Choose the EIN Resource That Fits Your Situation
International EIN applications are not all identical. Your location, entity structure, responsible-party information and available taxpayer identification numbers can affect how Form SS-4 is completed and submitted.
EIN Without an SSN or ITIN
Understand the IRS rule for a responsible party who does not have and is ineligible to obtain an SSN or ITIN, and learn the key issues international founders should check before submitting Form SS-4.
Read EIN Without SSN or ITIN →EIN for Non-US Residents
Learn how international applicants differ from domestic applicants, including why some applicants outside the United States cannot use the IRS online EIN application.
Read the Non-US Resident Guide →EIN for a Foreign-Owned U.S. LLC
Review the main EIN issues for a U.S.-formed LLC with a foreign owner, including responsible-party and federal tax-classification considerations.
Read the Foreign-Owned LLC Guide →Form SS-4 Overview
Understand what Form SS-4 is, what categories of information it requests and what international applicants should organize before preparing the EIN application.
Read the Form SS-4 Overview →EIN Processing Time
Compare typical IRS processing expectations for online, fax and mail applications and see the common issues that can delay an EIN application.
Read About EIN Processing Time →Public Resources vs. the $12 EIN Guide
The articles above are free educational resources. They explain the major concepts and help you identify which issues apply to your situation.
Our paid EIN Guide + IRS Fax — $12 goes further. It includes the detailed line-by-line Form SS-4 guidance for international founders, a completed foreign-owner example, and one outgoing EIN-related IRS fax transmission.
Prefer Manual EIN Preparation?
If you do not want to prepare Form SS-4 yourself, the $49 Manual EIN Preparation service provides manual preparation from the information you supply, a human review for visible omissions or inconsistencies, customer review and signature, and transmission of the approved document through the applicable workflow.
Important EIN Reminders
- The IRS does not charge an application fee to issue an EIN.
- EIN-USA is an independent private service, not the IRS.
- An EIN does not provide immigration status or work authorization.
- Obtaining an EIN does not by itself determine every federal tax obligation.
- IRS forms, procedures and processing times can change.
- Foreign-owned entities may have tax or information-reporting obligations beyond the EIN application.