Company formation for non-residents
We register LLCs and C-Corporations in popular states - Delaware, Wyoming, Texas and Florida - for IT, consulting, e-commerce and doing business in the US market. We help you choose the right state, prepare the documents and appoint a registered agent. We obtain your federal EIN and assist with opening a bank account. The entire process is handled remotely, with no visit to the US required.
A brief overview of the corporate, tax and annual requirements of the US jurisdiction for non-residents.
An LLC is a flexible limited liability company, similar to an LLC elsewhere, and the usual choice for non-residents. A C-Corporation is familiar to venture investors and suited to raising funding rounds. Both are registered at state level.
Full ownership by a non-resident is permitted in every state. No citizenship, residence permit, SSN or physical presence in the US is required. The owner can be a foreign individual or a company.
There is no local director requirement - you can manage the company from any country. A single member is enough. A registered agent with a physical address in the state of formation is mandatory.
With C-Corporation taxation (C-Corp) the federal rate is 21%. For an LLC with a single member, income is taxed at the owner's level. Where there is no income from US sources, federal tax may be nil. Delaware and Wyoming have no state income tax.
There is no minimum share capital requirement. A company can be registered without depositing any funds. The capital amount is determined by business objectives and bank requirements when opening an account.
Annual state report and renewal of the registered agent. Companies with foreign ownership must file IRS Form 5472 with pro-forma 1120 - even with nil income. An audit is not required.
The final cost depends on the selected package, industry, capital size and additional project requirements.
Information is current as of July 2026.
From basic registration to a full launch with corporate support and bank account opening.
LLC registration and tax number
Registered address and documents
With banking support
For a full company launch with a tailored banking route and support through to opening the corporate account.
Important: banking support does not guarantee that an account will be opened. The final decision rests with the bank or EMI after reviewing the company and beneficial owner profile.
The US suits projects that need access to payment providers such as Stripe and PayPal, US dollar settlements with international clients and entry to the world's largest consumer market. Full foreign ownership is available in every state.
A company for selling on Amazon, Shopify, Etsy and your own stores. A US entity opens access to payment services, USD settlements and fulfilment warehouses in the US.
Development, SaaS and subscription products. An LLC lets you accept payments through Stripe and PayPal, invoice in US dollars and work with clients worldwide.
An entity for agencies, consultants and independent professionals. Invoicing in US dollars and the standing of a US company build client trust and make contracts easier to close.
A structure for holding assets, startup equity and intellectual property. Delaware is familiar to venture investors, and an LLC can be converted into a C-Corporation as you scale.
Direct access to the US economy and a paying audience of hundreds of millions of consumers, with well-developed infrastructure and logistics.
More than 60 double taxation treaties that reduce withholding tax on cross-border payments of royalties, interest and dividends.
A US company with an EIN can open Stripe, PayPal, Wise and corporate accounts with fintech banks with no visit to the US.
No mandatory boards of directors, officers or audit. You can manage the company from any country, and the legal system is based on common law.
The barrier to entry into the US jurisdiction is low: no local director, no minimum capital and no personal presence are required. Below is what the client prepares and what the state requires. Most of the preparation is handled remotely.
The set of documents depends on the industry and ownership structure. Non-residents' documents are certified as true copies, and in some cases notarisation or an apostille in the country of origin is required.
Full ownership by a non-resident is permitted in every state. No citizenship, residence permit or SSN is required. Certain regulated activities require licences.
A single member is enough. There is no local director requirement, you can manage the company from any country. Members can be individuals or companies, including foreign ones.
A registered agent with a physical address in the state of formation is mandatory. The agent receives official and legal correspondence. There is no minimum share capital requirement.
A registered address in the state of formation for official correspondence. It is usually provided together with the registered agent service. A virtual address is sufficient for registration.
Foreign-owned companies file Form 5472 with a pro-forma 1120 with the IRS each year — even with no income. A state annual report is also filed. No audit is required.
How an LLC is taxed depends on where the income comes from and whether the company operates on US soil. A properly structured non-resident company with no US-source income may have no federal tax, but must still file with the IRS each year.
21% or 0%
With corporate taxation (C-Corp), the federal rate is 21%. A single-member LLC pays no tax at its own level - income passes through to the owner.
Source-based
What matters is the source of the income. US-source income is taxed in the US; foreign-source income, where there is no activity in the country, generally is not.
Form 5472
Foreign-owned companies file Form 5472 with a pro-forma 1120 each year, even with no income.
0% in some states
Delaware and Wyoming levy no state income tax on income earned outside the state. Only an annual state fee applies.
Passive US-source income (royalties, interest, dividends) is subject to withholding tax at 30%. The rate is reduced under a double taxation treaty when Form W-8BEN is filed.
