The US LLC route
Non-US founders can form a US LLC or C-Corp remotely, get an EIN, open a US bank account (e.g. Mercury) and then open Stripe US. Rough costs below; state fees, registered agent renewals, US tax filings (e.g. Form 5472 for foreign-owned single-member LLCs) and your home-country tax obligations come on top.
Formation options (rough cost)
- Stripe Atlas: $500 one-time (Delaware C-Corp or LLC, includes state filing fees and first year of registered agent); registered agent renews annually after year one. (source, checked 2026-10-17)
- doola: Starter $297/yr + state fees (formation, EIN, US address). Tax & Compliance $1,999/yr + state fees. doola says DIY typically costs $2,000–$5,000 in year one. (source, checked 2026-10-17)
Banking: Mercury
Mercury supports US companies with founders worldwide, except founders residing in these countries (source, checked 2026-10-17):
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Gambia
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Things to watch
- US filings for foreign-owned LLCs (e.g. Form 5472 + pro-forma 1120) carry large penalties if missed.
- Your home country may still tax the income, and may treat the LLC differently.
- Stripe/banks may ask for proof of US address and real US business activity.
Not legal, tax or financial advice. Provider rules change often and depend on your business type, what you sell, and the documents you hold. Always verify with the provider before you build or sign up. 'Unclear' means we could not confirm it from an official source. Talk to a qualified accountant in your country.