Does Firstbase get me an EIN without an SSN?

An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is the tax ID your US company needs to open a bank account, work with payment processors, and file taxes. US founders with an SSN can get one online in minutes. The blocker for non-residents is that the IRS online tool requires an SSN or ITIN, so without one you cannot use it. Firstbase closes that gap by preparing and submitting the paper application (Form SS-4) for you, which is the correct route when you have no SSN.

The EIN is included in the Start package (a $399 one-time fee as of 2026, confirm at checkout), so it is not a separate upsell. Firstbase describes its EIN handling as expedited, and for SSN holders that is effectively immediate. For non-residents, expedited means the fastest legitimate path the IRS offers, not instant. The IRS states about 4 business days for a faxed application when you provide a return fax number, and about 4 weeks by mail.

Set expectations honestly on timing. In practice, non-resident EINs often take several weeks regardless of who files them, because the bottleneck is the IRS, not the formation service. Anyone promising a non-resident EIN in a day or two is overpromising. The value Firstbase adds is filing it correctly the first time so you avoid the rejections and re-filings that stretch a DIY attempt into months.

This is the right setup for a non-resident who wants the EIN handled without learning IRS paperwork. If you do have an SSN or ITIN, you could technically get an EIN yourself online for free, so the value of a formation service for you is the formation, documents, and banking guidance rather than the EIN alone. Either way, you own the company and the EIN once issued.

Best-outcome tip: give Firstbase accurate details (legal name, responsible party, foreign address) up front, since a typo on the SS-4 is the most common cause of delay. If you have a reliable fax number, mention it, because the fax route is meaningfully faster than mail for non-residents.