W-8IMY - Certificate of Foreign Intermediary, Foreign Flow-Through Entity, or Certain U.S. Branches for United States Tax Withholding

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Instructions for Form W-8IMY

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Instructions for Form
W-8IMY

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service

(Rev. February 2006)
Certificate of Foreign Intermediary, Foreign Flow-Through Entity, or Certain U.S.
Branches for United States Tax Withholding

General Instructions
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless
otherwise noted.
Note. For definitions of terms used throughout these
instructions, see Definitions on pages 2 and 3.
Foreign persons are subject to U.S. tax at a 30% rate on
income they receive from U.S. sources that consists of
interest (including certain original issue discount (OID)),
dividends, rents, premiums, annuities, compensation for, or
in expectation of, services performed, or other fixed or
determinable annual or periodical (FDAP) gains, profits, or
income. This tax is imposed on the gross amount paid and
is generally collected by withholding under section 1441 or
1442 on that amount. A payment is considered to have been
made whether it is made directly to the beneficial owner or
to another person, such as an intermediary, agent, trustee,
executor, or partnership, for the benefit of the beneficial
owner.
Foreign persons are also subject to tax at graduated
rates on income they earn that is considered effectively
connected with a U.S. trade or business. If a foreign person
invests in a partnership that conducts a U.S. trade or
business, the foreign person is considered to be engaged in
a U.S. trade or business. The partnership is required to
withhold tax under section 1446 on the foreign person’s
distributive share of the partnership’s effectively connected
taxable income. The partnership may generally accept any
form submitted for purposes of section 1441 or 1442, with
few exceptions, to establish the foreign status of the partner.
See Regulations sections 1.1446-1 through 1.1446-6 to
determine whether the form submitted for purposes of
section 1441 or 1442 will be accepted for purposes of
section 1446.
For purposes of section 1446, Form W-8IMY may
only be submitted by an upper-tier foreign
CAUTION partnership or a foreign grantor trust, both of which
must furnish additional documentation for their owners.
Additional information. For additional information and
instructions for the withholding agent, see the Instructions
for the Requester of Forms W-8BEN, W-8ECI, W-8EXP, and
W-8IMY.
Who must file. Form W-8IMY must be provided by:
• A foreign person, or a foreign branch of a U.S. person, to
establish that it is a qualified intermediary that is not acting
for its own account, to represent that it has provided or will
provide a withholding statement, as required, and, if
applicable, to represent that it has assumed primary
withholding responsibility under Chapter 3 of the Code
(excluding section 1446) and/or primary Form 1099
reporting and backup withholding responsibility.
• A foreign person to establish that it is a nonqualified
intermediary that is not acting for its own account, and, if
applicable, that it is using the form to transmit withholding

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certificates and/or other documentary evidence and has
provided, or will provide, a withholding statement, as
required. A U.S. person cannot be a nonqualified
intermediary.
• A U.S. branch of certain foreign banks or foreign
insurance companies to represent that the income it
receives is not effectively connected with the conduct of a
trade or business within the United States and either that it
is using the form (a) as evidence of its agreement with the
withholding agent to be treated as a U.S. person with
respect to any payments associated with the Form W-8IMY
or (b) to transmit the documentation of the persons for
whom it receives a payment and has provided, or will
provide, a withholding statement, as required.
• A foreign partnership or a foreign simple or grantor trust to
establish that it is a withholding foreign partnership or
withholding foreign trust under the regulations for sections
1441 and 1442 and that it has provided, or will provide, a
withholding statement, as required.
• A foreign partnership or a foreign simple or grantor trust to
establish that it is a nonwithholding foreign partnership or
nonwithholding foreign simple or grantor trust for purposes
of section 1441 and 1442 and to represent that the income
is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business,
that the form is being used to transmit withholding
certificates and/or documentary evidence, and that it has
provided, or will provide, a withholding statement, as
required.
Solely for purposes of providing this form, a reverse
hybrid entity that is providing documentation on behalf of its
interest holders to claim a reduced rate of withholding under
a treaty is considered to be a nonqualified intermediary
unless it has entered into a qualified intermediary agreement
with the IRS.
• A foreign partnership or foreign grantor trust to establish
that it is an upper-tier foreign partnership or foreign grantor
trust for purposes of section 1446, and to represent that the
form is being used to transmit withholding certificates and/or
documentary evidence and that it has provided, or will
provide, a withholding statement, as required.
This form may serve to establish foreign status for
purposes of sections 1441, 1442, and 1446. However, any
representations that items of income, gain, deduction, or
loss are not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or
business will be disregarded by a partnership receiving this
form for purposes of section 1446 as the partnership will
undertake its own analysis.
Do not use Form W-8IMY if:

• You are the beneficial owner of U.S. source income (other
than income that is effectively connected with the conduct of
a trade or business within the United States) and you need
to establish that you are not a U.S. person. Instead, submit
Form W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial
Owner for United States Tax Withholding.

