how does one become an IM?

Steps would be helpful! My question is not based on how much skill is required but where does one apply or sign up?

You're getting way ahead of yourself.  First you should be striving for intermediate.  Learn basic tactical and endgame patterns, opening principles (develop, control the center, castle early, move the queen to connect the rooks, then learn from Questions of Modern Chess Theory seeming exceptions that actually follow the rules), maintaining the tension, weak squares, pawns, color complexes, different ways of playing with different center types and pawn structures (pawns point towards the kingside means you should typically play there for example), good bishop vs. bad knight, good knight vs. bad bishop, bishop pair, bishop without a counterpart (if further simplification happens here then ironically it becomes a typically drawish opposite colored bishop endgame where king activity matters more than material, so the opposite bishop endgames that aren't drawn are quite fun if you're the one winning), queen vs. pawn on the seventh (elementary endgame, march up your king or if you have a bishop pawn sacrifice it at the correct moment for stalemate) etc.