IRS registration platform
The IRS has developed a FATCA registration platform, and it is now available to foreign financial institutions (FFI). For the period from the opening of the FATCA registration website until 31 December 2013, an FFI will be able to access its account to modify, refine or add registration information, including to indicate the appropriate registration status, as such status is established, for example by the signing of an IGA. During this period, any information entered into the system will be merely stored and not considered as a final submission. On or after 1 January 2014, each FFI will be expected to finalise its registration information by logging into its account on the FATCA registration website, making any necessary additional changes and submitting the information as final.
When registrations are finalised and approved during 2014, the registering FFI will receive a notice of registration acceptance and will be issued with a Global Intermediary Identification Number (GIIN). The IRS will electronically post the first FFI list with their GIIN by 2 June 2014, and will update the list on a monthly basis thereafter. To ensure inclusion in the June 2014 IRS FFI list, FFIs will need to finalise their registration by 25 April 2014.
Registration may also be done on paper, via Form 8957, but this is not recommended by the IRS.
Additional information can be found in the following documents published by the IRS:
- FATCA Registration Overview
- FATCA Registration Online User Guide
- Tips for Logging into the FATCA Registration System
- Global Intermediary Identification Number (GIIN) Composition