Site Index

Core services

• BOI Report Filing with FinCEN
  File your Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act. We prepare, submit and track the report for you.
• EIN Application Without a Social Security Number
  Get an IRS EIN for your US LLC without a Social Security Number. We file Form SS-4 by fax as your third party designee. Typical time: 4 to 6 weeks.
• Form 5472 Filing for Foreign-Owned US LLCs
  Form 5472 is required for every foreign-owned single-member US LLC, even with zero income. The penalty starts at $25,000. We prepare and file it.
• ITIN Application for Non-US Residents
  Apply for an IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number from outside the US. We prepare Form W-7, certify your passport and track the application.
• US LLC Formation for Non-Residents
  Register a US LLC in any state as a non-resident. No SSN, no US address and no travel required. Filing, EIN, registered agent and BOI report included.
• LLC Annual Report and Annual Compliance Filing
  Keep your US LLC in good standing. We track annual report and franchise tax deadlines by state, prepare the filing and confirm acceptance.
• Registered Agent Service for US LLCs
  A registered agent with a physical street address in your formation state, receiving state and legal mail and scanning it to you the same day.
• US Business Banking Setup for Non-Residents
  Open a US business bank account remotely with your LLC and EIN. What Mercury, Relay and Wise each require, who they reject, and how to prepare.
• US Tax Return Preparation for Non-Residents
  Federal tax filing for non-resident founders and foreign-owned US companies. We prepare Form 1120, 1065, 1040-NR and the Form 5472 that goes with them.

Formation by state

• California LLC and the $800 Minimum Franchise Tax
  California charges every LLC organised or registered there $800 a year regardless of profit — and can reach a Wyoming LLC through your customers or inventory.
• Delaware LLC for Non-Residents
  Delaware charges a flat $300 annual LLC tax due 1 June whatever you earn. When the Court of Chancery is worth that, and when Wyoming is the better answer.
• Florida LLC for Non-Residents
  Florida publishes every LLC member’s name and address on Sunbiz and charges an unwaivable $400 late fee after 1 May. When Florida is right, and when it is not.
• Nevada LLC for Non-Residents
  Nevada requires an annual list and a state business licence renewal, making it the costliest of the privacy states. When that is worth paying for.
• New Mexico LLC for Non-Residents
  New Mexico requires no annual or biennial report from an LLC at all, and does not name members in the public record. Who that suits, and who it does not.
• New York LLC and the Publication Requirement
  A new New York LLC must publish in two newspapers for six weeks, costing a few hundred dollars upstate and well over $1,000 in Manhattan. What that means.
• Texas LLC for Non-Residents
  Texas has no income tax but requires a franchise tax report every year, including the years you owe nothing. What that means for a non-resident owner.
• Wyoming LLC for Non-Residents
  Wyoming is the cheapest US state to keep an LLC in and does not name members publicly. What it costs, when the annual report is due, and when to pick elsewhere.
• Wyoming vs Delaware LLC: Which Is Better for Non-Residents?
  Wyoming costs $60 a year with no state income tax. Delaware costs $300 and suits fundraising. A side-by-side comparison for non-resident founders.

Services for a specific business

• US LLC for Amazon Sellers Outside the United States
  What a non-US Amazon seller needs: LLC, EIN, bank account — and why FBA inventory in a state can create tax obligations your Wyoming filing does not prevent.
• US LLC for Freelancers Outside the United States
  Invoice US clients as a US company, get paid on US rails, and separate your work from your personal assets — plus the annual filing nobody warns you about.
• US LLC or C-Corporation for Non-US SaaS Founders
  The entity decision that actually matters for SaaS: LLC if you are bootstrapping, Delaware C-corp if you are raising. Plus how SaaS sales tax nexus works.
• US LLC for Shopify and Dropshipping Store Owners
  Why non-US store owners form a US LLC: Shopify Payments, Stripe and PayPal onboarding. Which state to pick when you hold no US inventory, and what you file.

Other services

• US Payment Account Setup
  Get your US LLC onto Stripe, PayPal and the merchant platforms you sell through, with the entity documents each provider requires.
• Amazon Seller Account Setup
  Set up an Amazon seller account on your US LLC: entity documents, EIN, US address, bank account, and the verification Amazon actually checks.
• Bookkeeping for Foreign-Owned US LLCs
  Monthly bookkeeping for foreign-owned US LLCs, kept in the format your tax preparer needs for Form 1120, Form 1065 and Form 5472.
• IRS Federal Income Tax Returns
  Federal return preparation and filing with the IRS for non-resident owners and foreign-owned US entities, including extensions on Form 7004.
• LLC Dissolution, Amendments and Reactivation
  Close a US LLC properly, amend its name or members, or reinstate an administratively dissolved company, including the final federal return.
• US Business Address Service
  A real US business address for your LLC with mail scanning and forwarding, accepted for banking, Amazon and state registration.
• Pricing, Government Fees and Refunds
  Our service fees separated from government fees, what each package includes, what it excludes, realistic processing times and our refund terms.
• US Sales Tax Permit Filing
  Register for a state sales tax permit where your business has nexus. Required by Amazon, Shopify and most US marketplaces before you can collect tax.
• Our Services for Non-Resident Founders
  Everything we file for non-resident founders: LLC formation, EIN, ITIN, registered agent, BOI reports, annual filings and federal tax returns.
• US Trademark Registration
  Register a trademark with the USPTO from outside the United States. Search, classification, filing and responses to office actions.