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Instructions for Form W-8IMY

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• You are the beneficial owner of U.S. source income (other

Expiration of Form W-8IMY. Generally, a Form W-8IMY
remains valid until the status of the person whose name is
on the certificate is changed in a way relevant to the
certificate or circumstances change that make the
information on the certificate no longer correct. The
indefinite validity period does not extend, however, to any
withholding certificates, documentary evidence, or
withholding statements associated with the certificate.

than income that is effectively connected with the conduct of
a trade or business within the United States) and are
claiming a reduced rate of, or exemption from, withholding
as a resident of a foreign country with which the United
States has an income tax treaty. Instead, provide Form
W-8BEN.
• You are filing for a hybrid entity claiming treaty benefits on
its own behalf, or you are filing for a reverse hybrid entity
and are not claiming treaty benefits on behalf of its interest
holders. Instead, provide Form W-8BEN.
• You are the beneficial owner of income that is effectively
connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the
United States. Instead, provide Form W-8ECI, Certificate of
Foreign Person’s Claim That Income Is Effectively
Connected With the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the
United States.
• You are a nonresident alien individual who claims
exemption from withholding on compensation for
independent or certain dependent personal services
performed in the United States. Instead, provide Form 8233,
Exemption From Withholding on Compensation for
Independent (and Certain Dependent) Personal Services of
a Nonresident Alien Individual, or Form W-4, Employee’s
Withholding Allowance Certificate.
• You are filing for a disregarded entity. (A business entity
that has a single owner and is not a corporation under
Regulations section 301.7701-2(b) is disregarded as an
entity separate from its owner.) Instead, provide Form
W-8BEN or W-8ECI.
• You are filing for a foreign government, international
organization, foreign central bank of issue, foreign
tax-exempt organization, foreign private foundation, or
government of a U.S. possession claiming the applicability
of section 115(2), 501(c), 892, 895, or 1443(b). Instead,
provide Form W-8EXP, Certificate of Foreign Government or
Other Foreign Organization for United States Tax
Withholding. However, these entities should use Form
W-8BEN if they are claiming treaty benefits or are providing
the form only to claim exempt recipient status for backup
withholding purposes.

Definitions
Amounts subject to withholding. Generally, an amount
subject to withholding under section 1441 or 1442 is an
amount from sources within the United States that is FDAP
income. FDAP income is all income included in gross
income, including interest (and original issue discount),
dividends, rents, royalties, and compensation. FDAP income
does not include most gains from the sale of property
(including market discount and option premiums). FDAP
income also does not include items of U.S. source income
that are excluded from gross income without regard to the
U.S. or foreign status of the holder, such as interest under
section 103(a).
Generally, an amount subject to withholding under
section 1446 is an amount that is, or is treated as, effectively
connected income of a U.S. trade or business of the
partnership.
Beneficial owner. For payments other than those for which
a reduced rate of withholding is claimed under an income
tax treaty, the beneficial owner of income is generally the
person who is required under U.S. tax principles to include
the income in gross income on a tax return. A person is not
a beneficial owner of income, however, to the extent that
person is receiving the income as a nominee, agent, or
custodian, or to the extent the person is a conduit whose
participation in a transaction is disregarded. In the case of
amounts paid that do not constitute income, beneficial
ownership is determined as if the payment were income.
Foreign partnerships, foreign simple trusts, and foreign
grantor trusts are not the beneficial owners of income paid
to the partnership or trust. The beneficial owners of income
paid to a foreign partnership are generally the partners in
the partnership, provided that the partner is not itself a
partnership, foreign simple or grantor trust, nominee, or
other agent. The beneficial owners of income paid to a
foreign simple trust (that is, a foreign trust that is described
in section 651(a)) are generally the beneficiaries of the trust,
if the beneficiary is not itself a foreign partnership, foreign
simple or grantor trust, nominee, or other agent. The
beneficial owners of a foreign grantor trust (that is, a foreign
trust to the extent that all or a portion of the income of the
trust is treated as owned by the grantor or another person
under sections 671 through 679) are the persons treated as
the owners of the trust. The beneficial owner of income paid
to a foreign complex trust (that is, a foreign trust that is not a
foreign simple trust or foreign grantor trust) is the trust itself.

