How to Get an EIN Without an SSN: The Complete SS-4 Walkthrough

• The IRS instructions allow a responsible party without an SSN/ITIN to enter "Foreign" on SS-4 line 7b. HIGH, IRS Instructions for Form SS-4
• The online EIN application requires an SSN or ITIN, so most non-residents cannot use it. They use phone, fax or mail. HIGH, IRS
• International applicants (principal business outside the U.S.) may also apply by phone at +1 267-941-1099 during IRS business hours. HIGH, IRS
• A foreign individual is not required to obtain an ITIN first in order to get an EIN. HIGH, IRS
• EIN issuance timing varies (fax is typically faster than mail); no provider can guarantee a timeframe. (Guardrail.)

• Line 7a (responsible party name): the individual who controls the entity, usually you, the owner.
• Line 7b (SSN/ITIN/EIN): if you have none and are ineligible, write "Foreign."
• Line 8a / 9a: reflect your LLC and entity type; a single-member LLC owned by a non-resident is generally a disregarded entity for U.S. tax.
• Line 18: indicate whether the entity ever had an EIN before. Sign and date. Keep a copy.

1. Phone (international applicants only, fastest): call +1 267-941-1099, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday to Friday. The IRS representative assigns the EIN during the call, so you leave the call with the number. This route exists precisely because you have no U.S. residence or principal office.
2. Fax: fax the completed SS-4 to the IRS fax number for international/no-state applicants, with a cover sheet carrying your return fax number. International applicants with no US residence or principal office can obtain an EIN by calling +1 267-941-1099, and the IRS assigns the EIN during the call; by fax the EIN generally arrives within 4 business days.[1]Internal Revenue Service, Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025)
3. Mail: post the SS-4 to the IRS address for applicants with no legal residence/principal office in the U.S. Slower. Always confirm the current fax number, mailing address, and phone hours in the latest IRS SS-4 instructions before sending. These change.

The biggest myth is "no SSN means no EIN." It's false, thousands of non-residents get EINs every year by writing "Foreign" on 7b and applying by phone or fax. The second myth is the "guaranteed 24-hour EIN." Timing genuinely varies; treat any guarantee as a red flag.

You do not need an SSN, an ITIN, or a U.S. visit to get an EIN. Prepare a clean SS-4, call the international line if you want the number the same day, and confirm the current IRS contact details first. Banks and Stripe both ask for the EIN, and your annual filings are made under it (see the Form 5472 guide).

EIN: Employer Identification Number, your LLC's federal tax ID. SSN. U.S. Social Security Number. ITIN. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for those ineligible for an SSN. SS-4. The IRS form to request an EIN. Responsible party. The person who controls the entity. Disregarded entity. A single-member LLC taxed as its owner.