Can you get a US EIN from any country?
Yes. The IRS applies no country restriction to Form SS-4, and none of the 18 numbered fields asks for nationality or citizenship. A responsible party in any country writes Foreign on line 7b and faxes the form to 855-215-1627.
An EIN is a federal tax number for an entity, not a personal document for its owner. The IRS assigns it to the business named on line 1, and that business is registered with a US state. Where the owner sleeps changes nothing about the form.
Three facts hold in all 20 countries below. Form SS-4 carries 18 fields and 1 signature block. The IRS charges $0 for the form, $0 for the EIN, and $0 in year 2 because an EIN never renews. The IRS requests no passport, no visa, and no identity document with the application.
What does change by country is small and specific: which local tax number people wrongly copy into line 7b, and how line 4b holds that country's city, region, and postal code. Both are answered country by country further down.
Source: IRS Form SS-4 and its instructions, verified July 2026.
Which national tax number goes on line 7b of Form SS-4?
None of them. Line 7b accepts an SSN, an ITIN, or an EIN. Every other national tax number fails, from a PAN to a UTR to an RFC. Applicants holding none of the three write Foreign.
This single table is the most common failure on the whole form. Each row names the local number founders copy in from habit, and the entry the IRS accepts instead. The fax line shown is the international line, 855-215-1627, used by entities with no US business address.
| Country | Number that fails line 7b | Line 7b entry | Line 4b state field |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | PAN, Aadhaar | Foreign | Indian state |
| Pakistan | NTN, CNIC | Foreign | Pakistani province |
| Bangladesh | TIN, BIN, NID | Foreign | Bangladeshi district |
| Philippines | BIR TIN, PhilSys | Foreign | Philippine province |
| Indonesia | NPWP, NIK | Foreign | Indonesian province |
| Singapore | NRIC, FIN, UEN | Foreign | leave blank |
| United Arab Emirates | Emirates ID, TRN | Foreign | emirate |
| Turkey | vergi kimlik no., T.C. kimlik no. | Foreign | Turkish province |
| Nigeria | TIN, NIN, BVN | Foreign | Nigerian state |
| Kenya | KRA PIN, Huduma no. | Foreign | Kenyan county |
| South Africa | SARS tax ref., SA ID no. | Foreign | South African province |
| United Kingdom | UTR, NI number, CRN | Foreign | county, or blank |
| Germany | Steuernummer, USt-IdNr | Foreign | German Land |
| France | numéro fiscal, SIREN, SIRET | Foreign | leave blank |
| Netherlands | BSN, KvK no., BTW no. | Foreign | Dutch province |
| Ukraine | RNOKPP, EDRPOU | Foreign | Ukrainian oblast |
| Canada | SIN, BN | Foreign | Canadian province |
| Australia | TFN, ABN, ACN | Foreign | Australian state |
| Brazil | CPF, CNPJ | Foreign | Brazilian state |
| Mexico | RFC, CURP | Foreign | Mexican state |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 instructions, line 7b, verified July 2026. Line 7b accepts an SSN, an ITIN, or an EIN.
The full field-by-field rule set sits on the Form SS-4 checklist, and the two IDs founders confuse most are compared on EIN vs ITIN.
How do you write a foreign address on Form SS-4?
Put the city on line 4b, the province or region in the state field, the postal code in the ZIP field, and the country name after it. Applicants with no US office leave lines 5a and 5b blank.
Lines 4a and 4b decide where the IRS mails the CP-575 confirmation letter. A wrong address does not reject the application. It sends the only copy of the letter somewhere you cannot collect it.
| Line | What it takes | Rule for a non-US address |
|---|---|---|
| Line 4a | Street or P.O. box | A P.O. box is accepted on line 4a. |
| Line 4b | City, state, ZIP | Province replaces state, postal code replaces ZIP, country follows. |
| Line 5a | Physical street address | Blank when there is no US office. No P.O. box accepted here. |
| Line 5b | City, state, ZIP of line 5a | Blank when line 5a is blank. |
| Line 6 | County and state of the business | The US state of formation and its county. |
| Line 9b | State or country of incorporation | Corporations only. LLCs leave line 9b blank. |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 instructions, lines 4a through 6, verified July 2026.