If the company carries on a US trade or business, the connected income is taxed on a progressive scale on the net profit after deductions and reported on Form 1040-NR.
If services are provided outside the US and there is no activity in the country, the income generally is not subject to US federal tax. The final liability depends on the business structure.
US-source payments of dividends, interest and royalties are subject to withholding tax. The rate is reduced under the tax treaties the US has with more than 60 countries.
File Form 5472 with a pro-forma 1120 with the IRS even with no income
Keep records of the company's income, expenses and transactions
Renew the registered agent service each year
File the state annual report and pay the state fee
File a Form 1040-NR return where there is US-source income
Meet withholding tax obligations on cross-border payments
Check whether a tax treaty applies between the US and the country of residence
Failure to file Form 5472 carries a penalty of at least $25,000 regardless of income. The final tax liability depends on the business structure and country of residence - we recommend consulting a tax specialist.
Information current as of July 2026
The banking route depends on the company's activity, the geography of its payments and the profile of its beneficial owners. We select fintech banks for US dollar settlements and solutions for receiving payments from clients worldwide. The account is opened after the EIN is obtained, remotely.
For day-to-day operations and settlements in US dollars. We match the platform to the company profile and country of residence - options include Mercury, Wise and Payoneer.
For online sales and working with platforms. Accept payments through Stripe and PayPal, and receive marketplace payouts from Amazon, Shopify and Etsy into the company account.
We prepare the company profile before submission, so the bank's due diligence (KYC) requirements are addressed in advance and the risk of refusal is reduced.
We assess your activity, payment geography and bank requirements before submission.
We support the project from the initial review through to receiving the corporate documents and completing any agreed additional tasks. We handle the registration in line with the requirements of the chosen US state.
We review the ownership structure, the members and the source documents, choose the right state for the task and check the client due diligence requirements before starting.
We agree the company name, prepare the Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement, file the documents with the state registry and obtain the certificate of formation.
We appoint a registered agent in the state and arrange the registered address in line with the chosen package. The company can be managed from any country no local director is required.
We obtain the federal EIN from the IRS and advise on annual reporting and Form 5472. Where needed, we help with industry licences.
The process covers choosing the state, reserving the name, preparing the formation documents, filing with the state registry and obtaining the EIN. Most of the steps are completed remotely.
A document from the state registry confirming the creation of the LLC (Certificate of Formation).
The Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement, setting out the structure and management rules of the LLC.
Confirmation of the federal EIN, required for the bank account and payment providers.
A full set of registration documents in electronic form, according to the chosen package.
The US does not solve every task. In some cases it is more honest to look at another jurisdiction, and we will help you find the right one.
Foreign-owned companies file Form 5472 with the IRS every year, and missing the deadlines risks a penalty. If you want the standing of a reputable first-world jurisdiction but with simpler administration, a neighbouring market is worth considering.
Worth considering: Canada
A US LLC does not give you an EU presence or a VAT number, and clients within the EU are more used to dealing with a European entity. If your main clients and turnover are in the EU, a company in Europe makes more sense.
Worth considering: Lithuania, Cyprus, Ireland
If your main clients, suppliers and banks are in Asia, a US entity adds an extra annual IRS filing. For the Asian market, a local company with territorial taxation and regional banking is more convenient.
Worth considering: Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia
A US LLC must file Form 5472 every year regardless of income, with penalties for non-compliance. For holding and passive structures where zero tax and minimal reporting matter, classic offshore jurisdictions are simpler.
Worth considering: Panama, St Vincent and the Grenadines, BVI
Not sure whether the US fits your project? In a consultation we will assess the task honestly and suggest the best jurisdiction — even if that turns out not to be the US.
If the US does not fully fit your structure, tax position or running costs, compare the alternatives on the key parameters.
| Jurisdiction | Best for | Taxes | Maintenance | Banking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canada | Best for Prestige, trade and access to the North American market. | Taxes Federal tax of 15% plus provincial, roughly 23–31% combined. | Maintenance Annual filing; no small-business relief for a non-resident. | Banking Reputable banks, strict compliance for non-residents. |
 Panama | Best for Holdings, trade and working with Latin America. | Taxes Territorial basis - 0% on foreign income, 25% on local income. | Maintenance No audit required, but records must be kept and filed with the resident agent. | Banking Local US dollar banks, thorough due diligence. |
 St Vincent and the Grenadines | Best for Holdings, consulting and international trade. | Taxes 0% on foreign-source income. | Maintenance Minimal requirements, enhanced privacy. | Banking International banks and payment providers (EMI). |
 British Virgin Islands | Best for Holdings, asset ownership and investment. | Taxes No corporate tax and no withholding tax. | Maintenance Economic substance reporting, no audit. | Banking International banks and EMIs, strict compliance. |
We will help you compare jurisdictions on taxes, banking, annual costs and structure requirements to fit your task.
