Getting a TIN is a crucial part of entering the workforce because having these digits signify that you’re now a working member of society. Unfortunately, getting a TIN will often be confusing and intimidating, especially for fresh graduates and inexperienced people.

Fortunately, that’s what we’re here for. In this article, we’ll learn everything you need to know about getting a TIN, what it’s for, and the specific processing steps.

Let’s dive right in!

 

What is a TIN?

TIN is short for Tax Identification Number. As its name might suggest, a TIN is a unique string of numbers that allows the government to identify you and acquire taxable income from you.

Tax revenues are the primary source of the government’s income, which it then uses to fund various projects and services for the public. 

Due to this, tax collection is one of the primary purposes of the government, and this purpose is represented by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, more familiarly called BIR.

If you’re already an employee, you might already be familiar with the tax cuts that happen to your paycheck.

The TIN plays a significant role in this function of the BIR. This is because the government assigns a single Tax Identification Number to every individual – your TIN is unique and valid your entire life. It’s used by Revenue District Offices to identify taxpayers and collect taxes.

Whether you’re going to be an employee, a business owner, or a freelancer, being assigned a TIN is essential for your future. Plus, there are many benefits that you can get from this handy string of digits.

 

What Can You Do With a TIN?

Before we get into the specifics of the TIN, we first need to understand the benefits of acquiring one. In this section, let’s see what you can do with a TIN so that we’re more motivated to undergo the process of acquiring it.

 

Fulfills Your Responsibility as a Citizen

The TIN’s primary purpose is to declare your intent to be taxed to the government. A TIN lets you be identified by the BIR, so they can take a percentage of any earnings you declare as tax.

This means you are doing your part as a responsible citizen of the country.

Your taxes will go a long way in helping various initiatives of the government. Only through the responsible taxation of their residents can the government push through critical projects such as social services, healthcare, military, transportation, and more. Without revenue from its citizens, the government essentially can’t function.

Thus, getting a TIN fulfills a part of our responsibility as good citizens of the country, as it allows the government to continue rendering its services.

 

For Paying Taxes On Your Own

Even if you don’t work as an agency or organization employee, you will still need to pay taxes.

Freelancers need to pay taxes to fulfill their government obligation and build the credit necessary to access services such as government credit or credit cards from banks.

Without paying or declaring your taxes, it will be difficult for you to create the necessary trust for financial institutions to back you when you need the funding for large financial transactions, such as securing loans for car or home purchases. 

This is because those financial institutions will likely ask for your ITR or some other verification form to see whether you have an excellent financial track record.

 

Requirement for Employment

Another benefit you can get from having a TIN is that it’s a requirement for legal employment. Your employer will look for your TIN when you start working in a government agency or private company, because they need to know that their employees are legally paying their dues.

This means that having your TIN before applying for a job will be a bonus because you don’t have to take time off from work to process these legal requirements.

However, most employers give their employees the chance to process these crucial requirements during company hours, especially if they’re hiring fresh graduates and previously-unemployed individuals.

 

Acts as Government Identification

While some agencies and services accept a TIN card as primary identification, some do not.

Although a TIN Card isn’t as universal of a government ID as others, such as UMID, it still has its value as a government identification that you can show when necessary.

Agencies such as the Pag-IBIG and DFA recognize the TIN Card as a secondary ID that you can show alongside primary identification. Some banks, such as Landbank, accept a TIN Card as a primary ID.

 

To Open Trading Accounts

Different institutions will have additional requirements to open an account, but most will require you to have a TIN.

Stock exchange trading accounts are essential to access financial assets such as stocks and funds. They allow you to invest your money towards the long-term growth of various companies within the country or play with the market’s short-term movements.

Whether you’re aiming to become a daytrader or a long-term investor, you can’t do it without opening an account.

Some trading accounts won’t require you to have a TIN to open an account, but it depends on the broker or your bank that you have, so it’s best to be prepared with all the legal requirements beforehand.

 

How to Get a TIN Card

Now that we understand the advantages of having a TIN, we’ll get into the specifics of processing it. This section will talk about everything necessary for you to easily acquire your TIN.

 

Who can get TIN?

Anyone can get a TIN. The website quotes the Tax Code Section 236 in a part of their website that says the following.

“Any person, whether natural or juridical, required under the authority of the Internal Revenue Code to make, render or file a return, statement or other documents, shall be supplied with or assigned a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to be indicated in the return, statement or document to be filed with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, for his proper identification for tax purposes.”

This means that anyone in the country can get a TIN for paying taxes, such as students and unemployed Filipinos, as long as they are 18 years old and above.

Even non-resident aliens (non-citizen foreigners) working in the country for more than three months are required by the BIR to get a TIN and pay taxes to the Philippine government.

 

Where can you get a TIN?

There are specific places where you can get a TIN – you can’t just go to any BIR office to apply, which is why it’s essential to know where you are allowed to bring your digits.

RDOs (Revenue District Offices) are assigned to each taxpayer in the country. It’s always going to be based on where they are currently living. Every area will be under the jurisdiction of an RDO, and it’s only on that specific RDO where applicants can get their TIN ID – nowhere else.

Aside from getting your TIN, your designated RDO will also be the only place where you can pay your taxes or register for a business.

