From Idea to LLC + EIN + Stripe + Mercury in 30 Days (2026 Cornerstone Guide)

This is the master post we link to from every blog and from /resources. If you read only one LLCora guide, read this one. It's the exact 30-day calendar we walk every Premium customer through, with links to the deeper guides for each step.

The 30-day promise

By day 30 you will have:

1. A Wyoming LLC, legally recognized by the US state
2. An EIN from the IRS
3. A Mercury Bank or Wise Business account
4. A Stripe US account approved and ready to accept payments
5. BOI Report filed with FinCEN (avoiding the $591/day penalty)
6. A Form 5472 reminder calendar set for next April

If any of these slip past day 30, we refund the Premium plan.

Week 1: Form the LLC and start paperwork (Day 1-7)

Day 1: Pick the state and pay LLCora

For 90% of non-residents, the answer is Wyoming. Read Wyoming vs Delaware to confirm. Then pick the Pro plan ($299) which includes LLC + EIN.

If you're on a tight budget, Basic ($149) gets you a New Mexico LLC without EIN — you can apply for the EIN yourself with our help.

Day 2: Fill the 2-minute form

We email you a link with: LLC name choices (3 options in case the first is taken), business activity description, and your home country address. Takes 2 minutes.

Day 3: We file with the state

LLCora submits to the Wyoming Secretary of State. Wyoming approves in 24-48 hours. You receive the Articles of Organization with the state seal.

Day 4-5: We file SS-4 to the IRS for your EIN

We fax IRS Form SS-4 to the international EIN office. The IRS issues the EIN within 48 hours and we email it to you the moment it arrives. Read why you don't need an SSN or ITIN to do this.

Day 6-7: Buy a domain and create your business email

Use Cloudflare or Namecheap with real personal info (no whois privacy). Set up Cloudflare Email Routing for hello@yourdomain.com. This is what Stripe will see — Gmail addresses get rejected.

Week 2: Build the website and prep for banking (Day 8-14)

Day 8-10: Build a one-page business website

Stripe needs to see:

• Homepage explaining what you sell, who buys it, how much it costs
• Pricing page with specific numbers (not "contact us")
• Terms of Service + Privacy Policy (use Termly free tier, takes 5 minutes)
• Contact email at your custom domain

Build it on Next.js + Vercel (free tier), Webflow ($14/mo), or Carrd ($19/year). Use real product screenshots or a simple SaaS mockup. The point isn't beauty — it's verifiability.

Day 11-13: Apply to Mercury Bank or Wise Business

Mercury Bank prefers Wyoming and Delaware LLCs. Wise Business accepts more countries. Pick one based on where you live.

Application requires: Articles of Organization, EIN confirmation, Operating Agreement, business website URL, expected monthly revenue, source of funds.

Approval timeline: Mercury 5-10 business days, Wise 2-5 business days.

Day 14: BOI Report (file the same day Mercury approves)

The BOI Report is mandatory for almost every LLC. It takes 15 minutes at boiefiling.fincen.gov. You need: passport scan, residential address, LLC details. Free to file. $591/day penalty if you skip.

Week 3: Stripe approval and product launch (Day 15-21)

Day 15-17: Apply to Stripe

Use the exact patterns in our Stripe Wyoming LLC playbook. Critical:

• Apply from your normal home Wi-Fi (no VPN)
• Use your custom-domain email
• Specific business description with revenue model
• Bank routing/account from Mercury or Wise

Stripe usually decides within 24-72 hours.

Day 18-19: Connect Stripe to your website

If you sell SaaS, integrate Stripe Checkout (15-line code). If you sell consulting, send Stripe payment links via email. If you sell physical goods, integrate Stripe with your e-commerce platform.

Day 20-21: Soft launch — first transaction

Process a real $1 transaction from a friend or your own card. Stripe usually flags or holds the very first payment for review. By processing it now, you clear the queue before real customers come in.

Week 4: Compliance reminders and growth (Day 22-30)

Day 22-23: Set Form 5472 reminder for next April 15

Form 5472 is mandatory annually for foreign-owned single-member LLCs. The penalty for missing is $25,000. Set 3 calendar reminders: March 1 (start), April 1 (1-week warning), April 14 (last day before deadline).

LLCora customers get this reminder automatically every January.

Day 24-25: Apply for additional payment processors

PayPal Business: 70% approval rate for Wyoming LLCs. Apply with your EIN and Mercury account.

Lemon Squeezy / Paddle: useful as Stripe backup, especially for digital goods (they handle EU VAT).

Day 26-27: Domain forwarding email + accounting setup

Set up a forwarding from sales@, billing@, support@ to your main inbox. Sign up for Wave Accounting (free) or Bench (paid) for bookkeeping. You'll need accurate books for Form 5472.

Day 28-30: Optimize and launch publicly

Now you have everything: legal entity, tax ID, US bank account, payment processor. Push your product to your audience. By day 30 you should have processed at least 1 real customer transaction.

What can go wrong (and how to fix it)

"Mercury denied my application"

Common for Pakistani, Iranian, Nigerian, Indonesian founders. Pivot to Wise Business (~90% approval). If both deny, use Brex (Y Combinator backed) or Relay.

"Stripe is asking for additional documents"

Send: government ID photo, Articles of Organization, 1-paragraph email to support@stripe.com from your domain email. Manual review usually completes in 48-72 hours.

"My LLC name was taken"

Wyoming returns "name unavailable" within minutes of filing. We email you immediately and ask for an alternative. Pick names with low collision risk: combine 2-3 distinct words.

"I need to invoice in EUR/GBP, not USD"

Wise Business gives you EUR + GBP + USD accounts. Invoice in the customer's currency, convert at mid-market rate.

The 30-day cost breakdown

From year 2: $99 LLCora Registered Agent + $60 Wyoming annual report = $159/year.

Related guides

• Wyoming vs Delaware LLC
• Hidden fees in doola, Firstbase, Stripe Atlas
• BOI Report 2026 guide
• Stripe Wyoming LLC 7-day playbook
• Open Mercury Bank as a non-resident
• ITIN vs EIN — which do you actually need?
• Form 5472 $25K penalty guide
• LLC Glossary (17 terms)
• Full FAQ
• About LLCora

Ready?

Start with the Pro plan ($299) — Wyoming LLC + EIN in 48 hours, then follow this 30-day calendar to operational US business by day 30.

If you want LLCora to walk you through every step on a video call, grab the Premium plan ($499) — includes 1-on-1 onboarding, Mercury approval guidance, and Stripe application review.