Can a Non-US Resident Get an EIN?
Yes, when an EIN is required for the applicant's business or U.S. tax administration. The IRS has specific procedures for international applicants, including applicants whose principal place of business is outside the United States.
This commonly includes international founders who form a U.S. LLC or corporation, foreign owners who need an EIN for an applicable U.S. filing requirement, and other eligible applicants dealing with U.S. federal tax administration.
Can International Applicants Apply for an EIN Online?
Not every international applicant can use the IRS online EIN application. The IRS states that if the applicant has no legal residence, principal place of business, or principal office or agency in the United States or U.S. territories, the online application cannot be used.
Those applicants must use another IRS application method. This is one of the main reasons international EIN applications differ from the standard domestic online process.
How International Applicants Can Apply
Current IRS procedures provide international applicants with alternatives to the online application. Depending on the applicant's circumstances, these can include telephone, fax or mail.
Confirm the entity's legal name, formation jurisdiction, addresses, responsible party, entity classification and reason for applying.
Use the current IRS instructions to determine whether telephone, fax or mail applies to your situation.
Avoid sending duplicate EIN applications through several channels for the same entity.
Retain the signed application, transmission evidence and any EIN assignment notice or other IRS response.
Who Is the Responsible Party?
Form SS-4 asks for the entity's responsible party. Under the current instructions, this is generally the individual who ultimately owns or controls the entity, or who exercises ultimate effective control over it.
For a non-government applicant, the IRS generally requires the responsible party to be a natural person rather than another entity. A nominee should not be substituted merely to make the application easier.
What If the Foreign Owner Has No SSN or ITIN?
A foreign responsible party is not automatically required to obtain an ITIN solely in order to receive an EIN. Current Form SS-4 instructions state that when the responsible party does not have and is ineligible to obtain an SSN or ITIN, line 7b should contain “foreign” or “N/A”.
The critical point is eligibility: this procedure is for a responsible party who does not have and is ineligible to obtain the number. An applicant should not conceal an existing taxpayer identification number or use another person's number.
For a more detailed explanation, see our EIN Without SSN or ITIN guide.
EIN for a Foreign-Owned U.S. LLC
International founders frequently form LLCs under the law of a U.S. state. A U.S.-formed LLC can be foreign-owned while remaining a domestic entity for U.S. legal and federal tax purposes.
Form SS-4 therefore requires more than simply writing “LLC.” The application asks about the number of LLC members and the entity's federal tax classification. A single-member LLC, multi-member LLC and LLC that has made a federal tax election may require different answers.
Information to Prepare Before Applying
- Exact legal entity name from the formation document.
- Trade name, if different.
- U.S. state or foreign jurisdiction of formation.
- Mailing address and principal physical address.
- Responsible party's full legal name.
- Responsible party's SSN or ITIN when applicable.
- LLC member count, if the applicant is an LLC.
- Federal tax classification.
- Reason for applying for the EIN.
- Business start or acquisition date.
- Expected U.S. employees, if any.
- Principal business activity.
Common International EIN Mistakes
- Assuming every international applicant can use the IRS online application.
- Using a nominee instead of the actual responsible party.
- Using another person's SSN or ITIN.
- Confusing foreign ownership with the entity's place of formation.
- Guessing the LLC's federal tax classification.
- Using an informal business name instead of the legal entity name.
- Entering incomplete foreign addresses.
- Submitting duplicate EIN applications.
- Failing to retain the signed SS-4 and IRS correspondence.
How Long Does an International EIN Take?
Processing time depends on the submission method, completeness of the application and IRS processing. The IRS currently states that EINs submitted through its Fax-TIN program can generally be received by fax within about four business days, but this is not a guarantee for every case.
EIN-USA does not guarantee an IRS processing date or approval. Our role is limited to the private assistance service selected by the customer.
EIN-USA Assistance for International Founders
EIN-USA is designed specifically to make the international EIN process easier to understand without forcing every applicant into the same service.
EIN Guide + IRS Fax — $12
Our educational package includes line-by-line Form SS-4 guidance for international founders, a foreign-owner example, one outgoing EIN-related IRS fax transmission, and forwarding if an applicable IRS fax response reaches our receiving workflow.
Manual EIN Preparation — $49
For applicants who prefer manual assistance, EIN-USA prepares Form SS-4 from the information supplied by the customer, performs a human review for visible omissions or inconsistencies, provides the document for customer review and signature, and transmits the approved document through the applicable workflow.