Countries with no state or province — Singapore and France among the 20 below — leave the state field on line 4b blank. Countries with no postal code in part of their territory leave the ZIP field blank. An empty sub-field on line 4b costs 0 days. A wrong country name on line 4b costs the letter.
Which country are you applying from?
Pick your country below. Each of the 20 guides gives the local number that fails line 7b, the way line 4b takes that country's address, and the fax line for the signed form. The IRS fee is $0.
How does a founder in India get a US EIN?
A founder in India gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a PAN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A PAN is issued by the Indian income tax department and an Aadhaar is issued by UIDAI. Neither is an SSN, an ITIN, or an EIN, so neither belongs on line 7b of Form SS-4. The IRS validates line 7b against US records only, which is why one English word replaces the whole field.
Line 4b takes the Indian city, the Indian state in the state field, and the PIN code in the ZIP field, then India in the country field. Lines 5a and 5b stay blank with no US office. With a US business address the fax goes to 855-641-6935 instead, and the IRS fee stays $0 on both lines.
Local identifiers named: PAN and Aadhaar. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Pakistan get a US EIN?
A founder in Pakistan gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not an NTN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
An NTN comes from the Federal Board of Revenue and a CNIC comes from NADRA. Both stay off all 18 fields of Form SS-4. Line 7a takes one individual who controls the entity and its funds, and a company named on line 7a triggers rejection.
Line 4b takes the Pakistani city, the province in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Pakistan in the country field. The IRS mails the CP-575 letter to that address. The whole filing costs $0 done directly, or $67 filed by einnumber.co by fax within 5 business days.
Local identifiers named: NTN and CNIC. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Bangladesh get a US EIN?
A founder in Bangladesh gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a TIN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A Bangladeshi TIN, a BIN, and an NID are National Board of Revenue and Election Commission identifiers. None of the three appears anywhere on Form SS-4. Line 1 takes the US entity name exactly as the state approved it, character for character, including LLC or L.L.C.
Line 4b takes the Bangladeshi city, the district in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Bangladesh in the country field. Line 6 takes the US state of formation and its county. An EIN issued this way costs $0 in year 2 and every year after.
Local identifiers named: TIN, BIN, and NID. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Philippines get a US EIN?
A founder in the Philippines gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a BIR TIN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A BIR TIN is a Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue number and a PhilSys number is a national ID. Neither is accepted on line 7b. The IRS asks for no passport, no visa, and no identity document alongside Form SS-4, from the Philippines or anywhere else.
Line 4b takes the Philippine city, the province in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Philippines in the country field. A single-member LLC answers 1 on line 8b. Two or more members answer that count and default to partnership treatment.
Local identifiers named: BIR TIN and PhilSys number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Indonesia get a US EIN?
A founder in Indonesia gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not an NPWP, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
An NPWP is an Indonesian tax number and an NIK is the number on a KTP identity card. Neither belongs on line 7b, and neither belongs on line 9b. Line 9b takes a US state or a foreign country of incorporation, and only corporations complete it.
Line 4b takes the Indonesian city, the province in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Indonesia in the country field. Line 13 needs a number in all three boxes, and 0 in each is a complete answer when the entity hires nobody.
Local identifiers named: NPWP and KTP number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Singapore get a US EIN?
A founder in Singapore gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not an NRIC, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
An NRIC, a FIN, and a UEN are Singaporean identifiers issued by ICA and ACRA. A UEN identifies a Singaporean company, not a US entity, so it never goes on line 1 either. Line 1 takes the name printed on the US state approval.
Singapore uses no state or province. Leave the state field on line 4b blank, enter the postal code in the ZIP field, and write Singapore in the country field. A US EIN takes 15 minutes online for applicants holding an SSN, and days to weeks by fax for everyone else.
Local identifiers named: NRIC, FIN, and UEN. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in United Arab Emirates get a US EIN?
A founder in the UAE gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not an Emirates ID, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
An Emirates ID and a TRN are UAE identifiers, and a free-zone trade licence is a UAE formation document. None of the three satisfies line 1 or line 7b. Line 1 takes the name on the US state approval, and line 11 takes that approval date.
Line 4b takes the UAE city, the emirate in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field where one exists, then United Arab Emirates in the country field. Line 10 takes banking purpose when the EIN opens a US business account. The IRS charges $0 either way.
