EIN for Non-US Citizens: The No-SSN Route Explained

An EIN for a non-US citizen is the same nine-digit Employer Identification Number the IRS issues to any US business, obtained without a Social Security Number by filing Form SS-4 the offline way. Non-residents who own a US company qualify for an EIN, but the online application is gated behind an SSN or ITIN, so foreign founders take a separate fax or mail route instead. This explainer walks through exactly how that no-SSN path works, what the IRS requires, and where the common roadblocks are.

Can a non-US citizen get an EIN without an SSN?

Yes, a non-US citizen can get an EIN without an SSN. The IRS issues an EIN to a foreign person who is a "responsible party" for a US business, and it does not require that person to hold a Social Security Number or an ITIN to receive the number. What changes is the application channel: instead of the instant online tool, a non-resident applies on paper using Form SS-4 and submits it by fax or mail.

The online EIN assistant on the IRS website asks for an SSN, ITIN, or existing EIN before it will let you finish. Most founders abroad have none of those, which is why the online route fails for them. The paper SS-4 has a specific field for this: where it asks for the responsible party's identifying number, a foreign applicant without an SSN or ITIN writes "Foreign" on the line. That single word is what tells the IRS you are using the no-SSN route.

What is the responsible party on Form SS-4?

The responsible party on Form SS-4 is the individual who controls, manages, or directs the entity and its funds. For a single-member Wyoming LLC owned by one founder abroad, the responsible party is almost always that founder. The IRS requires a real person here, not another company, so you list your own name and your foreign identifying number or "Foreign" if you have neither an SSN nor an ITIN.

This matters because the responsible party is the human the IRS holds accountable for the entity. You cannot name a registered agent or a formation service as the responsible party just to avoid putting your own details down. Naming the actual owner keeps the application clean and reduces the odds of a rejection letter.

Information you need before you file SS-4

Gathering these before you start saves a second round trip with the IRS:

• The exact legal name of the LLC as registered with the state, spelled to match the formation documents.
• The US mailing address for the business, which can be a commercial address rather than a residence.
• The responsible party's full legal name as it appears on a passport.
• The responsible party's foreign identifying number, or the word "Foreign" if there is no SSN or ITIN.
• The reason for applying, usually "Started new business," and the LLC's formation date.
• The principal business activity, described in plain terms such as software consulting or e-commerce retail.

How do you actually apply for an EIN from outside the US?

To apply for an EIN from outside the US, complete Form SS-4 and send it to the IRS by fax or international mail, since the online tool is closed to applicants without an SSN or ITIN. Fax is the faster of the two channels, and the IRS returns the assigned EIN on a CP 575 confirmation notice once it processes the form. The number itself is free; the IRS never charges to issue an EIN.

The general sequence looks like this:

1. Form the US entity first. You need a registered company name and state filing before the EIN application makes sense, because the SS-4 asks for the legal name and formation date.
2. Complete Form SS-4, entering the responsible party and writing "Foreign" where the identifying number would go if you have no SSN or ITIN.
3. Submit the form by fax to the IRS fax number designated for international applicants, or by mail to the matching address. Faxing a return fax number can help the IRS send your confirmation back the same way.
4. Wait for the CP 575 notice carrying the assigned EIN. By fax this typically takes a few weeks, and the IRS controls the actual timing.

Consider Tomer, a software developer in Tel Aviv who set up a Wyoming LLC to invoice his US clients in dollars. He had no SSN and no ITIN, so the online tool turned him away at the first screen. He filed a paper SS-4 with "Foreign" on the responsible-party line, faxed it, and a few weeks later his CP 575 arrived with the number on it. He simply used the channel the IRS keeps open for people in his position.

Do you need an ITIN to get an EIN?

No, you do not need an ITIN to get an EIN. An ITIN is an individual taxpayer number for people who must file a US personal tax return but cannot get an SSN, and it is a separate thing from a business EIN. Many non-resident founders get an EIN for their LLC without ever holding an ITIN.

