Learn how non-U.S. freelancers complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E on Upwork to withdraw earnings and avoid 30% IRS withholding.
This article is for non-U.S. persons. U.S. persons are required to file a Form W-9.
In this article
- What is the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, and why do I have to complete it?
- What happens if I don’t complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E?
- How soon can I withdraw my earnings after I complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E?
- How do I complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E as an individual, corporation, or partnership?
- How do I edit or update my Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E?
- What is a statement of source?
- Why are you asking me to update my W-8BEN form again?
- How do I complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E if I’m not an individual, corporation, or partnership, or if I’m claiming treaty benefits?
- How do I know if I completed the W-8BEN successfully?
- Do you verify my Tax Identification Number, and what are you using this information for?
- My tax residence has changed this year. Which country should I choose?
- What if I don’t have a Tax Identification Number (TIN)? What should I do?
What is the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, and why do I have to complete it?
- These are U.S. tax forms for non-U.S. persons
- The IRS uses them (through Upwork) to confirm you’re not a U.S. taxpayer
- With a valid form on file, Upwork is not required to withhold U.S. taxes from your earnings
- You must complete one before you can withdraw earnings
Learn more on the IRS website pages: W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E
What happens if I don’t complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E?
- You won’t be able to withdraw earnings from Upwork
- Upwork may be required to withhold up to 30% of your future earnings on Upwork and send it to the IRS
Important: We cannot give you a refund on taxes that we withhold and send to the IRS, even if you complete the form later.
How soon can I withdraw my earnings after I complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E?
You can withdraw funds as soon as you complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E.
How do I complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E as an individual, corporation, or partnership?
Go to Manage finances > Tax information and complete these sections:
Tax residence
- Enter your tax address (must be outside the U.S.) — be sure to keep this updated if you move
Taxpayer identification
- Confirm you’re a non-U.S. taxpayer
- Enter your legal name
- Select your federal tax classification from the dropdown box (individual, corporation, or partnership)
- Enter your date of birth
- Enter your country of citizenship (individual) or your country of incorporation (corporation or partnership)—must be outside the U.S.
Tax identification number
- Enter your tax ID—the number you use for tax reporting in your country. It may be referred to by a different name, such as a PAN number in India, for example, or a National ID number
- Read the tax certification, the statement of source confirming that the work you do is outside the U.S., and the confirmation of unchanged status, which includes reviewing the information you’ve provided (shown in the text box). Per U.S. tax law, you must let Upwork know if anything has changed by updating your W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E.
- Electronically sign with your legal name (the date will default to the date you sign).
- Check the confirmation box at the bottom of the page.
- Additionally, please sign the affidavit confirming your status has not changed, with your legal name.
Note: Once you finish a section, you’ll see a “Completed” label beside it. Until then, it will say “Not completed."
How do I edit or update my Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E?
Whether you need to make changes to your form or just need to update it to confirm the information is still valid, the process is the same:
- Go to Manage finances > Tax information
- Select the pencil icon in the section you need to change, if applicable
- Update your details as needed
- Review the information presented and re-sign
- Select Save
What is a statement of source?
It’s a statement on where a business's money came from or where work was completed to generate funds. On Upwork, you’re confirming that you’re not doing work within the U.S.
Why are you asking me to update my W-8BEN form again?
Even if nothing has changed, we may ask you to update your W-8BEN form from time to time. One common reason: the form needs to be refreshed every three years to stay valid.
We’ll always let you know when an update is needed — and walk you through the steps to take.
How do I complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E if I’m not an individual, corporation, or partnership, or if I’m claiming treaty benefits?
You can’t complete the full form on Upwork in these cases. Instead:
- Select “other entity type or claiming treaty benefits” for your federal tax classification
- Follow the on-screen instructions to submit the completed IRS form directly to the Upwork tax team
How do I know if I completed the W-8BEN successfully?
When you're filling out the W-8BEN for the first time, you’ll see a Not completed label next to each section. Once you finish a section, the label will update to Completed — so you can easily track your progress.
To complete the form, make sure you've filled out each of the following:
- Tax residence
- Taxpayer identification
- Tax identification number
Once all sections show as Completed, you're good to go.
If you need to update your W-8BEN — whether it’s due for renewal or your information has changed — you can find your current and past forms under Manage finances > Tax forms.
Note:
If you click on the pencil icon for any section, information may appear missing, but rest assured this is as designed. If you filled in all three sections and saved them, you have completed the request.
Do you verify my Tax Identification Number, and what are you using this information for?
Your TIN may be verified, but not necessarily right when you enter it.
We only use the form to confirm that you’re not a U.S. Person and that we’re not required to withhold taxes from your earnings for the IRS. This includes providing this information to the IRS if they request it.
Without this information, we’ll be required to withhold up to 30% of your future earnings on Upwork and send them to the IRS.
My tax residence has changed this year. Which country should I choose?
Please use your current TIN from where you live now.
What if I don’t have a Tax Identification Number (TIN)? What should I do?
- Double check: Your country may call the tax identification number by a different name, such as PAN in India, or use national ID numbers
- Request a TIN from your local tax authority: You can ask your local tax authority how to get one. You may be able to find more info about your country’s TIN here
Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and not to be considered tax advice. It may not be updated in real time or reflect recent changes. For questions about your tax obligations, check with your local tax authority or a qualified advisor.