Not required
US residency
States don't ask where a company's owners live or what passport they hold. They ask for a registered agent with an address in the state, which every Registate formation plan includes.
Start a US Company as a Non-US Resident
You don't need to live in the US, hold a visa or have an SSN to form an LLC or C-Corp. Here's who can apply, which documents you'll need for each service, and how the EIN works without an SSN.
Choosing a structure? Compare the LLC and the C-Corp, or pick a state.
Founder checklistNon-US resident
Tap what you have to see what it means for you.
- A valid passportCoveredYour photo ID for the address lease and mailbox
- SSN or ITINNot neededThe EIN is requested on Form SS-4, with “Foreign” on line 7b
- A US street addressWe provide oneA street address backed by a commercial lease and a utility bill
- US visa or residencyNot neededThe state doesn't ask where owners live
- A trip to the USNot neededEvery step is online
You can form the company and get an EIN from abroad.Start
Where you live and who can apply
Most founders can form a US company from their home country. Three things decide it: the state, US sanctions law, and later, your bank.
Sanctions apply
US sanctions
US sanctions law (OFAC) limits who a US business can serve: people and companies on sanctions lists, and some sanctioned countries and regions. If you're unsure, ask us before you pay.
Their own rules
Banks and payment providers
Banks, Stripe and Payoneer each decide which countries they accept, separately from the state and from us. Check the provider you plan to use. Why banks say no
Documents a foreign founder needs
Each service asks for different things. Forming the company needs only your answers. ID comes in when you add an address or a mailbox.
Company formationNo ID upload
- Company type and stateLLC or C-Corp
- Company nameWe check it's available
- What the company doesA short description
Forming the company
Onboarding asks for your answers, not a passport scan. Your home address and nationality don't limit which state you can choose. How formation works
Form SS-4 detailsNo SSN or ITIN
- Responsible partyYour name, as on your passport
- Line 7b: “Foreign”Instead of an SSN or ITIN
- Your address abroadA foreign address is accepted
Getting the EIN
The IRS asks who owns or controls the company, the “responsible party”. If that's you and you have no SSN or ITIN, the form says “Foreign”. About EIN support
Business address leaseUpload in panel
- Formation documentFrom the state
- IRS EIN letterFrom the IRS
- Photo IDPassport or driver's license
A US business address
For the lease and utility bill, upload three documents and name the main shareholder's country. See proof of address
USPS Form 1583Witnessed
- Primary photo IDA foreign passport is accepted
- Second IDFor example a lease or insurance policy
- Signed Form 1583On video, in person or notarized
A virtual mailbox
USPS rules apply to every mailbox: a signed Form 1583 and two current IDs for each person who receives mail. About the virtual mailbox
We ask for documents in your panel, per order. Never send passport numbers or ID scans by email.
No SSN? Your EIN still works
The IRS online application needs an SSN, ITIN or EIN. Without one, the same Form SS-4 goes to the IRS by fax or mail instead.
Form SS-4IRS · free to file
- Legal name
- Company name
- Responsible party
- Your name
- SSN, ITIN or EIN
- Foreign
- Mailing address
- Company address
1
7a
7b
4a
- 1
Your company is formed first. The EIN is requested for the company, not for you.
- 2
Form SS-4 names you as the responsible party. With no SSN or ITIN, line 7b says “Foreign”.
- 3
The form goes to the IRS international line by fax or by mail. You don't need an ITIN first.
FaxGenerally within 4 business daysThe IRS faxes the EIN back
MailAbout 4 weeksThe EIN arrives by post
Timing is the IRS's, not ours. The IRS doesn't charge for an EIN; Registate's EIN help is paid preparation support, and some packages include it. EIN service · IRS Form SS-4 instructions
What a company doesn't decide
A US company is a legal entity. It's separate from where you pay tax as a person, where you may live, and who will bank you.
Your taxes
Your home country still decides your personal tax residency. The US company has its own filings; for example a single-member LLC with a foreign owner generally files Form 5472 each year. Ask a tax advisor about your case.
Your visa or immigration status
Owning a US company doesn't give you the right to live or work in the US. Visas are a separate process with US immigration authorities.
Your bank account
Banks and payment providers make their own decisions, and nobody can guarantee approval. As a Payoneer Affiliate Partner we guide your Payoneer application; Payoneer decides. Why banks say no
Pick a structure, a state and a plan
These choices are the same for residents and non-residents. Processing times vary; the state and the IRS set them.
LLC
Simple ownership and flexible management. A common choice for a small business run from abroad.
LLC formationC-Corp
Shares and a board. Usually the structure for companies that plan to raise investment.
C-Corp formationState
At checkout: California, Delaware, DC, Florida, New York, Texas and Wyoming. Each state sets its own fees.
Compare statesCost
Package price, plus the state fee, plus any add-ons such as EIN support or an address. Each is shown separately.
See pricingWant the whole journey first? Read how it works.
Non-resident FAQs
Eligibility, documents, the EIN without an SSN, and what a US company does and doesn't change for you.
Yes. States don't require owners to live in the US or hold a US visa. They require a registered agent with an address in the state, which every Registate formation plan includes. US sanctions law does limit who can be served, so ask us first if you're unsure.
No. The IRS online application needs an SSN, ITIN or EIN, so foreign founders apply with Form SS-4 by fax or mail instead and write “Foreign” for the responsible party's number. The IRS says fax replies generally take 4 business days and mail about 4 weeks.
Forming the company needs only your answers during onboarding. The EIN needs the responsible party's name and address. A lease-backed business address needs your formation document, EIN letter and a photo ID such as a passport. A virtual mailbox needs a signed USPS Form 1583 and two IDs; a foreign passport is accepted as the photo ID.
No. A company is a separate legal entity. It doesn't change your immigration status, and your personal tax residency is still decided by where you live. The company has its own US filings, so talk to a tax advisor about your situation.
We can't promise that, and no one can. Each bank and payment provider applies its own rules, including which countries it accepts. We give you a US company and address documents in its name, and as a Payoneer Affiliate Partner we guide your Payoneer application; Payoneer decides.
Processing times vary; the state and the IRS set them. The How it works page lists the official timings published for Wyoming, Delaware and the EIN.