Question

Can I claim an undocumented person as a dependent?

Answer

No. To claim someone as a dependent, the person must have one of these:

  • Social Security number (SSN)
  • Individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN)

An undocumented person won’t have either of these, so they are unacceptable to claim as a dependent.

To get an ITIN, complete Form W-7 and file it with the IRS. To get the form, visit www.irs.gov.

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