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Does a foreign owner need an SSN to own a US company?

EIN & business identity

No. Ownership of a US company carries no residency or tax ID requirement, and you do not need a visa either.

What the SSN affects is speed. Without one you cannot use the IRS online EIN application, so the EIN goes by fax or mail instead, which takes longer. Everything else works the same way.

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Check your EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) first. If that is gone, look at a previously filed tax return, a business bank account application, or any 1099 you have issued. Your bank or your payroll provider will also have it on file.

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