Every project is different. We tailor the solution to the specific task, jurisdiction and business model of each client.
United States, Wyoming The client was selling on Amazon through a European entity but kept running into fees and constant questions about payments. They wanted a US company to reach the US marketplace directly, connect Stripe and stop losing money on conversion.
Solution We registered an LLC in Wyoming, obtained the EIN, helped open a Mercury account and connect payment services. We also went through state sales tax with the client so there would be no surprises with the marketplace.
Honestly, the thing I put off the longest was the tax side - I was sure I would have to fly to the States. In the end the team laid it all out clearly, what to pay and where. The account was opened remotely, I got onto Amazon without any trouble, and the first payouts have already come through. I asked the same thing a couple of times and they answered without getting annoyed.
United States, California The founders had a SaaS product and were in talks with a US fund. The investor said straight away they would only invest in a US C-Corp. They needed the right structure for the round, not just a company on paper.
Solution We registered a C-Corp in California, obtained the EIN and set up the cap table for future investors. We flagged the annual state fee of $800 up front and helped open a corporate account to receive the investment.
We honestly had no idea about the difference between an LLC and a C-Corp, it was a complete blur to us. They explained why the fund needed a corporation and set everything up so we would not have to redo it before the round. The $800 fee was a surprise at first, but they warned us in advance, so fair enough.
United States, Texas The agency worked with clients in the US and Europe but invoiced from an entity in another country, and some clients dropped off at the contract stage. They wanted a US company to work with larger clients and get paid in US dollars without extra questions.
Solution We registered an LLC in Texas, obtained the EIN and set up an account and Stripe for payments. We chose Texas because there is no state income tax - for a service business with no office that is a real saving.
The main pain was that clients did not want to pay somewhere they could not place. With a US entity and account the question sorted itself out, and larger clients stopped hesitating. It was set up faster than I expected, though I did have to send over a couple of extra documents. On the whole I am happy.
If you cannot find the answer to your question, leave a request and we will look at your situation personally.
Get a consultationWith a complete set of documents, an LLC is usually registered in the state within 1-5 business days, and some states offer same-day expedited processing. Obtaining the federal EIN takes from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the filing method. Including preparation and name reservation, the full cycle takes from 5 business days. Opening an account is considered separately and depends on the bank's review.
Yes, the whole registration is done remotely. No citizenship, visa, SSN or physical presence in the US is required — a passport and proof of address are enough. You can also manage the company from any country, as no local director is needed. The only nuance is that when opening an account some banks may request additional checks.
An LLC is a flexible structure with minimal formalities: by default it is taxed at the owner's level, with no mandatory board of directors or audit. It suits e-commerce, consulting, IT and holdings. A C-Corp pays federal tax of 21% at company level and has stricter reporting, but it is familiar to venture investors and convenient for raising funding rounds and issuing shares. For most non-residents an LLC is the right fit; for startups seeking investment, a C-Corp.
No. An SSN is not required to register an LLC or obtain an EIN — the EIN is issued through a dedicated procedure for non-residents. An ITIN is a personal tax number for an individual, needed only in certain cases such as a personal tax return, not for the company registration itself. Most fintech banks open an account using the EIN, without an SSN or ITIN.
It depends on the source of income. If a single-member LLC does not operate on US soil and has no US-source income, there is usually no federal tax. Passive US-source income is subject to withholding tax at 30%, reduced under a tax treaty. Income from activity on US soil is taxed on a progressive scale. The final liability depends on the business structure, so we recommend consulting a tax specialist.
The choice of state depends on the task. Wyoming is popular for its low fees, privacy and absence of state income tax — a common choice for e-commerce and consulting. Delaware is familiar to investors and convenient for startups and holdings. Texas and Florida suit working with the US market with no state income tax. We match the state to the specific business model and any plans to raise investment.
Not necessarily with a traditional bank. Most non-residents use fintech platforms — Mercury, Wise or Payoneer — which provide real US dollar banking details and work with Stripe and PayPal. The account is opened remotely after obtaining the EIN. Traditional banks more often require an in-person visit, so fintech solutions are usually more convenient for international business.
A foreign-owned company files Form 5472 together with a pro-forma 1120 with the IRS each year — even with no income. Failure to file carries a penalty of at least $25,000, so this is a key obligation. A state annual report is also filed and the registered agent renewed. No audit is required. Where there is US-source income, a Form 1040-NR return may be needed.
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