Your tax registration and ability to pay taxes will be determined by where you live. This also means that you will have to request a change of data should you ever change residences.

To check where your assigned RDO is, you can email BIR at contact_us@bir.gov.ph or call the BIR Customer Assistance Division.

 

What are the requirements?

Registering for a TIN is one of the most accessible legal processes that someone can go through, which makes sense, considering that fresh graduates and unemployed individuals will mostly be the ones that avail of these services.

If this is your first time registering for a TIN, here are the requirements for getting your number.

·       BIR Registration Form (forms 1902 OR 1904, depending on your status)

·       1 valid ID

·       1 PSA-issued birth certificate

·       1 Community Tax Certificate

·       One 1×1 picture

·       Marriage contract (if applicable)

These requirements can be easily attained with enough preparation and foresight, and then you would be prepared to take on the challenge of acquiring a TIN.

 

What are the fees?

You don’t have to pay anything when acquiring a TIN ID, but you will have to pay a fee of 500 PHP if you’re just registering for a TIN.

You will only have to pay for a TIN ID when you request a replacement because you lost or damaged a TIN card, and it’s only worth 100 PHP.

There will also be people claiming to process your TIN application or ID in exchange for fees; you will see them on social media or maybe even hanging around BIR offices.

Don’t be misled by these people, as they will likely be fraudsters. The BIR doesn’t allow third parties to process TIN and ID cards.

 

What are the steps to get a TIN?

Although acquiring a TIN will be one of the easier processes you will begin, it still requires a fair bit of walking around and patience. This is especially true if you don’t know what you’re doing, as you’re liable to make mistakes that can even double your processing time if you’re not careful.

Therefore, you must know what to do in processing your TIN before you can process your TIN ID. Fortunately, this section will outline everything you need to do in an accessible, step-by-step format.

1.    Prepare your requirements ahead of time. Before proceeding to the RDO of your area, you should prepare the other conditions, such as valid ID, birth certificate, etc., in advance. Make sure to photocopy them as well.

2.    Proceed to your RDO. When you already have your requirements in hand, you can now go to your RDO.

3.    Acquire two (2) copies of form 1901 OR 1904. These forms are for registration for TIN. If unsure where to proceed, ask the information desk, any employees you see on site, or even the guards manning the premises. They will be able to direct you to your next steps.

Form 1901 is for employed applicants, while 1904 is for unemployed or student applicants.

Alternatively, you can also download the forms through the BIR website.

4.    Fill in all the required information. Accurately input all the needed information on the form. Ensure that you follow the instructions and don’t make any mistakes throughout the two forms.

5.    Submit your form and requirements. Ask anyone in the area to direct you to the counter to receive the requirements for the TIN application and submit everything.

6.    Pay the registration fee. Proceed to the payment reception counter and pay the registration fee.

7.    Wait for your TIN to be processed. Now that you’ve submitted your information, you must wait for your TIN to be processed. This will take anywhere from a few hours to the next working day. Make sure you ask the counter when you can return your registered TIN.

You can now proceed to process your TIN ID when you have your official TIN.

 

What are the steps to get a TIN ID?

If you already have a TIN, processing a TIN ID will be much easier. The only thing you have to do are the following.

1.    Prepare your requirements. TIN ID will require that you submit different requirements to your TIN processing. Prepare the following requirements before going to your RDO.

1.    Identification. Any form of legal identification will do, such as a PSA-issued birth certificate, tax certificate, passport, driver’s license, and more.

2.    Passport. If you’re a non-resident alien, prepare your passport.

3.    Marriage contract. Prepare a marriage contract if necessary.

2.    Proceed to your RDO. Remember that you can only get your TIN ID from the RDO that you’ve registered for a TIN.

3.    Ask for form 1904. Acquire two copies of form 1904 and fill them with the correct information. You can acquire form 1904 on-site, or you can also download it from the BIR website.

4.    Submit your forms and requirements. Submit your duly-accomplished registration forms to the right counter.

5.    Wait for your TIN ID to be processed. Now that you’ve submitted all of the requirements, you must wait for your TIN ID to be processed. Ensure you know how long you will have to wait by asking the BIR personnel managing your TIN ID application.

 

Everything You Need to Know About Registering for a TIN ID in the Philippines

Getting a TIN ID is critical for the employment of Filipinos and even non-resident citizens, so you shouldn’t hesitate to process your application as soon as possible. However, it can be confusing and even time-consuming, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.

This article discussed everything you need to know about acquiring your TIN ID; the entire process is laid out from start to finish. All that’s left is for you to start your processing!

 

FAQ

Can I get a TIN ID online? 

You can’t get a TIN ID online. Processing a TIN ID requires a personal appearance at the RDO as an added security measure. There aren’t any methods to process your entire application online, although you can download your forms from the BIR website.

 

Can I change my name on my TIN ID?

You can request a change of information for your TIN ID, especially if you went through specific circumstances such as marriage. There is an entire process for you to change your data on your TIN ID and TIN through BIR Form 1905.

 

How long does it take to get my replacement TIN ID?

Acquiring your replacement TIN ID can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Depending on the capacity of your RDO and the number of things they have to process, your replacement TIN ID processing can reach up to five days before you can receive it, at which point you will then be issued a TIN Card Claim Slip that will tell you when your card will be released.