Giving Form W-8IMY to the withholding agent. Do not
send Form W-8IMY to the IRS. Instead, give it to the person
who is requesting it. Generally, this person will be the one
from whom you receive the payment, who credits your
account, or a partnership that allocates income to you. Give
Form W-8IMY to the person requesting it before income is
paid to you, credited, or allocated to your account. If you do
not provide this form, the withholding agent may have to
withhold at the 30% rate, backup withholding rate with
respect to non effectively connected income, or the 35%
rate for net effectively connected taxable income allocable to
a foreign partner in a partnership. Generally, a separate
Form W-8IMY must be submitted to each withholding agent.
Change in circumstances. If a change in circumstances
makes any information on the Form W-8IMY (or any
documentation or a withholding statement associated with
the Form W-8IMY) you have submitted incorrect, you must
notify the withholding agent or payer within 30 days of the
changes in circumstances and you must file a new Form
W-8IMY or provide new documentation or a new withholding
statement.

The beneficial owner of income paid to a foreign estate is
the estate itself.
Fiscally transparent entity. An entity is treated as fiscally
transparent with respect to an item of income to the extent
that the interest holders in the entity must, on a current
basis, take into account separately their shares of an item of
income paid to the entity, whether or not distributed, and
must determine the character of the items of income as if
they were realized directly from the sources from which
realized by the entity.

You must update the information associated with Form
W-8IMY as often as is necessary to enable the withholding
agent to withhold at the appropriate rate on each payment
and to report such income.

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Flow-through entity. A flow-through entity is a foreign
partnership (other than a withholding foreign partnership), a
foreign simple or foreign grantor trust (other than a
withholding foreign trust), or, for payments for which a
reduced rate of withholding is claimed under an income tax
treaty, any entity to the extent the entity is considered to be
fiscally transparent (see earlier) with respect to the payment
by an interest holder’s jurisdiction.
Foreign person. A foreign person includes a nonresident
alien individual, a foreign corporation, a foreign partnership,
a foreign trust, a foreign estate, and any other person that is
not a U.S. person. It also includes a foreign branch or office
of a U.S. financial institution or U.S. clearing organization if
the foreign branch is a qualified intermediary. Generally, a
payment to a U.S. branch of a foreign person is a payment
to a foreign person.
Hybrid entity. A hybrid entity is any person (other than an
individual) that is treated as fiscally transparent (see earlier)
in the United States but is not treated as fiscally transparent
by a country with which the United States has an income tax
treaty. Hybrid status is relevant for claiming treaty benefits.
Intermediary. An intermediary is any person that acts as a
custodian, broker, nominee, or otherwise as an agent for
another person, regardless of whether that other person is
the beneficial owner of the amount paid, a flow-through
entity, or another intermediary.
Qualified intermediary. A qualified intermediary is a
person that is a party to a withholding agreement with the
IRS and is:
• A foreign financial institution or a foreign clearing
organization (other than a U.S. branch or U.S. office of the
institution or organization),
• A foreign branch or office of a U.S. financial institution or
a foreign branch or office of a U.S. clearing organization,
• A foreign corporation for purposes of presenting claims of
benefits under an income tax treaty on behalf of its
shareholders, or
• Any other person the IRS accepts as a qualified
intermediary and who enters into a withholding agreement
with the IRS.
See Rev. Proc. 2000-12 for procedures to apply to be a
qualified intermediary. You can find Rev. Proc. 2000-12 on
page 387 of Internal Revenue Bulletin (IRB) 2000-4 at
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb00-04.pdf. Also see Notice
2001-4 (IRB 2001-2); Rev. Proc. 2003-64, Appendix 3 (IRB
2003-32); and Rev. Proc. 2004-21 (IRB 2004-14).
Nonqualified intermediary. A nonqualified intermediary
is any intermediary that is not a U.S. person and that is not a
qualified intermediary.
Nonwithholding foreign partnership, simple trust, or
grantor trust. A nonwithholding foreign partnership is any
foreign partnership other than a withholding foreign
partnership. A nonwithholding foreign simple trust is any
foreign simple trust that is not a withholding foreign trust. A
nonwithholding foreign grantor trust is any foreign grantor
trust that is not a withholding foreign trust.
Reportable amount. Solely for purposes of the statements
required to be attached to Form W-8IMY, a reportable
amount is an amount subject to withholding, U.S. source
deposit interest (including original issue discount), and U.S.
source interest or original issue discount on the redemption
of short-term obligations. It does not include payments on
deposits with banks and other financial institutions that
remain on deposit for 2 weeks or less or amounts received
from the sale or exchange (other than a redemption) of a
short-term obligation that is effected outside the United
States. It also does not include amounts of original issue

