How to Get an EIN Without an SSN (2026 Guide for Non-US Founders)

Founders sometimes confuse an EIN with an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), but they serve different purposes and different subjects. An EIN identifies a business entity — your LLC — for federal tax purposes. An ITIN identifies an individual person who has a US tax filing obligation but is not eligible for an SSN, typically used by non-resident individuals filing Form 1040-NR or claiming tax treaty benefits personally. You do not need an ITIN to get an EIN for your LLC; the EIN application process for a foreign-owned LLC is specifically designed to work without either an SSN or an ITIN for the responsible party, using the international applicant pathway described below.

Form SS-4 asks for standard business information: the LLC's legal name exactly as filed with the state, the LLC's mailing address, the responsible party's full name and identifying details, the reason for applying (typically "started a new business"), the type of entity, and the principal business activity the LLC will conduct. For a foreign responsible party without an SSN or ITIN, the SSN/ITIN field (line 7b on the form) is generally left blank or marked "Foreign" rather than filled with a placeholder number — this is precisely what signals to IRS processing systems that the application should be routed to the international processing pathway rather than the standard domestic one that assumes an existing US taxpayer ID.

Once issued, your EIN unlocks the practical next steps of running a US LLC remotely. It is required to open a business bank account with Mercury, Relay, or most other US business banking platforms, since none of them will open an account for an LLC that does not yet have one. It is required on your annual Form 5472 and pro forma Form 1120 filing. It is generally required (along with formation documents) to register for Stripe, PayPal Business, and most other US payment processors at full business-account functionality. And it is the identifying number your registered agent, accountant, and any US-facing vendor or client will use to reference your LLC for tax-reporting purposes, such as issuing a Form 1099 for services rendered.

An EIN is a nine-digit federal tax identification number issued by the IRS, functioning similarly to a Social Security Number but for a business entity rather than an individual. Every US LLC needs one to open a business bank account, file federal tax returns, and register for most US payment processors and marketplaces. The EIN itself is free to obtain directly from the IRS — any service charging a fee for a fast EIN is charging for its application-handling service and IRS liaison work, not for the EIN number itself, which the IRS never charges for regardless of who applies or how.

The most frequent mistakes that delay a foreign applicant's EIN fall into a few recurring patterns. Submitting Form SS-4 before the LLC's Certificate of Formation or Articles of Organization has actually been approved by the state is the most common — the IRS will reject an EIN application for an entity that does not yet legally exist, so the state approval must come first, even though this can feel like it adds an extra sequential delay to an already multi-step process. Leaving the "reason for applying" section too vague or inconsistent with the entity type filed can also trigger additional IRS follow-up questions before the EIN is issued. Providing a mailing address the IRS cannot reliably reach for any follow-up correspondence can stall an already-slow mail application indefinitely, since a returned or undeliverable IRS letter effectively pauses the application until re-contacted. Listing the wrong responsible party, or listing a registered agent instead of the actual beneficial owner, is a mistake that may not block the EIN itself but frequently causes friction later during bank or payment-processor KYC review when the names do not match.

Realistic processing times for foreign applicants in 2026 are: same-day to 1 business day via the international phone line if you can get through and provide complete, consistent information on the first attempt; roughly 1-2 weeks via fax, which is generally the most reliable balance of speed and reliability for founders who cannot easily make an international call during US business hours; and 4-8 weeks or occasionally longer via mail, with essentially no visibility into processing status in the meantime. These timelines can extend further during the IRS's peak filing season, typically January through April each year, when overall processing volume across all IRS functions increases substantially. Founders on a tight formation timeline — for example, needing an EIN specifically to unlock a bank account before a particular deadline — should apply as early as possible after LLC formation and strongly prefer the phone or fax methods over mail given this seasonal variability.

EasyBrise acts as a third-party designee for EIN applications, handling the Form SS-4 preparation and direct communication with the IRS on your behalf as part of its formation packages, so foreign founders do not need to navigate the international phone line or track a mailed application themselves — the EIN application is submitted as part of the same process that files your LLC's formation documents, keeping the two steps coordinated rather than handled separately.

If you lose track of your EIN after receiving it — a genuinely common issue for founders managing multiple documents across a remote formation process — the IRS confirmation letter, called a CP 575, is the primary record and should be saved permanently alongside your other core formation documents (Certificate of Formation, Operating Agreement). If that letter is misplaced, your EIN can typically be located on any previously filed tax return referencing it, on any bank documentation from when the account was opened (since the bank would have recorded it during onboarding), or by contacting the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line directly to request confirmation, generally requiring you to verify your identity as the responsible party listed on the original application.

The "responsible party" listed on Form SS-4 is the individual who ultimately owns or controls the LLC, or who exercises ultimate effective control over it — for a single-member LLC, this is almost always the sole owner personally, not the LLC itself or a registered agent. The IRS uses this designation to have a clear, accountable individual on file for the entity, separate from any registered agent or formation service involved in setting up the LLC. Listing a registered agent or third-party formation service as the responsible party (rather than the actual beneficial owner) is both incorrect and can create downstream complications with banks and payment processors that expect the responsible party on file to match the beneficial owner they identify during their own KYC checks.

Non-US residents apply for an EIN using IRS Form SS-4, but because the online EIN application on IRS.gov requires an existing US Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN or ITIN) for the responsible party, foreign applicants without one must use a different channel. Four practical methods exist. First, calling the IRS International Applicant line directly — this is available only during specific business hours in US Eastern Time, and getting through can require patience, but a successful call can produce an EIN the same day. Second, faxing a completed Form SS-4 to the IRS's designated international fax number — typically the fastest reliable non-phone method, with a response generally arriving in about 1-2 weeks. Third, mailing a completed Form SS-4 to the IRS's international processing address — the slowest method, often taking 4-8 weeks or longer, and offering the least visibility into where your application stands in the meantime. Fourth, using a third-party designee, such as EasyBrise, who is authorized under IRS rules to complete and submit Form SS-4 on your behalf and to communicate directly with the IRS throughout the process, removing the need for you to personally navigate the international phone line or track a mailed application.