# I am not a US citizen or US resident—why do I need to complete this form?

A W-8 form allows you to self-certify that you are not a US citizen or US resident and do not have a distinct US legal entity for your business. The platforms you work with may need to collect a W-8/W-9 tax form to confirm your tax residency for 1099 reporting purposes. Please see this [IRS webpage](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/classification-of-taxpayers-for-us-tax-purposes) for more details.
We strongly recommend confirming your choice with your tax or legal advisor before finalizing your decision.
_This article is neither legal advice nor tax advice. We recommend that you speak to your tax advisor with any questions or concerns around tax reporting._