Comparisons and answers

• 360° Guide to Forming a U.S. LLC for Non-Residents
  The complete walkthrough of forming a US LLC from abroad: choosing a state, filing, EIN, registered agent, banking and the compliance that follows.
• Banking Made Simple for Non-U.S. Residents
  What non-residents need before applying for a US business bank account, which providers onboard remotely, and why applications get declined.
• What Is the Best State for a Non-Resident LLC?
  Wyoming for most, Delaware if you are raising, New Mexico for no annual report, and the state you operate in if you have people or stock there. Compared.
• Best US Bank Accounts for Non-Resident LLC Owners
  Mercury, Relay, Wise and Payoneer compared for non-resident LLC owners: who onboards remotely, what each requires, and which countries are excluded.
• Can a Non-US Resident Form a US LLC?
  No citizenship, residency, visa, SSN or US travel is required to own a US LLC. What you do need, what it does not give you, and what you take on.
• Can a US LLC Be Owned by a Foreign Company?
  A foreign parent can wholly own a US LLC with no US individual involved. The ownership is simple; Form 5472, BOI look-through and transfer pricing are not.
• Can I Get an EIN Without a Social Security Number?
  Yes. Foreign owners without an SSN apply on paper Form SS-4 by fax to the IRS international unit. Here is the exact process and how long it takes.
• Can I Get an ITIN From Outside the US?
  You can apply from any country and never enter the US. The real question is proving identity without posting your passport — which is what a CAA solves.
• How Much It Really Costs to Maintain a US LLC as a Non-Resident
  A full year-one and year-two cost breakdown for a non-resident US LLC: state fees, registered agent, annual report, tax preparation and banking.
• Do I Need a US Address to Form an LLC?
  You need a registered agent with a physical address in your formation state. Your own address can be anywhere. The three addresses people confuse, explained.
• Do I Need to Visit the US to Open a Business Bank Account?
  No. Several providers onboard non-resident-owned companies entirely online. What they ask for, and the four reasons remote applications get declined.
• Does a Foreign-Owned LLC Need an EIN?
  In practice yes: banking, the annual federal return and every marketplace tax interview require one. The technical exemption exists and is useless.
• Does a US LLC Pay Tax If It Has No US Income?
  Generally no federal income tax — but it still has to file. Owing nothing and filing nothing are different things, and the gap is where $25,000 penalties live.
• EIN vs ITIN: Which One Do You Actually Need?
  An EIN identifies your company, an ITIN identifies you. They are not alternatives, and most non-resident LLC owners need only the EIN. Compared in one table.
• How Long Does US LLC Formation Take for Non-Residents?
  State approval takes 1 to 15 business days depending on the state. The EIN is the real bottleneck at 4 to 6 weeks. A realistic end-to-end timeline.
• How to Close a US LLC as a Non-Resident
  Abandoning an LLC does not close it — fees and federal filings keep accruing. The six steps, in order, and what happens if you simply stop.
• LLC vs C-Corporation for Non-Residents
  An LLC is cheaper and avoids entity-level tax; a C-corp is what US investors require. Compared on tax, filings, fundraising and treaty withholding.
• LLC vs S-Corp vs C-Corp for Non-Residents
  Non-residents cannot own an S-Corp. This compares LLC and C-Corp on ownership, tax, compliance and fundraising, and says which to pick and when.
• Registered Agent vs Virtual Business Address
  A registered agent is required by law in every state and accepts lawsuits. A virtual address handles post. Buying the wrong one is how LLCs get dissolved.
• Single-Member vs Multi-Member LLC for Foreign Owners
  Adding a second member changes the federal return from a pro-forma 1120 with Form 5472 to Form 1065 with K-1s. What that changes, and the spouse trap.
• The Non-US Resident’s $5,000 Scam Protection Guide
  How non-resident founders lose money to fake EIN sellers, bogus registered agents and BOI filing scams, and the checks that stop each one.
• The Ultimate Non-US Freelancer’s U.S. Tax Survival Guide
  How US tax actually works for freelancers living outside the United States: what is taxable, what is not, and which forms you owe and when.
• What Happens If You Do Not File Form 5472?
  A $25,000 penalty per form per year, applied automatically, with a further $25,000 for each 30 days after an IRS notice. What to do if you have missed one.
• What Happens If You Miss Your BOI Report Deadline?
  Late BOI filing carries civil penalties that accrue daily and possible criminal liability for wilful failure. What to do if your deadline has passed.

About and legal

• About Startup Consultancy
  Startup Consultancy helps founders outside the United States form and run US companies. Who we are, what we file, and the credentials behind the work.
• Blogs and Guides
  Practical guides on US LLC formation, EIN and ITIN applications, Form 5472, BOI reporting, banking and IRS deadlines, written for founders abroad.
• Contact Startup Consultancy
  Talk to our team about US LLC formation, EIN and ITIN applications, BOI reports and tax filing. Email, phone and consultation booking.
• Editorial Policy: How We Check What We Publish
  Every tax or filing rule on this site is traced to the IRS, FinCEN or a Secretary of State before publication, dated, and reviewed at least annually.
• Frequently Asked Questions
  Answers to the questions non-resident founders ask most about forming a US LLC, getting an EIN without an SSN, Form 5472 and staying compliant.
• Privacy Policy
  What Startup Consultancy collects, why, who it is shared with and how long it is kept — including the identity and tax documents you send us.
• Site Index
  A complete, grouped index of every page on startupconsultancyofficial.com, with a one-line summary of each. Guides and articles are on the blog index.
• Terms of Service
  The terms governing use of Startup Consultancy services, including scope of engagement, fees, refunds and the limits of what we advise on.

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