How to Get an EIN Without an SSN: A Non-Resident’s Complete Guide (2026)

You have formed your US LLC. The Certificate of Formation is in your inbox. And then you search for how to get an EIN — and the IRS website sends you to an online portal that asks for a Social Security Number you do not have.

This is the point where thousands of non-resident founders get stuck. The online EIN application is only available to US residents with an SSN. As a foreign national, you are locked out of the fastest route — but you are not locked out of getting your EIN. You just need a different method.

Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is your LLC’s federal tax ID. Without it, your LLC cannot open a US bank account, cannot activate Stripe or PayPal, and cannot file taxes. It is the single document that turns a legally formed LLC into a functioning business.

This guide covers every method available to non-residents in 2026 — phone, fax, and mail — with exact steps, Form SS-4 preparation, what to say on the IRS call, and the mistakes that delay or reject applications. Written from the experience of helping 500+ global founders from Bangladesh, UAE, India, Australia, China, Nigeria, and beyond.

What is an EIN and why does your US LLC need one?

An EIN — Employer Identification Number — is the federal tax identification number the IRS assigns to your business. Think of it as your LLC’s version of a Social Security Number. It is a nine-digit number in the format XX-XXXXXXX, and it identifies your business in every interaction with the US tax system, the banking system, and payment processors.

Despite the name, you do not need employees to get an EIN. Every US LLC — single-member or multi-member, with or without employees — needs one to operate.

Here is why your EIN is non-negotiable:

• Opening a US business bank account — Mercury, Relay, and every other US bank requires your EIN before approving an application
• Activating Stripe — Stripe verifies your LLC’s tax ID during the onboarding process
• Setting up PayPal Business — PayPal requires EIN for US LLC business accounts in addition to an ITIN
• Filing US taxes — including Form 5472, which foreign-owned single-member LLCs must file annually
• Establishing business credit — vendors and credit applications use your EIN to verify your entity

Accessing Amazon Seller Central — Amazon requires your EIN as part of the US seller account setup. Read our guide on starting an Amazon business from Bangladesh for more on this.

Why non-residents cannot use the IRS online EIN portal

The IRS online EIN application at irs.gov is fast, free, and issues your EIN in minutes. Unfortunately, it is not available to non-residents.

The online portal requires either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to verify your identity. As a non-US resident who has just formed an LLC, you typically have neither — and you do not need either one to run your LLC. You just need a different application route.

The IRS provides three alternative methods for non-residents and foreign nationals:

Method	Processing Time	Best For	Requirements
Fax(recommended)	4–7 business days	If phone line is busy or inaccessible	Completed Form SS-4 sent to IRS fax number
Phone (subjective)	Same-day if call connects	Most non-residents — fastest result	Completed Form SS-4 ready before calling
Mail(not recommended)	4–6 weeks	Last resort only	Completed Form SS-4 mailed to IRS address

Step 1: Complete IRS Form SS-4 before you apply

Form SS-4 is the Application for Employer Identification Number. You must have it fully completed before you call or fax the IRS — the officer on the phone will ask you for the information line by line.

Here is how to fill in the fields that are most confusing for non-residents:

Form SS-4 Field	What to Enter	Notes for Non-Residents
Line 1 — Legal name	Your LLC’s exact registered name	Must match your Certificate of Formation exactly — including LLC or Limited Liability Company at the end
Line 2 — Trade name	Leave blank if same as Line 1	Only fill if you operate under a different DBA (doing business as) name
Line 4a — Mailing address	Your non-US address is acceptable	You do not need a US address. Your home address in Bangladesh, UAE, or anywhere else is fine.
Line 7a — Responsible party name	Your full legal name as the LLC owner	This is you — the foreign national who owns the LLC
Line 7b — SSN / ITIN / EIN	Enter N/A — foreign national	Do NOT leave blank. Write N/A or ‘foreign national — no SSN or ITIN’
Line 8a — Type of entity	Check: Limited Liability Company	Select LLC
Line 8b — Number of members	Enter 1 (if single-member LLC)	Most non-resident founders start as single-member LLCs
Line 9a — Type of return	For a single-member LLC: Form 1120 (disregarded entity with 5472 filing obligation)	This is the correct classification for a foreign-owned single-member LLC
Line 10 — Reason for applying	Check: Started a new business	Simple — you are applying for a new entity’s tax ID
Line 11 — Date business started	Your LLC’s formation date from Certificate of Formation	Use the exact date on your state filing documents
Line 12 — Closing month of accounting year	December	Use calendar year (December) unless you have a specific reason for a different fiscal year end
Line 13 — Highest employees in next 12 months	0 (if no employees)	If you are a solo founder with no US employees, enter 0 in all employee boxes
Line 16 — Principal activity	Your business type, e.g. Consulting, E-commerce, Software	Be specific — ‘internet services’ or ‘digital marketing’ is fine

Download the current Form SS-4 directly from the IRS Form SS-4 page. Complete it in full before you make the phone call or send the fax.

