The W-8BEN-E is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) mandated form to collect correct Nonresident Alien (NRA) taxpayer information for entities for reporting purposes and to document their status for tax reporting purpose.
A foreign person, including a U.S. branch of a foreign person that is treated as a U.S. person under Regulations section 1.1441-1(b)(2)(iv) or a foreign branch of a U.S. financial institution that is a QI, may not provide a Form W-9.
IRS Form W-8 Submission Foreign vendors do not complete the Substitute Form W-9; foreign persons or entities must submit one of five available forms. The vendor must determine the one most appropriate to their United States tax status for reportable transactions.
If the owner of the disregarded entity is a foreign person, the owner must complete an appropriate Form W-8 instead of a Form W-9.
8BENE. The purpose of the 8BENE formthe Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax ithholding and Reportingis for foreign entities, not individual workers.
Give Form W-8 BEN to the withholding agent or payer if you are a foreign person and you are the beneficial owner of an amount subject to withholding. Submit Form W-8 BEN when requested by the withholding agent or payer whether or not you are claiming a reduced rate of, or exemption from, withholding.
Form W9 doesn't expire and is valid as long as the information it contains is correct. W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, and W-8ECI forms are usually valid for three years or as long as the forms contain correct information. W-8EXP and W-8IMY are usually valid indefinitely provided that the information doesn't change.
All payees listed in items 1 through 4 and 6 through 11 are exempt. Also, C corporations are exempt. A person registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 who regularly acts as a broker also is exempt. Barter exchange transactions and patronage dividends.
Only US-based companies need to collect Forms W-8 or W-9. If a company is based outside of the US, there's no need to collect them. The tax compliance matter still needs to be handled, but it's going to be ing to the laws of the country where the company is located.