What Is a TIN for a US Business? A Guide for Founders Abroad

If you have ever tried to open a US payment account from abroad, you have probably run into the term TIN and wondered whether it is the same thing your bank keeps asking for. A TIN, or Taxpayer Identification Number, is the umbrella term the IRS uses for every kind of tax ID a person or business can hold in the United States. Founders outside the country often confuse it with an EIN or an ITIN, and that confusion can stall a good business. This guide covers what each number is, which one your company needs, and how to get the right one without setting foot in the US.

What is a TIN number, in plain terms?

If you have ever asked what is a TIN number, the short answer is that a TIN, or Taxpayer Identification Number, is the broad category the IRS uses to describe any identification number it issues for tax purposes. It is not a single number you apply for. It is a label covering several specific types, including the Social Security Number for US individuals, the Employer Identification Number for businesses, and the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for people who cannot get an SSN.

So when a US bank, a marketplace, or a payment processor asks for your "TIN," they are really asking for whichever specific number applies to you or your company. For a non-resident running a US business, the relevant TIN is almost always the EIN. Knowing which slot you fall into is the whole game, because the wrong number on a form gets it rejected.

The main types of TIN you might encounter

• SSN (Social Security Number): issued to US citizens and certain authorized residents. Most non-residents cannot get one, and that is fine. You do not need an SSN to run a US LLC.
• EIN (Employer Identification Number): a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to a business entity. This is the TIN your company uses to file taxes, open accounts, and identify itself.
• ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number): a personal tax ID for individuals who have a US filing requirement but are not eligible for an SSN.
• ATIN and PTIN: narrow numbers for adoption cases and paid tax preparers, neither relevant to forming a company.

What is the difference between a TIN and an EIN?

A TIN is the general category, and an EIN is one specific type of TIN that belongs to a business. Every EIN is a TIN, but not every TIN is an EIN. The EIN is the nine-digit number the IRS issues to identify a company, formatted as XX-XXXXXXX. When you form a Wyoming LLC, the EIN becomes the entity's tax ID, used on federal filings, on bank applications, and when a US platform asks who they are paying.

The confusion usually comes from forms. A bank application might ask for your "Tax ID" or "TIN" without specifying which one. For a US LLC, the correct answer in that box is the company's EIN. As a non-resident forming an LLC, the EIN is the number that does the work.

What is the difference between an EIN and an ITIN?

An EIN identifies a business, while an ITIN identifies a person. The EIN belongs to your company and is what you use for the LLC's federal filings and account openings. The ITIN belongs to you as an individual and is only needed when you personally have a US tax filing obligation.

This distinction matters because many founders abroad assume they must get an ITIN before they can do anything. In most cases that is not true. You can form a US LLC and obtain its EIN without ever holding a personal SSN or ITIN. An ITIN becomes relevant later, and only in specific situations tied to your individual return rather than the company's existence.

A quick founder example

Take a designer in Rotterdam who wanted to bill US clients in dollars and accept payments through a US processor. She kept reading that she needed a "TIN" and panicked, thinking she had to fly to the US for a Social Security Number. In reality, her company needed an EIN, which is a business TIN, and she personally needed nothing extra. Once the LLC had its EIN, the payment platform's "Tax ID" field had a clean answer.

Do non-residents need an SSN to get a business TIN?

No, non-residents do not need an SSN to get a business TIN. The IRS issues EINs to companies whose responsible party has no SSN, which is exactly the situation most founders abroad are in. The application form, IRS Form SS-4, includes a path for a responsible party who does not have a US Social Security Number or ITIN, where you write "Foreign" in the relevant field.

The practical catch is the channel. US applicants with an SSN can get an EIN instantly through the IRS online tool, but that tool requires an SSN or ITIN, so it is closed to most non-residents. The standard route for a founder without an SSN is to submit Form SS-4 to the IRS by fax or mail. By fax, the IRS typically takes a few weeks to issue the number, and no service can promise a faster date because the IRS controls the timing entirely.

How do you actually get a US business TIN without visiting the US?