discount arising from a sale and repurchase transaction
completed within a period of 2 weeks or less, or amounts
described in Regulations section 1.6049-5(b)(7), (10), or
(11) (relating to certain obligations issued in bearer form).
See the instructions for Forms 1042-S and 1099 to
determine whether these amounts are also subject to
information reporting.
Reverse hybrid entity. A reverse hybrid entity is any
person (other than an individual) that is not fiscally
transparent under U.S. tax law principles but that is fiscally
transparent under the laws of a jurisdiction with which the
United States has an income tax treaty.
Withholding agent. A withholding agent is any person,
U.S. or foreign, that has control, receipt, or custody of an
amount subject to withholding or who can disburse or make
payments of an amount subject to withholding. The
withholding agent may be an individual, corporation,
partnership, trust, association, or any other entity, including
(but not limited to) any foreign intermediary, foreign
partnership, and U.S. branches of certain foreign banks and
insurance companies. Generally, the person who pays (or
causes to be paid) the amount subject to withholding to the
foreign person (or to its agent) must withhold.
Withholding foreign partnership or withholding foreign
trust. A withholding foreign partnership or withholding
foreign trust is a foreign partnership or a foreign simple or
grantor trust that has entered into a withholding agreement
with the IRS in which it agrees to assume primary
withholding responsibility under sections 1441 and 1442 for
all payments that are made to it for certain of its partners,
beneficiaries, or owners and is acting in its capacity as a
withholding foreign partnership or withholding foreign trust.
See Rev. Proc. 2003-64 for procedures to apply to be a
withholding foreign partnership or trust. You can find Rev.
Proc. 2003-64 on page 306 of Internal Revenue Bulletin
(IRB) 2003-32 at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb03-32.pdf. Also
see Rev. Proc. 2004-21 (IRB 2004-14).

Specific Instructions
Part I
Line 1. Enter your name. By doing so, you are representing
to the payer or withholding agent that you are not the
beneficial owner of the amounts that will be paid to you.
Line 2. If you are a corporation, enter the country of
incorporation. If you are another type of entity, enter the
country under whose laws you are created, organized, or
governed. If you are an individual, enter “N/A” (for “not
applicable”).
Line 3. Check the one box that applies. If you are a foreign
partnership receiving the payment on behalf of your
partners, check the “Withholding foreign partnership” box or
the “Nonwithholding foreign partnership” box, whichever is
appropriate. If you are a foreign simple trust or foreign
grantor trust receiving the payment on behalf of your
beneficiaries or owners, check the “Withholding foreign
trust” box, the “Nonwithholding foreign simple trust” box, or
the “Nonwithholding foreign grantor trust” box, whichever is
appropriate. If you are a foreign partnership (or a foreign
trust) receiving a payment on behalf of persons other than
your partners (or beneficiaries or owners), check the
“Qualified intermediary” box or the “Nonqualified
intermediary” box, whichever is appropriate. A reverse
hybrid entity that is providing documentation from its interest

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holders to claim a reduced rate of withholding under a treaty
should check the “Nonqualified intermediary” box unless it
has entered into a qualified intermediary agreement with the
IRS. See Parts II Through VI below if you are acting in more
than one capacity. A partnership or grantor trust submitting
Form W-8IMY solely because it is allocated income
effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business as a
partner in a partnership should check the box for
nonwithholding foreign partnership or nonwithholding foreign
grantor trust and, if it is submitting or will submit
documentation for its partners or owners, it should complete
Part VI. A withholding foreign partnership or a grantor trust
that is a withholding foreign trust should submit a separate
Form W-8IMY if it is allocated income that is effectively
connected with a U.S. trade or business as a partner in a
partnership and should check the box for nonwithholding
foreign partnership or nonwithholding foreign grantor trust
and, if it is submitting or will submit documentation for its
partners or owners, it should complete Part VI.

A nonqualified intermediary, a nonwithholding foreign
partnership, or a nonwithholding foreign simple or grantor
trust is generally not required to provide a U.S. TIN.
However, a nonwithholding foreign grantor trust with five or
fewer grantors is required to provide an EIN.
Line 7. If your country of residence for tax purposes has
issued you a tax identifying number, enter it here.
Line 8. This line may be used by the filer of Form W-8IMY
or by the withholding agent to whom it is provided to include
any referencing information that is useful to the withholding
agent in carrying out its obligations. For example, a
withholding agent who is required to associate a particular
Form W-8BEN with this Form W-8IMY may want to use
line 8 for a referencing number or code that will make the
association clear.

