NONRESIDENT ALIEN INVESTORS
Comprehensive Tax Compliance
FIRPTA Withholding Planning and Compliance (Exemptions / Early Refund Applications ("Withholding Certificates"))
Nonresident Alien Estate Planning* and Compliance (Estate and Gift Tax Returns)
Treaty Issues
SPECIFICALLY FOR NRAs
IRS Form W-7 - Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) (pdf)
IRS Disclosure of New ITIN Application Procedures
More Detailed Information on How to Apply for ITIN
How to Obtain ITIN from Outside the U.S. (from IRS Official Website)
IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Application Rules (from the American Institute of CPAs)
FIRPTA Withholding Regulations May Complicate Real Estate Closings (from Attorney's Title Insurance, Inc.)
A General Overview for Nonresident Aliens Investing in the US (pdf)
What we need from Nonresident Aliens to prepare their US Individual Income Tax return (pdf)
Historical Exchange Rates from OANDA.com (weblink)
Estate Planning, an Article from Baker & MacKenzie (pdf)
Commentary on the Canada-U.S. Tax Treaty's Fifth Protocol from The Tax Adviser (pdf)
* NOTE: Nonresident Aliens with US property are often exposed to US estate taxes with very little relief (and very little awareness, as a rule).
Generally, there is no marital deduction and the exemption from tax only applies to the first $60,000 of assets per person.
Also, the entire US estate may be taxed to the first to die. A "Qualified Domestic Order Trust" or QDOT may defer US estate tax in such cases.
There are Estate and Gift Tax Treaties between the US and many nations around the world. These Treaties often provide additional relief, and must be consulted in every case.
Mortgages against US property may or may not reduce the taxable value of the mortgaged property (the US estate tax is an ad valorem tax based on the value of the assets generally on the date of death).