Complete a W-8BEN for a non-US individual seller

Use this guide when TrekGuider asks for a W-8BEN. It records an individual's foreign tax status. US citizens living abroad and other US persons generally use a W-9 instead, so do not choose a form only from where you currently live. The IRS W-8BEN instructions explain who can use it.

Complete your details

1. Open the tax request in your account.
2. Check your legal first and last name.
3. Select Country of citizenship and Country of tax residence separately. They may differ.
4. Enter your actual residential street address, city, region, and postal code. Follow the form's instruction if your country does not use a region.
5. Check Date of birth against your identity records.
6. Enter your Foreign tax ID. Use My country doesn't give me a tax number only when that statement applies to you.

Check prefilled details carefully. A travel destination or public creator-profile country is not a substitute for your tax residence.

Complete a treaty claim only when applicable

I am claiming tax treaty benefits is optional. A claim asks for the treaty country, article and paragraph, claimed rate, income type, and explanation of the conditions you meet.

Do not enter a guessed 0% rate to finish the form. If you are unsure whether a treaty applies, resolve that with qualified tax guidance before making the claim.

Sign, submit, and keep it current

Read the certification, enter your Electronic signature, and select Send for review. TrekGuider emails the result. Completing the form does not by itself finish every payout requirement.

TrekGuider records an expiry at the end of the third calendar year after signing. For example, a form signed in 2026 normally expires on December 31, 2029. A change in circumstances can require an earlier replacement. Follow the expiry or update request in your account.

See tax requirements, replacement and review, and reporting versus tax forms.