Parts II Through VI
You should complete only one part. If you are acting in
multiple capacities, you must provide separate Forms
W-8IMY for each capacity. For example, if you are acting as
a qualified intermediary for one account, but a nonqualified
intermediary for another account, you must provide one
Form W-8IMY in your capacity as a qualified intermediary,
and a separate Form W-8IMY in your capacity as a
nonqualified intermediary.

Form W-8IMY may be submitted and accepted to

TIP satisfy documentation requirements for purposes of
withholding on certain partnership allocations to
foreign partners under section 1446. Section 1446 generally
requires withholding when a partnership is conducting a
trade or business in the United States and allocates income
effectively connected with that trade or business (ECI) to
foreign persons that are partners in the partnership. Section
1446 can also apply when certain income is treated as
effectively connected income of the partnership and is so
allocated.
An upper-tier partnership that is allocated ECI as a
partner in a partnership may, in certain circumstances, have
the lower-tier partnership perform its withholding obligation.
Generally, this is accomplished by the upper-tier partnership
submitting withholding certificates of its partners (for
example, Form W-8BEN ) along with a Form W-8IMY, which
identifies itself as a partnership, and identifying the manner
in which ECI of the upper-tier partnership will be allocated to
the partners. For further information, see Regulations
section 1.1446 – 5. A foreign grantor trust that is allocated
ECI as a partner in a partnership should provide the
withholding certificates of its grantor (for example, Form
W-8BEN ) along with its Form W-8IMY which identifies the
trust as a foreign grantor trust. See Regulations section
1.1446-1(c)(ii)(E) for the rules requiring it to provide
additional documentation to the partnership.
Line 4. Your permanent residence address is the address
in the country where you claim to be a resident. Do not show
the address of a financial institution, a post office box, or an
address used solely for mailing purposes. If you do not have
a tax residence in any country, the permanent residence
address is where you maintain your principal office or, if you
are an individual, where you normally reside.
Line 5. Enter your mailing address only if it is different from
the address you show on line 4.
Line 6. You must provide an employer identification number
(EIN) if you are a U.S. branch of a foreign bank or insurance
company, an upper-tier partnership that is allocated ECI as
a partner in a partnership, or a foreign grantor trust that is
allocated ECI as a partner.
If you are acting as a qualified intermediary, withholding
foreign partnership, or withholding foreign trust, check the
QI-EIN box and enter the EIN that was issued to you in such
capacity (your “QI-EIN,” “WP-EIN,” or “WT-EIN”). If you are
not acting in that capacity, you must use your U.S. taxpayer
identification number (TIN), if any, that is not your QI-EIN,
WP-EIN, or WT-EIN.

Part II — Qualified Intermediary
Check box 9a if you are a qualified intermediary (QI)
(whether or not you assume primary withholding
responsibility) for the income for which you are providing this
form. By checking the box, you are certifying to all of the
statements contained on line 9a.
Check box 9b only if you have assumed primary
withholding responsibility under Chapter 3 of the Code
(nonresident alien withholding) with respect to the accounts
identified on this line or in a withholding statement
associated with this form.
Check box 9c only if you have assumed primary Form
1099 reporting and backup withholding responsibility as
authorized in a withholding agreement with the IRS with
respect to the accounts identified on this line or in a
withholding statement associated with this form.
Although a QI obtains withholding certificates or
appropriate documentation from beneficial owners, payees,
and, if applicable, shareholders, as specified in your
withholding agreement with the IRS, a QI does not need to
attach the certificates or documentation to this form.
However, to the extent you have not assumed primary Form
1099 reporting or backup withholding responsibility, you
must disclose the names of those U.S. persons for whom
you receive reportable amounts and that are not exempt
recipients (as defined in Regulations section
1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii) or under section 6041, 6042, 6045, or
6050N). You should make this disclosure by attaching to
Form W-8IMY the Forms W-9 (or substitute forms) of
persons that are not exempt recipients. If you do not have a
Form W-9 for a non-exempt U.S. payee, you must attach to
Form W-8IMY any information you do have regarding that
person’s name, address, and TIN.
Withholding statement of a QI. As a QI, you must provide
a withholding statement to each withholding agent from
which you receive reportable amounts. The withholding
statement becomes an integral part of the Form W-8IMY
and, therefore, the certification statement that you sign in
Part VII of the form applies to the withholding statement as
well as to the form. The withholding statement must:

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• Designate those accounts for which you act as a QI,
• Designate those accounts for which you assumed primary

