Hello, I'm Christina Farr,
and I work in the Foreign Trade Division
of the U.S. Census Bureau.
When exporting your goods
valued at more than $2,500,
you must report your export information
through the Automated Export System,
which I'll refer to as the AES.
Recently, the Census Bureau
amended its Foreign Trade Regulations
to discontinue the collection
of the Social Security Number,
which I'll refer to as the SSN,
as an identification number
for U.S. citizens and legal residents
when reporting export information
through the AES.
As of December 3, 2009,
filers and/or U.S. Principal Parties
In Interest using the AES
must report an Employer
Identification Number,
which I'll refer to as an EIN,
as the identification number
to register or file in the AES.
The SSN was eliminated to protect
your personal information.
You may wonder, what do you use
if all you have is a SSN?
You'll need to obtain an EIN.
EINs are available to both
businesses and individuals,
and can be obtained
from the Internal Revenue Service,
which I'll refer to as the IRS.
For those who are not familiar
with the EIN,
I'll discuss what an EIN is.
An EIN is a 9-digit number
assigned by the IRS.
For purposes of the AES,
your EIN is used for identification.
It is important to note that
although the IRS assigns the EIN,
it does not have access
to your personal information
that is filed in the AES.
The information you report
to the Census Bureau
is completely confidential.
So now let's discuss
the different ways
that you can obtain an EIN
from the IRS.
The first way to apply
for an EIN is online.
Applying online is
the most common option
and is the fastest way
to receive your EIN.
You must first go to www.IRS.gov,
under "Online Services,"
click on "Apply for an EIN."
Scroll to the bottom of the screen,
and to begin the application process
click on "Apply Online Now."
Once your application
is completed,
the information is validated
during the online session
and your EIN will be
issued immediately.
The online application process
is available for all entities
located in the United States
or U.S. Territories
that have a valid
Taxpayer Identification Number,
such as a SSN.
The next way is to apply
over the telephone.
You can call the IRS's toll-free
telephone service on (800) 829-4933
to speak with a representative
who will assign an EIN.
This process will take 30-35 minutes.
The IRS can be reached by phone
between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
your local time, Monday through Friday.
You'll receive an EIN over the telephone
and will be able to use it immediately.
However, it will take
approximately two weeks
to receive a paper copy
of your confirmation by mail.
The other options for applying
for an EIN are by fax or mail.
When applying by fax or mail, you'll need
to complete the Form SS-4.
On your screen, you see
a sample Form SS-4.
You'll also use this application
if you're a freight forwarder
and want to apply for an EIN
on behalf of someone else.
For complete instructions
on how to do this,
visit our website
that you see on your screen.
As I mentioned, you can apply
for an EIN by fax.
To apply for an EIN by fax
you will complete the Form SS-4
and fax it to (859) 669-5760.
The fax should be sent to the attention
of "EIN Operation."
If you include your fax number,
a fax will be sent back to you
within four business days
providing you with your EIN.
Lastly, you can apply
for your EIN by U.S. mail.
You can mail your Form SS-4 to the IRS
at the address provided on the screen.
Be sure to send the letter
to the attention of "EIN Operation."
The timeframe for processing
mail applications is about four weeks.
This video serves
as a friendly reminder
that the SSN is no longer
acceptable in the AES.
You must now obtain an EIN from the IRS
online, by phone, fax or mail.
If you have additional questions,
feel free to give us a call
on 800-549-0595
and select option 3
for Regulations.
We're here to help make
your export transaction
as smooth as possible.