Guides for founders outside the US
How a US LLC works when you live somewhere else: the filings, the IRS, banks and the yearly obligations. Written to be accurate as of 2026, and general information rather than legal or tax advice.
Forming a US LLC as a non-resident
Who can own a US LLC, what you need to form one from outside the US, what it costs, and the obligations that come with it.
Read the guideWyoming vs Delaware vs New Mexico for a non-US founder
A side-by-side comparison of the three states most non-US founders choose: fees, yearly obligations, privacy and when each one makes sense.
Read guide 3 min readGetting an EIN without an SSN
How a foreign-owned US LLC gets its EIN when the owner has no Social Security number: Form SS-4, fax or phone, timing and common delays.
Read guide 3 min readOpening a US bank account as a non-resident
What US banks and online business accounts ask non-resident LLC owners for, which kinds of provider usually work, and why applications get declined.
Read guide 3 min readForm 5472 for foreign-owned LLCs
Why every foreign-owned single-member US LLC files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120, what counts as a reportable transaction, deadlines and penalties.
Read guide 3 min readRegistered agents, explained
What a registered agent does, why every US LLC needs one, what it costs, and how agent mail reaches you when you live outside the US.
Read guide 3 min readUsing Stripe and PayPal with a US LLC
What Stripe and PayPal usually ask a non-resident owned US LLC for, how payouts work, and how to avoid frozen accounts.
Read guide 3 min readKeeping your LLC in good standing
The yearly checklist for a foreign-owned US LLC: state reports, registered agent, Form 5472, records and changes you have to report.
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