If you are acting on behalf of another NQI or on behalf of
a foreign partnership or foreign trust that is not a withholding
foreign partnership or a withholding foreign trust, you must
attach to your Form W-8IMY the Form W-8IMY of the other
NQI or the foreign partnership or the foreign trust together
with the withholding certificates and other documentation
attached to that Form W-8IMY.

withholding responsibility under Chapter 3 of the Code and/
or primary Form 1099 reporting and backup withholding
responsibility, and
• Provide information regarding withholding rate pools.
A withholding rate pool is a payment of a single type of
income, based on the categories of income reported on
Form 1042-S or Form 1099 (for example, interest or
dividends), that is subject to a single rate of withholding. The
withholding rate pool may be established by any reasonable
method agreed upon by you and the withholding agent. For
example, you may agree to establish a separate account for
a single withholding rate pool or you may agree to divide a
payment made to a single account into portions allocable to
each withholding rate pool. You must provide the
withholding rate pool information that is required for the
withholding agent to meet its withholding and reporting
obligations. A withholding agent may request any
information reasonably necessary to withhold and report
payments correctly.

Withholding statement of an NQI. In addition to valid
documentation of its customers, an NQI must provide a
withholding statement to obtain reduced rates of withholding
for its customers and to avoid certain reporting
responsibilities. The withholding statement must be provided
prior to a payment and becomes an integral part of the Form
W-8IMY and, therefore, the certification statement that you
sign in Part VII of the form applies to the withholding
statement as well as to the form. The withholding statement
must:
• Contain the name, address, U.S. TIN (if any), and the
type of documentation (documentary evidence, Form W-9,
or type of Form W-8) for every person for whom
documentation has been received and must state whether
that person is a U.S. exempt recipient, a U.S. non-exempt
recipient, or a foreign person. The statement must indicate
whether a foreign person is a beneficial owner or an
intermediary, flow-through entity, or U.S. branch and the
type of recipient, based on the recipient codes reported on
Form 1042-S.
• Allocate each payment by income type to every payee for
whom documentation has been provided. The type of
income is based on the income codes reported on Form
1042-S (or, if applicable, the income categories for Form
1099). If a payee receives income through another NQI,
flow-through entity, or U.S. branch, your withholding
certificate must also state the name, address, and U.S. TIN,
if known, of the other NQI or U.S. branch from which the
payee directly receives the payment or the flow-through
entity in which the payee has a direct ownership interest. If
another NQI, flow-through entity, or U.S. branch fails to
allocate a payment, you must provide, for that payment, the
name of the NQI, flow-through entity, or U.S. branch that
failed to allocate the payment.
• If a payee is identified as a foreign person, you must
specify the rate of withholding to which the payee is subject,
the payee’s country of residence and, if a reduced rate of
withholding is claimed, the basis for that reduced rate (for
example, treaty benefit, portfolio interest, exempt under
section 501(c)(3), 892, or 895). The statement must also
include the U.S. TIN (if required) and, if the beneficial owner
is not an individual and is claiming treaty benefits, state
whether the limitation on benefits and section 894
statements have been provided by the beneficial owner. You
must inform the withholding agent as to which payments
those statements relate.
• Contain any other information the withholding agent
requests in order to fulfill its withholding and reporting
obligations under Chapter 3 of the Code and/or Form 1099
reporting and backup withholding responsibility.
Alternative procedure for NQIs. Under this procedure,
you may provide information allocating a payment of a
reportable amount to each payee (including U.S. exempt
recipients) after a payment is made. To use the alternative
procedure you must inform the withholding agent on your
withholding statement that you are using the procedure and
the withholding agent must agree to the procedure.

If you do not assume primary Form 1099 reporting and
backup withholding responsibility, you must establish a
separate withholding rate pool for each U.S. non-exempt
recipient account holder disclosed to the withholding agent
unless the alternative procedure is used (see below). The
withholding rate pools are based on valid documentation
that you obtain under your withholding agreement with the
IRS or, if a payment cannot be reliably associated with valid
documentation, under the applicable presumption rules.
Alternative procedure for U.S. non-exempt recipients.
If permitted by the QI withholding agreement with the IRS
and if approved by the withholding agent, you may establish:
• A single withholding rate pool (not subject to backup
withholding) for all U.S. non-exempt recipient account
holders for whom you have provided Forms W-9 prior to the
withholding agent making any payments. Alternatively, you
may include such U.S. non-exempt recipients in a zero rate
withholding pool that includes U.S. exempt recipients and
foreign persons exempt from non-resident alien withholding
provided all the conditions of the alternative procedure are
met, and
• A separate withholding rate pool (subject to backup
withholding) for all U.S. non-exempt recipient account
holders for whom you have not provided Forms W-9 prior to
the withholding agent making any payments.
If you elect the alternative procedure, you must provide
the information required by your QI withholding agreement
to the withholding agent not later than January 15 of the
year following the year in which the payments are paid.
Failure to provide this information may result in penalties
under sections 6721 and 6722 and termination of your
withholding agreement with the IRS.
Updating the statement. The statement by which you
identify the relevant withholding rate pools must be updated
as often as is necessary to allow the withholding agent to
withhold at the appropriate rate on each payment and to
correctly report the income to the IRS. The updated
information becomes an integral part of Form W-8IMY.

