not be treated as a universal checklist for every non-US connected account.

For the table's last row—a non-US owner opening a US-based Stripe account for a US entity—Stripe says a non-US individual applying for an EIN for that entity should “indicate your foreign status and don’t include an SSN or ITIN if you don’t have one”. This path applies when someone has deliberately formed a US business entity; it is not the default route for an individual creator onboarding in another country.

When might a non-US creator actually need a US ITIN?

A non-US creator needs a US ITIN only when an independent US federal tax obligation requires a US taxpayer identification number — for example, filing a US federal income tax return, or claiming a reduced tax treaty rate on US-source income — and not merely because a fan payment arrives through a platform. The trigger is the US filing or withholding rule, not the payout itself.

The IRS identifies relevant situations such as a nonresident alien who must file a US tax return or a person claiming a tax treaty benefit when a US taxpayer identification number is required for reporting or withholding (IRS, "Am I eligible to apply for an ITIN?").

The IRS states that "a TIN must be on a withholding certificate if the beneficial owner is claiming" tax treaty benefits, exemption for effectively connected income, or exempt-organization status (IRS, "U.S. taxpayer identification number requirement"), which is the main scenario in which a non-US creator would need an ITIN.

A Form W-8BEN "generally will remain in effect for the period starting the date the form was signed and ending December 31 of the third succeeding calendar year," per the IRS Internal Revenue Manual, so a non-US creator's foreign-status certification generally has to be re-signed roughly every three years whether or not the creator holds an ITIN.

Where US-source income is paid to a nonresident alien, the IRS requires Form 1042-S to be filed with the IRS and furnished to the recipient of the income by March 15 of the following year (IRS, "Instructions for Form 1042-S"); that is a US payer's obligation, not something a non-US creator triggers by opening a payout account.

An ITIN may therefore matter if:

• You are required to file a US federal tax return.
• You need a US taxpayer identification number to claim a treaty benefit. The IRS states that US-source FDAP income paid to a nonresident alien is generally "taxed at a flat 30 percent (or lower treaty rate, if qualify)" (IRS, "Taxation of Nonresident Aliens"), and the IRS requires a TIN on the withholding certificate used to claim that lower treaty rate.
• A US payer requires a US TIN for a specific reporting or withholding obligation.
• A qualified tax professional determines that your US-sourced income creates a filing requirement.

Receiving fan payments while living outside the United States does not, by itself, establish that you need an ITIN. If a sponsor, platform, accountant, or other US-based payer requests one for its reporting, confirm why it is needed and consider getting advice for your specific tax situation.

How do FanBell payouts work without a US tax ID?

FanBell uses Stripe for creator payout onboarding, and the information Stripe requests depends on the creator’s account country and circumstances (how FanBell works). FanBell currently supports individual Stripe payouts in 41 countries, spanning North America, most of the European Economic Area plus the UK and Switzerland, and six Asia-Pacific markets, with the full country-by-country list published at how to get paid as a creator outside the US and confirmed live at /start; a non-US creator in one of those countries verifies with that country's own tax identifier rather than a US ITIN.

1. Connect Stripe during onboarding. You can create a FanBell page with no follower minimum and no monthly fee (FanBell pricing), then connect an eligible Stripe account through FanBell onboarding.
2. Complete country-specific verification. A non-US creator provides the identity, bank, and tax information Stripe requests for the account’s country and entity type—not a US ITIN by default.
3. Receive payments from eligible fans. Fans can pay for a private question, tip, personalized shoutout, or small service, subject to FanBell and Stripe’s supported locations, payment methods, and currencies.
4. Pay a fee only after a transaction. FanBell charges a 12% platform fee only when a fan pays, so a creator keeps 88% of that payment, with no monthly fee for keeping a page live.
5. Receive the remaining payout through Stripe. Stripe routes the remaining amount to the eligible bank account connected during onboarding; payout availability and settlement currency depend on the supported country, currency, and bank-account requirements.

FanBell cannot offer creator payouts in every country without limitation. Your country must be supported for onboarding and payouts; see how to get paid as a creator outside the US for the current country information and what to do if your country is not yet available.

Do you need a business entity if you do not have an ITIN?

No. An ITIN and a business entity serve different purposes, and FanBell does not require a creator to form a US LLC or corporation merely to receive fan payments. Eligible creators can onboard as individuals using the information Stripe requests for their country and entity type.

Forming a business may affect liability, accounting, local registration, and taxes, but it does not substitute for identity or tax verification. If you are considering an entity, do I need an LLC to accept fan payments explains what an LLC may change and what it does not.

Frequently asked questions

Does Stripe require an ITIN from every non-US creator?

No. Stripe’s connected-account requirements vary by account country, business type, capabilities, and tax status. A US ITIN is not a universal requirement for non-US creators.

What is the difference between an ITIN and the tax ID Stripe requests?

An ITIN is a US federal taxpayer identification number issued by the IRS to eligible people who cannot obtain an SSN. Stripe may instead request the local tax identifier or other verification information applicable to the creator’s account country and entity type.

Does already having an ITIN change FanBell payouts?

Not necessarily. An ITIN indicates a US federal tax relationship, but Stripe still verifies a connected account according to its country, entity type, capabilities, and other account details. Creators should provide the information requested during onboarding rather than assuming an ITIN replaces local verification.

Does an ITIN expire if it is only used for payment reporting?

No. The IRS states that an ITIN "only used on information returns that report payments you receive, like Form 1099" does not need to be renewed, and that expired ITINs may continue to be used on information returns; the 3-consecutive-year expiration rule applies to ITINs included on a US federal tax return.

Do fans see or provide a creator’s tax ID?

No. A creator submits tax and identity details privately during Stripe onboarding. Fans paying for a tip, question, shoutout, or other offering do not need the creator’s tax ID as part of the payment process.

Create your free FanBell page — no follower minimum and free to start, with a 12% fee only when a fan actually pays.