Step 2: Apply by fax — Recommended

As a non-resident, fax is your recommended option. Processing takes 10–14 business days and the result arrives by fax return.

New Mexico is the most underrated option for non-resident founders who want the simplest, cheapest structure possible. It has one feature no other state can match: zero ongoing annual requirements.

How to fax your Form SS-4 to the IRS

Step 1 — Complete your Form SS-4 exactly as described in Section 3 above. Double-check every field before sending.

Step 2 — Add a cover sheet. Include your name, your LLC name, your international phone number and email address, and a note that you are a foreign national without an SSN or ITIN applying for a new EIN.

Step 3 — Send your fax. The current IRS EIN fax number for international applicants is +1-855-215-1627. Verify the current number on the IRS website before sending, as it can change.

Step 4 — Confirm receipt. If you use an online fax service, keep the confirmation receipt as proof of delivery.

Step 5 — Wait 4–7 business days. The IRS will fax your EIN confirmation back to the fax number you included on your cover sheet. If you used an online fax service, it will arrive in your inbox.

Online fax services such as eFax, Fax.Plus, or HelloFax work well for this — you can send and receive faxes from your laptop or phone without a physical fax machine.

Step 3: (OPTIONAL) Apply by phone — the fastest method

The IRS International EIN phone line is open to non-US applicants. This is the method that gets most non-resident founders their EIN on the same day. But this is subjective to IRS getting connected, ready-to-fax SS-4 document, Proper Communication on what they ask for, etc. Usually if a EIN Confirmation Letter has not arrived on time to your registered agent, you can use this method to get the CP575 document faster. 

The IRS international EIN phone number

What to expect on the call — step by step

Step 1 — Call the number above during US Eastern business hours. Best times to call are Tuesday through Thursday, mid-morning US time, when call volumes are lower.

Step 2 — Navigate the automated menu. Select the option for new EIN applications or employer identification numbers. The menu changes occasionally — listen carefully.

Step 3 — Speak to an IRS officer. Tell them: “I am calling to apply for an EIN for a new LLC. I am a foreign national with no SSN or ITIN.” They will ask you to verify this is correct.

Step 4 — Provide your Form SS-4 information. The officer will read through the SS-4 fields and ask you to confirm each one. This is why the form must be completed before you call.

Step 5 — Receive your EIN verbally. Once all information is verified, the officer will issue your EIN number verbally during the call. Write it down immediately.

Step 6 — Request written confirmation. Ask the officer to note that you would like the CP-575 confirmation letter mailed to your address. This is the official IRS letter confirming your EIN — banks and payment processors may ask for it.

The full call typically takes 20–40 minutes. Be patient — hold times can be long, particularly on Mondays and Fridays.

What this means for you:  Use it only if both phone and fax are inaccessible. The mailing address for non-US applicants is: Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN International Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999, USA.

EIN vs SSN vs ITIN: what is the difference?

These three numbers cause more confusion than almost anything else in the US LLC process. Here is a clear breakdown:

	EIN	SSN	ITIN
What it is	Federal tax ID for your business	Personal tax ID for US citizens and residents	Personal tax ID for non-residents who need to file US taxes
Who gets it	Any US business entity (LLC, Corp, etc.)	US citizens and authorised residents only	Non-residents with a US tax filing obligation
Do you need it?	Yes — essential for your LLC to operate	No — non-residents do not qualify	Maybe — depends on your tax situation
How to get it	Form SS-4 by phone, fax, or mail	Social Security Administration	IRS Form W-7
Used for	Business bank account, Stripe, PayPal, tax filing	Personal banking, employment, personal tax filing	Personal US tax filing as a non-resident

The most important thing to understand: as a non-resident LLC owner, you need an EIN for your business. You do not automatically need an ITIN. You only need an ITIN if you personally have a US tax filing obligation — which depends on your specific situation. For a full explanation of the differences, read our guide on EIN vs SSN — what you actually need. If you are wondering whether you need an ITIN specifically, our ITIN guide for non-residents covers the exact situations when it applies.

What this means for you:  Don’t delay your EIN application trying to figure out if you need an ITIN first. Get your EIN now and assess your ITIN situation separately.

4 common mistakes that delay or reject your EIN application

1.  Calling without a completed Form SS-4  The IRS officer will ask for the information line by line. If you don’t have it ready, you will be told to call back. Prepare the form completely before you dial.

2.  Leaving Line 7b blank instead of writing N/A  Non-residents must write N/A or “foreign national — no SSN or ITIN” on Line 7b. A blank field causes processing delays and can result in your application being returned.