Part III — Nonqualified Intermediary
If you are providing Form W-8IMY as a nonqualified
intermediary (NQI), you must check box 10a. By checking
this box, you are certifying to all of the statements on line
10a. Check box 10b if you are using this form to transmit
withholding certificates or other documentation.

!

CAUTION

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This alternative procedure cannot be used for
payments that are allocable to U.S. non-exempt
recipients.

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Instructions for Form W-8IMY

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Under this procedure, you must provide a withholding
agent with all the information required on the withholding
statement (see Withholding statement of an NQI on this
page) and all payee documentation, except the specific
allocation information for each payee, prior to the payment
of a reportable amount. In addition, you must provide the
withholding agent with withholding rate pool information. The
withholding statement must assign each payee to a
withholding rate pool prior to the payment of a reportable
amount. A withholding rate pool is a payment of a single
type of income, based on the income codes reported on
Form 1042-S (for example, interest or dividends), that is
subject to a single rate of withholding. The withholding rate
pool may be established by any reasonable method agreed
upon by you and the withholding agent. For example, you
may agree to establish a separate account for a single
withholding rate pool, or you may agree to divide a payment
made to a single account into portions allocable to each
withholding rate pool. You must determine withholding rate
pools based on valid documentation or, to the extent a
payment cannot be reliably associated with valid
documentation, the applicable presumption rules.

Withholding statement of a U.S. branch not treated as a
U.S. person. If you checked box 13, you must provide the
withholding agent with a written withholding statement. The
withholding statement becomes an integral part of the Form
W-8IMY. The withholding statement must provide the same
information outlined under Withholding statement of an NQI
on page 5.

Part V — Withholding Foreign
Partnership or Withholding Foreign
Trust
Check box 14 if you are a withholding foreign partnership or
a withholding foreign trust for the accounts for which you are
providing this form and you are receiving the income from
those accounts on behalf of your partners, beneficiaries, or
owners. If you are not receiving the income on behalf of your
partners, beneficiaries, or owners, do not complete Part V.
Instead, complete Part II or Part III, whichever is
appropriate. If you are a withholding foreign partnership or
trust that is acting as a nonwithholding foreign partnership or
trust for certain partners, beneficiaries, or owners, you must
complete Part VI with respect to those partners,
beneficiaries, or owners.
If you are acting as a withholding foreign partnership or
withholding foreign trust, you must assume primary
withholding responsibility for all payments that are made to
you for your partners, beneficiaries, or owners for which you
are required to act as a withholding foreign partnership or
trust. Therefore, you are not required to provide information
to the withholding agent regarding each partner’s,
beneficiary’s, or owner’s distributive share of the payment. If
you are also receiving payments from the same withholding
agent for persons other than your partners, beneficiaries, or
owners, you must provide a separate Form W-8IMY for
those payments.

You must provide the withholding agent with sufficient
information to allocate the income in each withholding rate
pool to each payee (including U.S. exempt recipients) within
the pool no later than January 31 of the year following the
year of payment. If you fail to provide allocation information,
if required, by January 31 for any withholding rate pool, you
may not use this procedure for any payment made after that
date for all withholding rate pools. You may remedy your
failure to provide allocation information by providing the
information to the withholding agent no later than February
14. See Regulations section 1.1441-1.

Part IV — Certain United States
Branches

Part VI — Nonwithholding Foreign
Partnership, Simple Trust, or Grantor
Trust

Line 11
Check the box to certify that you are either:
• A U.S. branch of a foreign bank subject to regulatory
supervision by the Federal Reserve Board or
• A U.S. branch of a foreign insurance company required to
file an annual statement on a form approved by the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners with the insurance
department of a state, a territory, or the District of Columbia.

