Why did you say this is "帽膩"?

Are you sure "人不來美國不給ITIN"? Why did I find in the instruction of W-7, page 2, under "who must apply", there is an example CLEARLY says that "An alien spouse claimed as an exemption on a u.s. tax return who is not eligible to obtain an SSN"?

Of course, I don't really know what is the situations now. But I DO know it was ok in year 2000. At that time, one may apply an itin for his/her spouse who was in China and got the tax deduction. Is the rule changed recently?