Local identifiers named: Emirates ID, TRN, and free-zone licence. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Turkey get a US EIN?
A founder in Turkey gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a vergi kimlik numarası, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A vergi kimlik numarası is a Turkish tax number and a T.C. kimlik numarası is a Turkish national identity number. Both stay off Form SS-4. The single word on line 7b is what moves the application off the IRS online tool and onto the fax line.
Line 4b takes the Turkish city, the province in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Turkey in the country field. Line 12 takes December for an entity on the calendar year. einnumber.co files by fax within 5 business days for $67, landing 12–14 business days total, or the filing is free.
Local identifiers named: vergi kimlik numarası and T.C. kimlik numarası. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Nigeria get a US EIN?
A founder in Nigeria gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a TIN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A Nigerian TIN comes from FIRS, an NIN from NIMC, and a BVN from the banking system. None of the three appears on any of the 18 fields. The IRS sets no nationality field on Form SS-4 and no country restriction on who may hold an EIN.
Line 4b takes the Nigerian city, the state in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Nigeria in the country field. Line 7a takes one person. A parent company, an accountant, or a filing agent on line 7a causes a rejection that arrives by mail.
Local identifiers named: TIN, NIN, and BVN. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Kenya get a US EIN?
A founder in Kenya gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a KRA PIN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A KRA PIN is a Kenya Revenue Authority number and a Huduma number is a Kenyan national ID. Neither is an SSN or an ITIN, so line 7b takes the word Foreign instead. That entry is the whole difference between the online route and the fax route.
Line 4b takes the Kenyan city, the county in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Kenya in the country field. Fax carries no tracking number and no status page, which is the gap the $67 filing fee closes with a written filing guarantee.
Local identifiers named: KRA PIN and Huduma number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in South Africa get a US EIN?
A founder in South Africa gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a SARS tax reference, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A SARS tax reference number and a South African ID number are issued by South African authorities. Neither is recognised on line 7b. A CIPC registration number identifies a South African company and never satisfies line 1, which takes the US entity name.
Line 4b takes the South African city, the province in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then South Africa in the country field. The EIN arrives as 9 digits printed in a 2-digit and 7-digit format, with an official CP-575 letter.
Local identifiers named: SARS tax reference number and ID number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in United Kingdom get a US EIN?
A founder in the United Kingdom gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a UTR, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A UTR and a National Insurance number come from HMRC and the DWP. A Companies House number identifies a UK company. None of the three appears on Form SS-4, and none of them substitutes for the responsible party's entry on line 7b.
Line 4b takes the UK town, the county in the state field where one applies, and the postcode in the ZIP field, then United Kingdom in the country field. Leave the state field blank where the address carries no county. Lines 5a and 5b stay blank with no US office.
Local identifiers named: UTR, National Insurance number, and Companies House number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Germany get a US EIN?
A founder in Germany gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a Steuernummer, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A Steuernummer and a USt-IdNr belong to the German tax administration, and a Handelsregister number belongs to the commercial register. None of the three belongs on line 7b, line 1, or line 9b of Form SS-4.
Line 4b takes the German city, the Land in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Germany in the country field. A single-member LLC with a foreign owner is a disregarded entity that files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 each year. The EIN itself stays $0 forever.
Local identifiers named: Steuernummer, USt-IdNr, and Handelsregister number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
Source: IRS Instructions for Form 5472, Who Must File — a foreign-owned US disregarded entity, verified July 2026.
How does a founder in France get a US EIN?
A founder in France gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a numéro fiscal, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A numéro fiscal is a French tax number, and SIREN and SIRET numbers identify French businesses. None of them satisfies any of the 18 fields. Line 7a takes the individual who controls the entity, and the IRS accepts exactly one responsible party per application.
France uses no state. Leave the state field on line 4b blank, enter the French commune, put the postal code in the ZIP field, and write France in the country field. Applicants holding an SSN skip fax entirely and file at irs.gov in 15 minutes for $0.
Local identifiers named: numéro fiscal, SIREN, and SIRET. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Netherlands get a US EIN?
A founder in the Netherlands gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a BSN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A BSN is a Dutch citizen service number, a KvK number identifies a Dutch company, and a BTW number is a Dutch VAT number. None of the three is an SSN, an ITIN, or an EIN, and line 7b accepts only those three or the word Foreign.