You get a US business TIN, meaning an EIN, by forming a US entity and then submitting IRS Form SS-4 with "Foreign" listed for the responsible party who lacks an SSN. The entire process can be done remotely. You do not need to travel, and you do not need US residency or a US visa. What you do need is a properly formed company, a US business address, and a registered agent so the entity is reachable.

This is the part where founders abroad get stuck on logistics, and it is the gap CORPBOLT is built to close. CORPBOLT is a U.S. business formation service for non-resident founders that files your Wyoming LLC and gets the EIN without an SSN. Plans start from $349/year, with the EIN included from $599. (corpbolt.com)

One point worth repeating, because pricing online can be misleading: the EIN itself is free. The IRS does not charge for issuing the number. What you pay a formation service for is preparing and filing the SS-4 correctly and handling the entity work around it, never for the number.

A practical checklist for getting your business TIN from abroad

1. Form the US entity first. For non-resident founders, a Wyoming LLC is a common choice. The company must exist before the IRS can issue it an EIN.
2. Secure a registered agent in the state of formation. This is a legal requirement and gives the state and the IRS a reliable point of contact.
3. Set up a US business and mailing address so your filings and IRS correspondence have somewhere to land.
4. Complete IRS Form SS-4. List the responsible party, and where the form asks for that person's SSN or ITIN, write "Foreign" if you do not have one.
5. Submit the SS-4 to the IRS by fax or mail, since the instant online tool is closed to applicants without an SSN or ITIN.
6. Wait for the IRS to issue the EIN. By fax this typically takes a few weeks. Keep the confirmation letter, the CP 575, because banks and platforms ask for it.
7. Use the EIN as your company's TIN on bank applications, processor onboarding, and federal tax filings.

What can you do once your business has its TIN?

Once your business has its EIN, it can be identified for US tax purposes and complete the onboarding steps that platforms and banks require. The EIN is what goes in the "Tax ID" field when a payment processor like Stripe or PayPal asks who they are paying, and it is what appears on your federal filings. It turns an abstract company into one that US systems can recognize.

It helps to be precise about what the EIN does and does not do. Having an EIN makes you bank-ready, meaning you have the core identifier most banks and fintech platforms ask for. It does not itself open an account. The bank or platform always makes its own decision based on its own checks. A service can help you prepare to open an account, but the institution decides. Anyone who tells you an EIN guarantees a US account is overstating what the number can do.

Why does the type of entity affect which TIN you use?

The type of entity affects which TIN you use because the IRS ties the tax ID to how the business is legally structured. A US LLC is registered with a state, in CORPBOLT's case the Wyoming Secretary of State, and then receives its own EIN from the IRS as the entity's TIN. That separation between you and the company is part of why an LLC suits a founder who wants a US presence without entangling it in their personal tax identity.

Because the EIN attaches to the entity, your personal status abroad does not block it. The company is the taxpayer for that number, so a founder can be a tax resident anywhere in the world and still have a US business with a valid US TIN. It is also why getting the entity right at the start matters: the EIN is only as solid as the company it is attached to.

Frequently asked questions

Is a TIN the same as an EIN?

Not exactly. TIN is the umbrella term for all US tax identification numbers, and the EIN is the specific type issued to businesses. Every EIN is a TIN, but a TIN could also be an SSN or an ITIN depending on who holds it.

Can I get a business TIN without a Social Security Number?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs to businesses whose responsible party has no SSN. You submit Form SS-4 with "Foreign" entered where the form asks for the responsible party's SSN or ITIN, and the EIN serves as your business TIN.

How much does a TIN cost?

The EIN itself is free directly from the IRS, with no government fee for the number. If you pay a formation service, you are paying for preparing and filing the application and the entity work around it, not for the EIN.

How long does it take to get an EIN from abroad?

The IRS controls the timing. Applicants without an SSN generally file by fax, and the IRS typically takes a few weeks to issue the number that way. No provider can promise a guaranteed date, so be cautious of anyone who claims one.

Do I also need an ITIN for my US LLC?

Usually not just to operate the company. The LLC uses its EIN. An ITIN is a personal tax ID and only becomes relevant if you individually have a US filing obligation. If unsure, check with a cross-border tax professional.