[julescal]

NOT SURE WHAT TO DO: i ADOPTED MY SON FROM GUATEMALA IN 8/06. He CAME HOME ON AN 1R3 VISA THUS IS A US CITEZEN. i AM RE ADOPTING IN MY STATE (MA) HOWEVER I HAVE TO WAIT 6 MONTHS. SO I FIGURED I WOULD WAIT TO GET THE SS# UNTIL I DO THE NAME CHANGE AND I WAS GOING TO GET A ATIN FROM THE IRS FOR TAXES. THEN I HEARD THE ATIN IS ONLY FOR DOMESTIC ADOPTIONS... SO WHAT SHOULD I DO...GO GET A SS# NOW PRIOR TO HIS NAME CHANGE THEN UPDATE LATER OR STILL FILE FOR AN ATIN?????
THANKS

[jaymo]

the ATIN is NOT only for domestic adoption ... we are waiting (about 4 weeks so far) fr one for our girls! Check out the SSA website and they have the link for the form I can't remember what number it is but it takes 4-8 weeks to get it so HURRY to beat the Tax deadline.
Good Luck!
Maura.

[mommytoEli]

i got a ss # with eli's former name and it came in a week. once his readoption is finalized and name change is done, i will just do a name change at ss. i had to do a name change at ss office for my 3 others kiddos, and it was really not that big of a deal. if the ss number will be faster, just do that.

[KKR213]

I am also in MA and waited for awhile but then went ahead and got John's Social Security number under his birthname since I didn't want to wait to file my taxes. It only took a week to get. Just bring all your paperwork with you (protocolo, passports, birthcertificates). John's readoption is now complete and I will go and do a name change at SSA.

Good luck!

[DPline]

My understanding was that as long as you qualify for a SS# that you could not get an ATIN. (And regardless of an IR3 or an IR4 he would qualify for a SSN.) I looked on the SS website and couldn't find anything that allowed for an ATIN. From the IRS website I got this:

Q.6. Can I get an ATIN if I am adopting a child from another country?

A.6. You may apply for an ATIN for your prospective adoptive child only if you are in the process of adoption and meet all of the following qualifications:

The child is legally placed in your home for adoption by an authorized placement agency.
The adoption is a domestic adoption OR the adoption is a foreign adoption and the child/children have a permanent resident alien card or certification of citizenship.
You cannot obtain the child's existing SSN even though you have made a reasonable attempt to obtain it from the birth parents, the placement agency, and other persons.
You cannot obtain an SSN for the child from the SSA for any reason. (For example, the adoption is not final).
You are eligible to claim the child as a dependent on your tax return.

Since you can get a SSN regardless of visa type, all the qualifications can not be met from what I can see.

Doing the name change after you complete the readoption is very simple.

[julescal]

thank you all for the advice...i went down to SS and it was very easy..in and out in 45 min and i will get a card in 7 days thanks