Line 4b takes the Dutch city, the province in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Netherlands in the country field. Line 16 takes the principal activity, and the other box with a written description covers software, consulting, and e-commerce.
Local identifiers named: BSN, KvK number, and BTW number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Ukraine get a US EIN?
A founder in Ukraine gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not an RNOKPP, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
An RNOKPP is a Ukrainian individual tax number and an EDRPOU code identifies a Ukrainian legal entity. Neither appears on Form SS-4. The IRS applies no country restriction to EIN applications, and no field on the form asks for citizenship.
Line 4b takes the Ukrainian city, the oblast in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Ukraine in the country field. Applicants who prefer to speak to the IRS use the international line, 267-941-1099, at $0.
Local identifiers named: RNOKPP and EDRPOU code. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Canada get a US EIN?
A founder in Canada gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a SIN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A Canadian Social Insurance Number is not a Social Security Number, and a CRA Business Number is not an EIN. Line 7b rejects both. Canadians who already hold a US ITIN enter that ITIN on line 7b and file at irs.gov in 15 minutes instead.
Line 4b takes the Canadian city, the province in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Canada in the country field. With a US business address the fax goes to 855-641-6935. With none it goes to 855-215-1627.
Local identifiers named: SIN and Business Number. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Australia get a US EIN?
A founder in Australia gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a TFN, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A TFN is an Australian tax file number, and ABN and ACN numbers identify Australian businesses. The IRS reads none of them. Line 8c asks whether the LLC was organized in the United States, and a US-state LLC answers yes even with an Australian owner.
Line 4b takes the Australian city, the state in the state field, and the postcode in the ZIP field, then Australia in the country field. The EIN never renews and never expires, so the year 2 cost is $0 and every year after that is $0.
Local identifiers named: TFN, ABN, and ACN. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Brazil get a US EIN?
A founder in Brazil gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not a CPF, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
A CPF identifies a Brazilian individual and a CNPJ identifies a Brazilian company. Both come from Receita Federal, and neither is valid on line 7b. A CNPJ also fails line 1, which takes the approved US entity name exactly as the state printed it.
Line 4b takes the Brazilian city, the state in the state field, and the CEP in the ZIP field, then Brazil in the country field. Line 11 takes the US state approval date. A date on line 11 that predates approval causes a rejection reported weeks later, by mail.
Local identifiers named: CPF and CNPJ. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
How does a founder in Mexico get a US EIN?
A founder in Mexico gets a US EIN by filing Form SS-4. Line 7b takes Foreign, not an RFC, when the responsible party holds no SSN or ITIN. Fax the form to 855-215-1627. The IRS fee is $0.
An RFC is a Mexican tax registry code and a CURP is a Mexican population registry code. Both belong to SAT and RENAPO, and neither is an SSN or an ITIN. Line 7b takes one English word from Mexico exactly as it does from every other country.
Line 4b takes the Mexican city, the state in the state field, and the postal code in the ZIP field, then Mexico in the country field. einnumber.co files by fax within 5 business days of receiving completed details for $67, or within 24 hours for $97 with the IRS call included.
Local identifiers named: RFC and CURP. None appears on Form SS-4. IRS rules verified July 2026.
Which IRS fax number does your country use?
The country you live in does not pick the line. The entity's business address does. Fax to 855-641-6935 when the entity has a US business address, and to 855-215-1627 when it has none.
| Channel | Number | Who uses it | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRS fax, US-based entity | 855-641-6935 | The entity has a US business address | $0 |
| IRS fax, international | 855-215-1627 | The entity has no US business address | $0 |
| IRS international phone line | 267-941-1099 | International applicants calling the IRS | $0 |
| IRS online assistant, irs.gov | SSN or ITIN required | Applicants holding a US tax ID | $0 |
Source: IRS, verified July 2026. All four channels charge $0.
The IRS online assistant runs Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern. A session ends after 15 minutes of inactivity and restarts from the first screen. The tool checks the responsible party against SSN and ITIN records, which stops applicants holding neither at that screen, in every country.
Step-by-step fax mechanics live on the EIN by fax page, and the complete no-SSN route sits on apply for EIN without SSN.
How long does an EIN take from outside the United States?
