Global Intermediary Identification Number
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Corporations/Information-for-Foreign-Financial-Institutions
Type
Regulatory
Jurisdiction
U.S.
Sponsor/Regulator
U.S. Internal Revenue Service
Description
A Global Intermediary Identification Number (GIIN) is issued by the Internal Revenue Service to each participating Foreign Financial Institution (FFI) and registered deemed-compliant FFI. GIINs will be assigned beginning in 2014 and should be used as the financial institution's identifying number for satisfying its reporting requirements and identifying its status to withholding agents.
Key Facts
An FFI that has registered to be FATCA compliant and that has been issued a global intermediary identification number (GIIN) will appear on a published FFI List. Withholding agents may rely on an FFI’s claim of FATCA status based on checking the payee's GIIN against the published FFI List. FFIs registering to be FATCA compliant will be able to do so through a secure online web portal, the FATCA Registration Portal (Portal), from anywhere in the world. The Portal is designed to accomplish an entirely paperless registration process and will be accessible to financial institutions beginning in August 2013.
Who it affects
Most foreign persons earning income sourced in the U.S.
Additional Information
FFI List Schema and Test Files