How to Get an EIN Without an SSN from India
The single biggest myth that stops Indian founders forming a US company is the belief that you need a Social Security Number to get an EIN. You do not. Here is exactly how a non-resident gets an EIN from the IRS without an SSN or ITIN, how long it takes, and what trips people up.
You do not need an SSN or ITIN to get an EIN as a foreign founder.
The route is Form SS-4, filed by fax or mail (not the online tool, which requires an SSN).
Line 7b: write "Foreign" where it asks for SSN/ITIN.
Timeline: roughly 10-14 business days by fax.
The EIN unlocks your US bank account, Amazon payouts, and supplier relationships.
What's in this guide
What an EIN is and why you need one
An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is your US business tax ID, the company equivalent of an individual tax number. Almost everything a foreign seller needs in the US depends on it: opening a US business bank account, getting paid by Amazon, signing up with suppliers and payment processors, and filing taxes. Your US LLC is the legal entity; the EIN is the number that makes it operational. Without it, the LLC cannot really do anything.
The SSN myth, cleared up
The most persistent piece of misinformation online is that you need a Social Security Number to get an EIN. This stops countless Indian founders before they start. It is simply not true. US citizens and residents use the IRS online EIN tool, which does require an SSN, and because that is the most visible path, people assume it is the only one. Foreign founders use a different, well-established route that the IRS explicitly provides for exactly this situation. No SSN, no ITIN, no US residency required.
Filing Form SS-4 as a foreigner
The route for non-residents is IRS Form SS-4, the application for an EIN. You complete it for your US LLC and submit it by fax (fastest) or mail, rather than through the online tool. The form asks for your LLC name, your US registered address, the responsible party (you, the founder), and the reason for applying. It is short, but a few fields catch foreign applicants out, and an error means starting over with another two-week wait.
The line 7b detail that matters
Line 7b of Form SS-4 asks for the responsible party SSN, ITIN, or EIN. This is the field that confuses people, because as a foreign founder you have none of those. The correct answer is to write the word "Foreign" in that field. That single instruction is the entire crux of getting an EIN without an SSN, and it is exactly where DIY applicants most often go wrong, either leaving it blank or trying to force a number that does not exist. Written correctly, the IRS processes it as a foreign-owned entity without issue.
How long it takes
Filed by fax, an EIN for a foreign-owned LLC typically arrives in roughly 10 to 14 business days, sometimes faster. Mail is considerably slower and less predictable. This step is usually the longest single wait in setting up a US company, which is why it is worth filing as early as possible rather than treating it as an afterthought. The LLC formation itself is quick; the EIN is the part you wait on.
Common reasons EINs get delayed
Most delays are self-inflicted and avoidable.
- Line 7b filled wrong — the single most common cause of rejection.
- LLC name mismatch — the SS-4 must match the formation documents exactly.
- Using the online tool — it requires an SSN and simply will not work for you.
- Illegible fax — a poor scan can stall the application.
- Applying before the LLC exists — form the company first, then file the SS-4.
What the EIN unlocks
Once the EIN letter (CP 575) arrives, the rest of your US setup opens up. You can open a US business bank account at a non-resident-friendly bank, connect Amazon payouts to it, register with suppliers, and file taxes cleanly. The EIN is the keystone of the whole structure. If you would rather not file the SS-4 yourself and risk the two-week-rejection cycle, our US LLC formation service includes the EIN filing, handled correctly the first time, and our year-one cost calculator shows the full setup cost.
Our US LLC formation service forms your LLC and files for your EIN without an SSN, then helps open your US bank account, all remotely from India.