A faxed Form SS-4 takes days to weeks. A mailed one takes 4 weeks. An online filing with an SSN takes 15 minutes. einnumber.co files by fax within 5 business days, or within 24 hours on Fast.
| Method | Time to EIN | SSN required | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRS online assistant | 15 minutes | Yes | $0 |
| IRS fax, Form SS-4 | Days to weeks | No | $0 |
| IRS mail, Form SS-4 | 4 weeks | No | $0 |
| IRS international phone | One call | No | $0 |
| einnumber.co Standard | 12–14 business days total | No | $67 |
| einnumber.co Fast | Under a week | No | $97 |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 instructions, verified July 2026. Business days are Monday to Friday, excluding US federal holidays.
einnumber.co files by fax within 5 business days of receiving your completed details on Standard, and within 24 hours on Fast. Your confirmation email prints the filing date. Time zones change nothing: the IRS fax lines accept a signed form at any hour, from any country.
Method-by-method timing sits on how long does an EIN take.
What does a US EIN cost from another country?
The IRS charges $0 from every country, through every filing method, and $0 again in year 2 because an EIN never renews. einnumber.co charges $67 to file by fax, or $97 to file within 24 hours.
| Filed by | Price | Filing guarantee in writing | Year 2+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yourself, direct to the IRS | $0 | None | $0 |
| einnumber.co Standard | $67 | Filed by fax within 5 business days or the filing is free | $0 |
| einnumber.co Fast | $97 | Filed and the IRS call made within 24 hours, guaranteed — or the filing is free | $0 |
| Northwest | $200 | Not stated | $0 |
| ZenBusiness | $99 | Not stated | $0 |
| Rocket Lawyer | $59.99 | Not stated | $0 |
Competitor prices verified July 2026. Northwest reflects the no-SSN rate.
Read this before paying anyone, including us. Holding an SSN means the IRS issues your EIN at irs.gov in 15 minutes for $0, from any country you happen to be sitting in. The $67 exists for the applicants the online tool blocks: a paper form, a fax line with no tracking, and 18 fields that have to be right the first time.
The honest version of the price question sits on the free EIN number page. When you want it filed for you, get started and we handle the fax.
Why do EIN applications from outside the United States get rejected?
A national tax number on line 7b causes most of them. Four more causes: a name on line 1 that misses the state record, a company on line 7a, a blank line 13, and an unsigned form.
A local tax number sits on line 7b. A PAN, an NTN, a UTR, a SIN, a TFN, an RFC, or a CPF all fail. Line 7b takes an SSN, an ITIN, an EIN, or the word Foreign.
Line 1 misses the state record. One character decides it. LLC and L.L.C. read as two different entities to the IRS, in every country.
Line 7a names a company. The IRS accepts 1 responsible party and it must be a person. A parent company or a filing agent fails.
Line 13 is blank. All 3 boxes need a number. Enter 0 for agricultural, 0 for household, and 0 for other when you hire nobody.
Line 11 predates state approval. The IRS issues EINs to entities that legally exist. Line 11 takes the approval date printed by the state.
The form is unsigned. An unsigned SS-4 comes back unprocessed, and the wait restarts from 0 days.
The IRS reports a rejection by mail, not by email. From a country outside the United States, that notice travels by international post to the address on line 4b, and the wait restarts from 0. Checking line 1 against the formation document before you fax costs nothing and adds 0 days.
What arrives after the IRS approves an application from abroad?
A 9-digit EIN and the official IRS CP-575 confirmation letter, mailed to the address on line 4b. The CP-575 prints the EIN and the legal name from line 1. Banks verify the business against it.
The EIN prints in a 2-digit and 7-digit format, separated by a hyphen. The IRS issues 1 CP-575 per EIN and never reprints it. A replacement arrives only as a 147C letter, which the IRS sends on request to the same line 4b address, in any country.
Store a copy before opening any account. Payment platforms and US banks request the CP-575 during business verification and check the name on it against the formation document. A mismatch on line 1 surfaces here, months after the fax went out.
The EIN lasts the life of the entity. It never renews and never expires, which puts the year 2 cost at $0 and every year after that at $0, from all 20 countries on this page.
The anatomy of the letter is on EIN confirmation letter. The wider non-resident guide is EIN for foreigners, and every term used above is defined in the EIN terms glossary.