I am an international student in the US with no SSN or other tax numbers. I am selling my own used clothes on Depop (not running a business or making a profit), but I cannot withdraw my money because they require a tax ID. What can I do to access my funds? Can I bypass this by linking my home country's bank account, or is there a way to get an ITIN for casual selling? Are there other platforms that are better for international students without an SSN?
You can safely sell your own used clothes casually without violating your F-1 visa, but you cannot get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) just to satisfy a selling platform.
You can cross the visa worry off your list. Selling your personal used clothes to clear out your closet is not considered unauthorized work.
First, selling your own used clothes casually is safe. Immigration attorneys advise that selling personal belongings you no longer need is not considered unauthorized work, as long as you are not buying items to resell for a profit.
However, you cannot get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) just for casual selling. An ITIN is a 9-digit number the IRS issues to people who need a US taxpayer ID but cannot get a Social Security Number (SSN). To get one, you must have a valid federal tax purpose, such as being legally required to file a US federal income tax return.
Because you do not have a federal tax purpose, you cannot apply for an ITIN to give to the platform.
You asked if linking your home country's bank account bypasses the tax ID requirement. The IRS and financial rules do not say whether a foreign bank account changes a US platform's ID collection process.
You also asked if there are other platforms that are better for international students without an SSN. The tax and immigration rules do not list alternative platforms.
For your current sales, the IRS requires payment apps to send you a Form 1099-K only if your business transactions exceed $20,000 and 200 transactions in a year.
