If you’re opening a company in the US as a non-resident, one of the first questions you’ll face is how to get your EIN, and more importantly, how long it will take. The honest answer is: it depends entirely on your situation.
Because we process EIN applications on behalf of our clients every single day, we sit on something the IRS doesn’t publish: real, current data on how long fax applications are actually taking right now.
So we built a real-time tracker based on the actual submission dates of the applications we file for our clients. Instead of relying on a generic 5-day estimate, non-residents can see what the processing time genuinely looks like at this moment, based on real cases, not official averages.
For a non-resident founder trying to plan a US launch, that difference between a theoretical estimate and the real number is the difference between a plan that holds and one that slips.
Let’s break it down by scenario.
If you have an SSN
This is the fastest path. If you hold a Social Security Number, you can apply for your EIN directly through the IRS online tool and receive it immediately, in a matter of minutes. The system validates your identity in real time and issues the number on the spot. For most non-residents, though, this isn’t an option, because getting an SSN requires specific work authorization in the US. In some cases an ITIN may also be accepted.
If you have neither an SSN nor an ITIN
This is the reality for the majority of non-resident entrepreneurs. Without either number, the online application is simply not available to you. The EIN must be requested by submitting Form SS-4 to the IRS via fax.
And this is where expectations and reality tend to diverge.
The gap between what the IRS says and what actually happens
The IRS states that fax applications are processed in an average of 5 business days. In practice, the real processing time is consistently longer. Volume, seasonality, and internal backlogs at the IRS all affect how long it actually takes, and relying on the official estimate can leave founders planning around a timeline that doesn’t reflect reality.
This matters, because your EIN is the key that unlocks almost everything else: opening a US bank account, connecting a payment processor, hiring, and staying compliant. A delay in the EIN is a delay in your entire operation.
Let Globalfy handle it for you
You don’t have to navigate the IRS, the fax process, or the uncertainty on your own. At Globalfy, getting your EIN is just one part of what we do. We take care of the entire journey of opening and operating your US company as a non-resident, from company formation and EIN to your US bank account, taxes, and ongoing compliance, all in one place and with real people guiding you at every step.
We’ve already helped over 12,000 founders from more than 100 countries do exactly this.
Explore our plans and start building your US company the right way, from anywhere in the world.