The two are easy to confuse because both come from the IRS, but they serve different purposes. The EIN identifies your business; the ITIN identifies you as an individual taxpayer. You might eventually need an ITIN for personal filing reasons, but it is not a prerequisite for the company's EIN, and waiting on one would only delay the EIN you can already apply for today.

Why do non-residents need a US company before the EIN?

Non-residents generally need a US company in place before the EIN because Form SS-4 asks for the entity's legal name, formation state, and start date, all of which exist only once the company is formed. The EIN attaches to a specific business, so there has to be a business for it to attach to. For founders abroad, the common structure is a Wyoming LLC, which a non-resident can own with no US visit and no US partner.

A workable US setup for a non-resident founder usually bundles a few pieces that fit together:

• A Wyoming LLC as the legal entity, ownable fully from abroad.
• A registered agent in the state to receive official mail, which Wyoming requires.
• A US business or mailing address for correspondence and the SS-4.
• The EIN itself, which lets the business deal with the IRS and identify itself to payment processors.

Getting your EIN without an SSN, end to end

Getting your EIN without an SSN means forming the entity, filing a paper SS-4 with "Foreign" on the responsible-party line, and waiting for the IRS confirmation, with no Social Security Number needed at any step. The cleanest version of this for a founder abroad is to handle the entity, the EIN application, the registered agent, and the US address together, so the pieces line up instead of being assembled out of order.

CORPBOLT is a U.S. business formation service for non-resident founders that forms a Wyoming LLC for founders abroad and prepares the EIN, registered agent, and US address. Plans start from $349/year, with the EIN included from $599. (corpbolt.com)

A service like this prepares and files the application for you, but the number itself still comes from the IRS at no charge, and no provider can promise a delivery date because the IRS sets the timing. What a service can do is make sure the SS-4 is filled out correctly the first time, with the right responsible party and the "Foreign" entry where it belongs, so the form does not bounce back. CORPBOLT is fully remote and built for non-resident founders, which is why it leans on the no-SSN route rather than the online tool.

What happens after you receive the EIN?

After you receive the EIN, you use it to identify your business to the IRS and to US institutions, and you keep the CP 575 notice as your proof of the number. The EIN is what lets a Wyoming LLC file the right federal forms, present itself to payment processors like Stripe or PayPal, and start the paperwork that comes with running a US company. Banking is a separate step, and the bank or platform always decides whether to open an account.

It helps to treat the EIN as a foundation rather than a finish line. Having the number does not by itself open a bank account or guarantee processor approval; it is a piece of identity those institutions ask for as part of their own review. Keep a copy of the CP 575 somewhere safe, because the IRS issues that confirmation once and reprinting it later is its own slow process.

Frequently asked questions

Is the EIN itself free?

Yes, the EIN is free directly from the IRS. You may pay a service to prepare and file the SS-4 on your behalf, but you never pay the IRS for the number, and anyone charging you for the number itself is charging for paperwork, not the EIN.

How long does an EIN take by fax for a non-resident?

By fax, an EIN application from a non-resident typically takes a few weeks for the IRS to process and return the CP 575 notice. The IRS controls the timing, so no provider can promise a specific date, and mail is generally slower than fax.

Can I get an EIN without ever visiting the United States?

Yes, an EIN for a non-US citizen can be obtained without ever visiting the United States. The entire SS-4 process runs by fax or mail from abroad, and forming the underlying Wyoming LLC can also be done fully remotely with no US visit.

What do I write on the SS-4 if I have no SSN or ITIN?

If you have neither an SSN nor an ITIN, you write the word "Foreign" on the responsible party's identifying-number line of Form SS-4. This is the IRS-accepted entry for a foreign responsible party and signals that you are using the no-SSN route.

Does an EIN let me open a US bank account automatically?

No, an EIN does not automatically open a US bank account. The EIN is one of the documents a bank or fintech platform reviews, but the institution makes its own decision, and getting bank-ready is a separate preparation step from receiving the number.