3.  Applying before your LLC is approved  The IRS requires your LLC to already exist before you can apply for an EIN. Apply only after you have received your Certificate of Formation from the state.

4.  Using the wrong entity type on Form SS-4  For a single-member LLC owned by a foreign national, select Limited Liability Company on Line 8a and enter 1 member on Line 8b. Entering the wrong entity type can result in incorrect tax classification that is difficult to fix later.

What this means for you:  applying for a bank account with a service like Mercury before the EIN confirmation arrives. Mercury requires your EIN. Apply only once your EIN is confirmed — even verbally from the IRS phone call.

What to do immediately after receiving your EIN

Once you have your EIN — whether received verbally on the phone or via fax confirmation — you have everything you need to move forward. Here is the exact sequence:

• Write down your EIN immediately and store it securely — it does not change and you will use it for the lifetime of your LLC
• Open your US business bank account — apply to Mercury or Relay using your EIN, Certificate of Formation, Operating Agreement, and passport. For the full application walkthrough, read our guide to opening a US bank account as a non-resident.
• Set up Stripe — apply as the LLC entity using your EIN and US bank account details. Our Stripe approval guide for non-US residents covers the exact steps and common rejection reasons.
• Set a compliance reminder — foreign-owned single-member LLCs must file Form 5472 with a Pro Forma 1120 by April 15 every year, even if no tax is owed. Read our US LLC compliance guide for non-residents to understand every annual obligation.
• Request your CP-575 letter if not already done — ask the IRS officer during the call to mail the official EIN confirmation letter to your address. Some banks request it as additional verification.

What this means for you:  The EIN number itself is sufficient. The letter is a backup document — useful to have, but not required to move forward.

EIN application checklist for non-residents

Work through this in order. Each step depends on the one before it.

• Confirm your LLC is fully approved and you have your Certificate of Formation
• Download and complete IRS Form SS-4 — fill every field, write N/A on Line 7b
• FAX your SS-4 to the IRS (+1-855-215-1627) and/or use call option if suitable. 
• Call IRS +1-267-941-1099 Tuesday–Thursday during US Eastern business hours
• Have Form SS-4 in front of you before dialling — the officer reads it line by line
• Write down your EIN the moment the officer confirms it
• Ask the officer to mail your CP-575 confirmation letter to your address
• If call doesn’t connect after 3 attempts — switch to fax method 
• Once EIN is confirmed — apply to Mercury or Relay for US bank account
• Set up Stripe using your EIN and US bank account details
• Set April 15 reminder for annual Form 5472 filing

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for an EIN before my LLC is approved?

No. The IRS requires your LLC to already be legally formed before you can apply for an EIN. You need your Certificate of Formation first. Apply for your EIN the day your LLC formation is confirmed — do not wait.

How long does it take to get an EIN without an SSN?

By fax: 10-14 business days. By phone: same-day if the call connects — the IRS officer issues your EIN verbally before the call ends. By mail: 4–6 weeks. The fax method is strongly recommended for most non-residents.

Do I need an ITIN to get an EIN as a non-resident?

No. An ITIN is a personal tax ID — you only need one if you have a personal US tax filing obligation. Your EIN is your business tax ID and is applied for separately using Form SS-4. Most non-resident LLC owners do not need an ITIN. If you are unsure, read our ITIN guide for non-US residents.

What if the IRS phone line doesn’t connect from my country?

Try calling at different times — Tuesday through Thursday, mid-morning US Eastern time, tends to have lower hold volumes. If the line consistently doesn’t connect, switch to the fax method. Fax works from any country via an online fax service. If fax is also not available, mail is the last resort — allow 4–6 weeks for processing.

Can my formation service get my EIN for me?

Yes — many formation services, including Rocket Wave, handle the EIN application as part of their package. This is particularly useful if you are uncomfortable making the IRS phone call yourself or if your country has call connectivity issues to the US. The IRS does not restrict who can call on behalf of an LLC if authorized— your formation service simply completes the Form SS-4 and and 8821, then submit the fax or make the call.

How do I use my EIN to open a US bank account?

Once you have your EIN confirmed, apply to Mercury or Relay using your EIN, LLC Certificate of Formation, Operating Agreement, and passport. Do not apply before your EIN arrives — you will be rejected automatically. For the full document checklist and application process, read our guide to opening a US bank account as a non-resident LLC owner.

Ready to get your EIN and open your US LLC?

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Legal Disclaimer:  This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Tax obligations vary based on your individual situation, business structure, country of residence, and applicable tax treaties. IRS phone numbers, fax numbers, and processing times are subject to change — always verify current details at irs.gov before applying. Always consult a qualified tax professional or attorney for advice specific to your circumstances.