If we have a NRA customer who wants to open a Sole Proprietorship business - do we obtain a Form W-8 on the owner only? Or is there some other form we use to cerify the ITIN on the business? NOTE - the business is a US business and not affiliated with the owner's home country at all.

My first thoughts are to confirm the NRA status by asking how long the owner has been in the US. If the owner is not a Resident Alien - what form do we complete?

Thanks!

If this is a Sole Proprietorship there will only be one TIN, that of the owner.
If the person has a US TIN there would be no need for a W-8.
Sounds as if the first thing you have to do is determine what type of US TIN number the person has.

And whether or not they are in the US under a form of VISA that allows them to operate a business.

Just wanted to make sure you saw that... We don' allow NRA's to get a job in the U.S. without permission. It follows that we do not allow them to operate a business without permission either.

This is primarily an IRS compliance issue.

We have NRA's with TINs and they complete a W-8BEN.