I live in Hong Kong and chose China as my tax treaty country on my Form W-8BEN but the proof of identity I sent is not sufficient. Why?

We cannot accept proof of address documentation that is more than 12 months old or which is not legible. Please verify that the proof of address document submitted, such as a bank or brokerage statement or a utility bill, is less than 12 months old. You should also confirm you submitted all required documentation. In certain cases, the documentation must be submitted from the country with which you claimed treaty benefits or tax residency to be acceptable. …

Please confirm that the proof of identity you submitted was issued by the treaty country and that the proof of address relates to your address in the treaty country. A proof of address document alone is not sufficient to resolve the matter. Sometimes, customers inadvertently submit documentation for the other address. Please check the date of the proof of address document. We can only accept documents dated less than 12 months old. Also confirm you submitted a proof of identity document from the treaty country…

We will request additional documentation from existing clients if:

• Your account details show any U.S. connections (e.g., U.S. mailing or permanent address, U.S. telephone number, U.S. place of birth, citizenship or Green Card) or an address outside the country you identified on your IRS Form W-8 for purposes of claiming treaty benefits; or…

According to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, the U.S.- People’s Republic of China tax treaty does NOT apply to Macau or Taiwan (Republic of China). Unless you can provide a proof of address and identity in the People’s Republic of China or provide other evidence that you are a tax resident of People’s Republic of China, you may not claim Chinese tax treaty benefits…