What Is an EIN and How to Apply for One From Outside the United States
By Néstor Castillero|Maera
An EIN is your company’s tax ID in the US. We explain exactly what it is, how to apply for one step by step from abroad, and the common mistake on Form SS-4.
You form your company in the United States, go to open a bank account or connect Stripe, and the first thing they ask for is an EIN. If you are operating from outside the US, this step usually raises a lot of questions because the IRS website seems designed only for local residents. But once you understand the rules and what the IRS requires in the Form SS-4 instructions, the process is fairly straightforward.
What an EIN is and what it is really used for
An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is simply a nine-digit tax number assigned by the IRS to identify your company. It serves as your business’s corporate tax identification number in the United States.
This is where people often get tangled up with two basic concepts:
- It does not replace an SSN or an ITIN. An EIN identifies the legal entity, while an SSN and an ITIN identify individuals. In fact, understanding the differences between EIN, ITIN, and SSN saves you headaches from day one.
- Having one does not require you to have employees. The name says "Employer," but do not let that confuse you: any single-member LLC without payroll still needs one.
What will you use it for in practice? You need it to file your information returns with the IRS, apply for a business bank account (keeping in mind that the final decision to open it always rests with the bank), sign up for payment gateways and processors, and sign business contracts with legal backing.
Why you cannot use the online assistant if you live abroad
The IRS has a free online portal for obtaining an EIN in minutes, but it has a strict filter: it requires the applicant to have legal residence, an office, or a principal place of business within the United States or its territories, and the responsible party must have a valid SSN or ITIN.
If you operate your business from Spain, Mexico, Colombia, or any other country and do not have that physical presence or prior personal number, that online tool will not work for you. Trying to force it there will only waste your time.
How to prepare Form SS-4 without making mistakes
The order matters: first, you form the entity in its state and, only once you have the registration documents in hand, do you prepare Form SS-4. You will need the company’s exact legal name, the mailing address where you will receive correspondence, the state and date of formation, the principal activity, the reason for applying, and the responsible party’s information.
The official SS-4 instructions explain how to complete the LLC lines, the number of members, and the tax classification, which is a different concept from the state-level business structure.
One critical point where many people make mistakes: the responsible party must be the individual who actually controls and owns the company, except for specific IRS exceptions. Never enter your registered agent’s or an intermediary’s information there just to get it done. Check every field against your official corporate documents, sign the application, and always keep a copy of the form together with proof of submission. Do not send the same application through multiple methods at once; and when you receive your assignment letter, verify that the name and number match before using them for banks or tax filings.
Ways to apply for an EIN from outside the United States
Since you cannot use the website, you have three official options depending on your urgency and resources:
By phone
As an international applicant, you can call the IRS directly at 267-941-1099 (keep in mind that it is an international call and charges apply), Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The caller must be authorized to receive the number and be ready to answer every question on Form SS-4.
By fax
If you do not have legal residence or an office in the US, the instructions state that you should fax the SS-4 to 304-707-9471. It is essential to clearly provide your return fax number so the IRS can send you the confirmation, and to keep the successful transmission report. If you send the documentation from within the US, you would need to check the specific number assigned by the IRS for that area.
By mail
For international applications sent by physical mail, the official address is: Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN International Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999. Make sure you provide a mailing address where you can safely receive international mail.
Before sending anything, I always check the numbers, addresses, and IRS processing status, because response times vary depending on its workload and no method guarantees an exact date. Never submit a duplicate application out of impatience.
Line 7b: the most common stumbling block
On line 7b of the SS-4, you must enter the responsible party’s tax number. If you are a foreign national, do not live in the US, and do not have and cannot obtain an SSN or an ITIN at this time, the IRS’s official instruction is to write "foreign" or "N/A."
Under no circumstances should you leave that box blank: it is required. And remember that the responsible party must be a real individual, not another company.
Subsequent changes and how everything fits into your company
If the company’s responsible party changes later, you are required to notify the IRS using Form 8822-B within a maximum of 60 days. It is an administrative detail that many people overlook and that should be part of the regular monitoring of an LLC’s annual obligations.
Likewise, if your company changes its physical location or mailing address, you should not apply for a new EIN; that is what the procedure we explain for changing an LLC’s address with Form 8822-B is for, both with the state and the IRS.
The logical workflow for keeping everything in order is:
- Legally form the LLC in the corresponding state.
- Apply for the EIN with the IRS.
- Open the business bank account and set up your payment gateways.
- If your operations or personal tax structure require it, apply for the individual number afterward by following a practical guide to applying for an ITIN, which follows a completely separate process.
- File the corresponding annual information returns, such as Form 5472 for a foreign-owned LLC, if it applies to your situation.
If you would rather not deal with these bureaucratic procedures and want to make sure your structure gets off on the right foot, we can guide you through the entire process. You can review our LLC plans so we can handle the operational paperwork.
Legal notice. We offer administrative and document management services to help you organize your filings. We are not a law firm or an accounting firm, and this content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes; it does not constitute legal or tax advice. We recommend always checking the official IRS sources and consulting a qualified professional advisor under the laws of your country of residence.
FAQ
Does an EIN replace an SSN or an ITIN?
No. An EIN identifies the company or legal entity to the IRS, while an SSN and an ITIN identify individuals. An EIN is obtained using Form SS-4, while an ITIN is obtained using Form W-7 when applicable. Having an EIN for your company does not make you a US tax resident, give you work authorization, guarantee that a bank or Stripe will approve your account, or mean that you have employees on payroll. If a financial institution or the IRS needs to identify both the business and its owner, it will ask you for different numbers depending on your situation.
Can I apply for an EIN online from outside the United States?
Not through the official online assistant if you are an international applicant and your business’s principal place of business is outside the United States or its territories. The Form SS-4 instructions state that you must apply by fax at 304-707-9471 or mail it to "Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN International Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999." You can also call 267-941-1099 (international charges apply) if you are duly authorized to answer questions about the form and receive the number. No method guarantees a fixed date or subsequent approval by banks.
How long does it take to receive an EIN?
For a realistic operational estimate, allow about 10 business days from the time the IRS receives the application by fax and around 30 days if you send it on paper by mail. These are the timelines currently shown by the IRS on its processing status page, and they fluctuate depending on workload. Although the Form SS-4 instructions have historically mentioned about 4 business days by fax and 4 weeks by mail, you should now follow the actual operational timelines. If you call by phone and meet the review requirements, it may be assigned during the same conversation. Do not submit duplicate applications, and always keep your proof of submission.
What should I enter on line 7b if I do not have an SSN or ITIN?
You must write "Foreign" or "N/A." The Form SS-4 instructions explicitly state that you should do so when the responsible party does not have and is not eligible to obtain an SSN or ITIN. Line 7b is required and should never be left blank or completed with made-up numbers. Remember that line 7a must contain the name of an individual who exercises actual control over the company, except for very limited exceptions involving government entities. The rest of the information on the form must match the company’s activities and ownership.