US LLC for Non-Residents — FAQ (2026)

An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a US legal entity that separates your personal assets from business liabilities. Non-residents form US LLCs to access Stripe, PayPal, Mercury Bank, and other US-only payment rails. With no US-source effectively connected income, foreign-owned LLCs typically pay $0 in US federal income tax.

No. The entire process is 100% remote. You never need to set foot in the US to form an LLC, get an EIN, or even open most US business bank accounts. LLCora handles state filing, IRS EIN application, and bank pre-approval entirely online.

Wyoming is the best overall for non-residents: $60/year, strong privacy, Mercury Bank-friendly. New Mexico is the cheapest ($0/year) but has weaker bank acceptance. Delaware is for VC-backed startups ($300/year). Florida only if you physically operate from Florida. For 90% of non-residents, choose Wyoming.

Three plans: Basic $149 (New Mexico LLC + 24h delivery), Pro $299 (Wyoming LLC + EIN in 48h), Premium $499 (everything + ITIN support + Mercury guide + 1-on-1 video call). All one-time payments. From year 2, only $99/year Registered Agent + state annual fee ($0-$300 depending on state).

Zero hidden fees. The only annual cost is the Registered Agent ($99/year, mandatory in every US state) and the state's annual report fee, which we list transparently per state ($0 for New Mexico, $60 for Wyoming, $300 for Delaware). No bookkeeping upsells, no auto-renewals, no "contact sales" tier.

LLC: 24 hours guaranteed (or full refund) for Wyoming and New Mexico. Delaware takes 5-7 days due to state processing. EIN: 48 hours for non-residents via IRS Form SS-4 fax submission. The IRS confirmation letter (CP 575) typically arrives by mail in 4-6 weeks but the EIN itself is usable immediately.

(1) Articles of Organization (state-stamped certificate proving your LLC exists), (2) Operating Agreement (required by banks), (3) EIN confirmation letter from IRS (Pro and Premium plans), (4) Registered Agent agreement, (5) state-specific compliance calendar with all upcoming deadlines, (6) Form 5472 reminder for the first IRS deadline in April.

Generally no. Foreign-owned single-member LLCs are treated as disregarded entities. If your income is not effectively connected with a US trade or business (ECI) — for example, you sell digital services from your home country to clients globally — you owe $0 US federal income tax. You still must file Form 5472 annually to avoid the $25,000 IRS penalty.

Form 5472 is an IRS information return required for any US LLC with at least 25% foreign ownership, including ALL foreign-owned single-member LLCs. You must file it every year, even with $0 income, by April 15 (October 15 with extension). The penalty for not filing is $25,000 per year. LLCora sends you a reminder + a pre-filled template in January.

Yes. Mercury, Wise Business and Brex accept non-resident LLC owners with valid LLC documents and EIN. Approval rate is 70-85% for prepared applicants (Wyoming or Delaware LLC, valid EIN, Operating Agreement, business website, clear use of funds). LLCora's Premium plan includes a 1-on-1 video call where we review your application before submission.

Yes. Stripe approves non-resident LLCs every day if you submit the application correctly: use a custom-domain business email, give a specific business description with revenue model and refund policy, apply from your normal home IP (no VPN), and ensure your website has a homepage, pricing, terms, privacy policy and contact email. Approval rate ~85% on first try with this approach.

Real human support in 7 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian), French, German, Turkish, and Arabic. Average response time during business days is 4 hours. We do not use chatbots — every reply is from a human team member.

100% money-back guarantee. If your state rejects the filing for a reason within our control, we re-file at no cost. If we don't deliver your LLC within 24 hours, you get a full refund. Since 2022 we've refunded 11 customers (0.9% miss rate). Once the LLC is filed and approved by the state, refunds are not possible because state filing fees are non-refundable.