A clearer path to your EIN.
Practical guides for overseas founders. Understand the form, prepare your details, and know what comes next.
Start with the form.
New to the process? Walk through the SS-4, one field at a time.
Form SS-4 Instructions for a Foreign-Owned US LLC
Complete Form SS-4 for a foreign-owned single-member LLC: names, addresses, lines 7b, 9a and 10, employee details, signatures and submission options.
Read the guideBefore you apply
How to Get an EIN Without an SSN or ITIN
Learn when a foreign LLC owner can apply for an EIN without an SSN or ITIN, what line 7b requires, and how to choose an IRS application channel.
EIN vs ITIN: Which Tax Number Does a Foreign LLC Owner Need?
Understand the difference between an EIN for your LLC and an ITIN for you, including the SS-4 line 7b exception and separate personal tax obligations.
EIN by Phone: Eligibility, IRS Number and Call Preparation
Check who can get a first EIN by phone, why a foreign-owned US LLC is treated as domestic, and how application calls differ from status or proof requests.
Preparing your SS-4
SS-4 Lines 9a and 10 for a Foreign-Owned LLC
Understand SS-4 line 9a entity classification and line 10 filing purpose, including the IRS wording for a foreign-owned US LLC filing Form 5472.
SS-4 Address Instructions: Foreign Address or Registered Agent?
Choose the right entries for SS-4 lines 4, 5 and 6. Learn how mailing, physical and registered agent addresses differ for a foreign-owned US LLC.
SS-4 Third-Party Designee vs Responsible Party
Learn who belongs on SS-4 line 7a, what a third-party designee can do, when that authority ends, and why a registered agent is a different role.
Submission and waiting
Where to Fax Form SS-4: IRS Numbers and Overseas Filing
Find the IRS fax number that matches your SS-4 application, understand domestic and international routing, and keep the right submission records.
EIN Processing Time: Fax, Mail and Application Follow-Up
Understand IRS EIN processing estimates for fax and mail, what a delivery receipt proves, and what to check before following up or submitting again.
Already Applied for an EIN? Check Before Sending Another SS-4
Find out what to do when an EIN application is pending, a formation service may have filed, or an existing EIN is missing. Avoid duplicate applications.
After your EIN
EIN Confirmation: CP575, Letter 147C and Fax Responses
Compare an IRS fax response, CP575 and Letter 147C, including current digital CP575 options and what to check when a bank asks for EIN proof.
Does an EIN Expire? Inactivity, Updates and Business Closure
Learn why an EIN is permanent, how inactivity differs from deactivation, and when a business change or missing document needs action instead of a new SS-4.
After Getting an EIN: Records, Banking and Tax Next Steps
Check your IRS response, save EIN evidence, understand the IRS system delay, and review banking, tax filing and address-update tasks for a foreign-owned LLC.