How to Get an EIN Without an SSN (Non-Resident Guide)

If you don't have a Social Security Number, the IRS website will not issue your LLC an EIN online. This guide covers the paper route that actually works for non-resident founders, including timelines and the mistakes that cause delays.

What an EIN actually does for your LLC

An EIN, or Employer Identification Number, is the tax ID the IRS assigns to your business. It is separate from any personal tax ID you may or may not have. You need an EIN to open a US business bank account, to file the annual paperwork your LLC owes even with zero revenue, to sign up for payment processors, and to apply for business credit cards. Without it, your LLC is basically a piece of paper with a state stamp on it and nothing else works.

The confusing part for most non-US founders is that the fastest way to get an EIN, the free online application on irs.gov, simply will not let you finish if you do not have a Social Security Number or an ITIN.

Why the online EIN tool blocks non-residents

The IRS online EIN Assistant asks for the responsible party's SSN or ITIN as a taxpayer identification number and checks it against IRS and Social Security Administration records in real time. If you type in your foreign passport number, a placeholder, or leave the field blank, the system will not let you submit. This has nothing to do with your visa status or where you live. It is purely about that one data field. Founders sometimes assume they need a visa to get an EIN. You do not. The IRS is not checking immigration status here at all, it is checking for a US tax ID number that most non-residents simply do not have yet.

The good news is that the IRS has a separate, older process built exactly for this situation: paper Form SS-4.

The SS-4 route: how it actually works

Step 1: Form your LLC first

You need an approved LLC before you apply for an EIN. Most non-resident founders choose Wyoming because it is inexpensive, does not require a state-level business license for a simple holding or online business, and has straightforward remote formation. Whatever state you choose, keep the stamped Certificate of Formation and your registered agent details on hand, you will need them on the form.

Step 2: Fill out Form SS-4 by hand

Download Form SS-4 from irs.gov and complete it manually. The two lines that trip people up are line 7b, where you enter the responsible party's SSN or ITIN, and line 9a, the entity type. If the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN, write 'Foreign' in that box rather than leaving it empty or inventing a number. For a single-member LLC owned by a non-resident, you will normally check 'disregarded entity' unless you have elected corporate tax treatment.

Step 3: Fax or mail it to the IRS

Non-residents without a US address use a specific IRS fax number and mailing address for international applicants, listed in the current SS-4 instructions. Fax is almost always faster than mail. Send a cover sheet with your name and a return fax number if you have one, the IRS will fax your EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) back once it is processed.

Step 4: Or call the international EIN line

The IRS also runs a phone line for international applicants who want to apply by phone. It is not toll free, call volumes are high, and you should have your completed SS-4 in front of you before you dial so you can answer questions quickly. Some founders get an EIN read out to them on the same call, others are told to fax or mail the form anyway. It is worth trying, but do not count on it.

Who counts as the responsible party

The responsible party is the person who ultimately owns, controls, or has authority over the LLC and the disposition of its funds. For a single founder LLC, this is normally you. It cannot be an outside agent or filing company acting purely as a paperwork processor, the IRS wants a real human being with actual control over the business. If you are a resident of another country with no SSN or ITIN, that is fine, you can still be listed as the responsible party, you just complete line 7b with 'Foreign' as described above.

Realistic timelines

These timeframes shift depending on the time of year, the IRS processes far more applications around US tax season, so filing in January through April can mean longer waits than filing in the autumn.

Common mistakes that cause delays

• Trying the online tool first, getting rejected, then resubmitting the same information by fax without fixing the responsible party field
• Leaving line 7b blank instead of writing 'Foreign'
• Sending the SS-4 before the LLC is actually approved by the state
• Using a fax number or address meant for domestic applicants rather than the international one
• Not keeping a copy of the signed SS-4, which you will need again for opening a bank account or if the IRS has questions

What to do once you have your EIN

Your CP 575 confirmation letter is one of the core documents US banks and card providers ask for during remote onboarding, alongside your LLC formation documents and your ID. You do not need an ITIN to get an EIN, and you do not need an EIN to eventually apply for an ITIN either, they solve different problems. The EIN identifies your business, an ITIN identifies you personally for tax filing purposes and only becomes relevant later, typically when you file a personal US tax return.

One thing the EIN does not remove is your annual filing obligation. A foreign-owned single-member LLC with no US-source income still has to file Form 5472 along with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year. This is an information return, it does not calculate or trigger tax on its own, but skipping it carries a penalty of twenty five thousand dollars per missed filing. Getting the EIN is the first step, not the last one.

This entire sequence, forming the LLC, filing the SS-4 correctly the first time, and lining up the bank and card applications once the EIN arrives, is exactly what we run end to end at Founders Credit for non-US founders, so you are not guessing at fax numbers or waiting to find out your line 7b was wrong.

Glossary

• EIN: Employer Identification Number, the tax ID assigned to your business by the IRS.
• SSN: Social Security Number, issued to US citizens and certain residents, not required to get an EIN.
• ITIN: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, for people who need a US tax number but are not eligible for an SSN. Not required to get an EIN.
• Form SS-4: the paper application used to request an EIN, required for applicants without an SSN or ITIN.
• Responsible party: the individual who owns or controls the LLC, named on the SS-4.
• Form 5472: an annual information return required for foreign-owned single-member LLCs, filed alongside a pro-forma Form 1120.
• Registered agent: a person or company with a physical address in your LLC's state who can receive official mail on the company's behalf.

Frequently asked questions