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What Is a W-8BEN Form? Who Needs It, Rates by Country
What is a W-8BEN and do I need one?
Short answer: The W-8BEN tells the US tax authorities that you are not a US person and claims your country's treaty rate on US dividend withholding. Without it, 30% of every US dividend you receive is withheld. With it, and with a treaty in place, that can fall to 15%, 10% or lower. It expires roughly every three years and must be renewed.
What it does and does not cover
It covers withholding on US-source income — mainly dividends and some interest. It does not affect capital gains, which the US generally does not tax for non-resident individuals.
It does not exempt you from tax at home. Most countries tax the dividend again and give a credit for what the US already withheld.
Where the treaty rate actually comes from
There is no universal foreign rate. Japan sits at 10%, most of Europe at 15%, India at 25%, and countries without a US treaty — Singapore, Hong Kong, most of the Gulf — get no reduction at all and pay the full 30%.
The common mistakes
Leaving the treaty article blank, which defaults you back to 30%. Letting it expire without renewing. Using a mailing address in a country you are not tax resident in, which can invalidate the claim entirely.
US dividend withholding by country with a W-8BEN
The rate a valid W-8BEN gets you on ordinary US dividends, for the 34 countries we cover. Where there is no treaty, or the treaty gives no dividend reduction, the full 30% applies.
| Country | Rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 10% | 10% treaty withholding on US dividends — among the lowest available. |
| Mexico | 10% | 10% treaty withholding on US dividends where claimed. |
| Australia | 15% | Treaty rate of 15% on US dividends with a valid W-8BEN; CGT reporting is on the Australian side. |
| Canada | 15% | 15% treaty rate; US dividends inside an RRSP are generally exempt from US withholding. |
| Egypt | 15% | 15% treaty withholding on US dividends where claimed on the W-8BEN; currency controls affect funding. |
| Germany | 15% | 15% treaty withholding on US dividends; German Abgeltungsteuer applies on top with credit for the US tax. |
| Indonesia | 15% | Treaty rate of 15% on US dividends with a valid W-8BEN. |
| Italy | 15% | 15% treaty withholding on US dividends; Italian tax applies with a foreign credit. |
| Netherlands | 15% | 15% treaty withholding on US dividends, creditable against Dutch box-3 liability. |
| New Zealand | 15% | 15% treaty withholding; FIF rules can apply to larger offshore holdings. |
| Poland | 15% | 15% treaty withholding on US dividends where claimed. |
| South Africa | 15% | Offshore allowance rules apply to funding; US dividend withholding is 15% under the treaty. |
| South Korea | 15% | 15% treaty withholding on US dividends. |
| Spain | 15% | 15% treaty withholding on US dividends with a valid W-8BEN. |
| Thailand | 15% | Treaty rate of 15% on US dividends where claimed on the W-8BEN. |
| United Kingdom | 15% | W-8BEN reduces US dividend withholding to 15% under the US–UK treaty; ISAs and SIPPs can hold US shares. |
| Turkey | 20% | 20% treaty withholding on US dividends; currency risk on funding is material. |
| India | 25% | LRS limits apply to outward remittance; US dividend withholding is 25% under the India treaty. |
| Philippines | 25% | Treaty may reduce US dividend withholding to 25% where properly claimed. |
| Bahrain | 30% | No treaty rate — 30% US dividend withholding applies. |
| Brazil | 30% | No US tax treaty — dividends are withheld at 30%. |
| Hong Kong | 30% | No US treaty rate — 30% dividend withholding applies. |
| Jordan | 30% | No US tax treaty — dividends are withheld at 30%. |
| Kenya | 30% | No US tax treaty — expect the full 30% dividend withholding. |
| Kuwait | 30% | No treaty rate — US dividends are withheld at 30%. |
| Malaysia | 30% | No US dividend treaty rate — 30% withholding applies. |
| Nigeria | 30% | No US tax treaty — US dividends are withheld at 30%. |
| Oman | 30% | No treaty rate — 30% US dividend withholding applies. |
| Pakistan | 30% | The US–Pakistan treaty gives no reduction on ordinary dividends — US dividends are withheld at 30%. |
| Qatar | 30% | No treaty rate — expect 30% US dividend withholding. |
| Saudi Arabia | 30% | No US income tax treaty with Saudi Arabia — US dividends are withheld at 30%. A W-8BEN is still required to certify non-US status. |
| Singapore | 30% | No treaty rate on US dividends — the default 30% withholding applies to Singapore residents. |
| United Arab Emirates | 30% | No US income tax treaty — US dividends are withheld at 30%, even though the UAE levies no personal income tax. A W-8BEN is still required. |
| Vietnam | 30% | No US dividend treaty rate in force — 30% withholding applies. |
Where to do it
Frequently asked questions
What is a W-8 form?
W-8 is a family of IRS forms a non-US person gives to a US payer to certify foreign status. Individuals use the W-8BEN; companies use the W-8BEN-E; the W-8ECI and W-8IMY cover business income and intermediaries. An individual investing in US stocks almost always needs the W-8BEN.
Do I send the W-8BEN to the IRS?
No. You give it to your broker, which acts as the withholding agent. Most brokers collect it as an online form during account opening and keep it on file; the IRS never receives it from you directly.
Who needs to fill in a W-8BEN?
Any non-US individual who holds US shares or receives US-source income through a broker — including residents of countries with no US tax treaty. Without a treaty it does not lower the rate, but it still certifies you are not a US person, which the broker requires.
What W-8BEN withholding rate applies in my country?
It depends on the treaty. The table on this page lists the dividend rate for 34 countries, from 10% for Japan and Mexico to the full 30% where there is no treaty or the treaty gives no dividend reduction.
Does the W-8BEN reduce my capital gains tax?
No. It only affects withholding on US-source income such as dividends.
How often do I renew it?
It generally remains valid until the end of the third calendar year after signing, and must be refiled sooner if your circumstances change.
What if my country has no US tax treaty?
The full 30% applies to dividends. That makes non-dividend-paying stocks and accumulating structures relatively more attractive for you.
Reviewed October 2026. Information only — not investment, tax or legal advice.