Check box 15 if you are a foreign partnership or a foreign
simple or grantor trust that is not a withholding foreign
partnership or a withholding foreign trust. Additionally, check
box 15 if you are a withholding foreign partnership or trust
acting as a nonwithholding foreign partnership or trust for
certain partners, beneficiaries, or owners. By checking this
box, you are certifying to both of the statements on line 15.
Note. If you are receiving income that is effectively
connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the
United States, provide Form W-8ECI (instead of Form
W-8IMY).
If you are not receiving the income on behalf of your
partners, beneficiaries, or owners, do not complete Part VI.
Instead, complete Part II or Part III, whichever is
appropriate.
If you are acting on behalf of an NQI or another foreign
partnership or foreign trust that is not a withholding foreign
partnership or a withholding foreign trust, you must
associate with your Form W-8IMY the Form W-8IMY of the
other foreign partnership or foreign trust together with the
withholding certificates and other documentation attached to
that other form.
Withholding statement of nonwithholding foreign
partnership or nonwithholding foreign trust. You must
provide the withholding agent with a written withholding

By checking the box you are also certifying that the
income you are receiving is not effectively connected with
the conduct of your trade or business in the United States.
You must provide your EIN on line 6 of Part I.

Line 12 or 13
If you are one of the types of U.S. branches specified in the
instructions for line 11 above, then you may choose to be
treated in one of two ways:
1. Check box 12 if you have an agreement with the
withholding agent to which you are providing this form to be
treated as a U.S. person. In this case, you will be treated as
a U.S. person. Therefore, you will receive the payment free
of Chapter 3 withholding but you will yourself be responsible
for Chapter 3 withholding and backup withholding for any
payments you make or credit to the account of persons for
whom you are receiving the payment.
2. Check box 13 if you do not have an agreement with
the withholding agent to be treated as a U.S. person.

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Instructions for Form W-8IMY

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statement to obtain reduced rates of withholding and relief
from certain reporting obligations. The withholding statement
becomes an integral part of the Form W-8IMY. The
withholding statement must provide the same information
outlined under Withholding statement of an NQI on page 5.
Certain smaller and related partnerships and trusts. If
you are a foreign partnership or foreign simple or grantor
trust to which a QI is applying the rules of Section 4A.01 of
the QI agreement, or to which a WP or WT is applying the
rules of Section 10.01 of the WP or WT agreement (relating
to certain smaller partnerships and trusts), you must provide
the QI, WP, or WT with a Form W-8IMY; a Form W-8 from
each of your partners, beneficiaries, or owners; and a
withholding statement. The withholding statement must
provide the same information outlined under Withholding
statement of an NQI on page 5, except that it does not need
any allocation information.
If you are a foreign partnership or foreign simple or
grantor trust to which a QI is applying the rules of Section
4A.02 of the QI agreement, or to which a WP or WT is
applying the rules of Section 10.02 of the WP or WT
agreement (relating to certain related partnerships and
trusts), you must provide the QI, WP, or WT with a Form
W-8IMY and a withholding statement. The withholding
statement must provide the same information outlined under
Withholding statement of an NQI on page 5 except that it
may include pooled basis information regarding direct
partners, beneficiaries, or owners that are not
intermediaries, flow-through entities, or U.S. non-exempt
recipients.
See Rev. Proc. 2003-64 for rules regarding certain
smaller and related partnerships or trusts. You can find Rev.
Proc. 2003-64 on page 306 of Internal Revenue Bulletin
(IRB) 2003-32 at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb03-32.pdf. Also
see Rev. Proc. 2004-21 (IRB 2004 – 14).

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. We ask for the
information on this form to carry out the Internal Revenue
laws of the United States. If you are acting in any capacity
described in these instructions, you are required to give us
the information. We need it to ensure that you are complying
with these laws and to allow us to figure and collect the right
amount of tax.
You are not required to provide the information requested
on a form that is subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act
unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Books
or records relating to a form or its instructions must be
retained as long as their contents may become material in
the administration of any Internal Revenue law. Generally,
tax returns and return information are confidential, as
required by section 6103.
The time needed to complete and file this form will vary
depending on individual circumstances. The estimated
average time is: Recordkeeping, 5 hr., 58 min.; Learning
about the law or the form, 4 hr., 38 min.; Preparing the
form, 6 hr., 8 min.
If you have comments concerning the accuracy of these
time estimates or suggestions for making this form simpler,
we would be happy to hear from you. You can email us at
*[email protected]. Please put “Forms Comment” on the
subject line. Or you can write to Internal Revenue Service,
Tax Products Coordinating Committee,
SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, 1111 Constitution Ave. NW,
IR-6406, Washington, DC 20224. Do not send Form
W-8IMY to this office. Instead, give it to your withholding
agent.

Part VII — Certification
Form W-8IMY must be signed and dated by a person
authorized to sign a declaration under penalties of perjury
on behalf of the person whose name is on the form.

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