US bank account. For foreign-owner LLCs.
International founders forming US LLCs need US bank accounts to receive Stripe payouts, pay US vendors, and manage US tax obligations. Most traditional banks refuse foreign owners; specialty banks fill the gap.
Start here.
Mercury, Relay, Wise Business, Bluevine accept foreign-owner US LLCs.
Passport; formation documents (Articles + Operating Agreement); EIN letter; sometimes notarized affidavits.
Most partner banks have remote application; no US visit required.
1-2 weeks typical after document submission.
Some partners (Wise Business) handle multi-currency settlements; others USD-only.
The full picture.
Why traditional US banks refuse
Major US banks (Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo) typically require US-issued identity documents and US visit. Foreign-issued documents and remote applicants are flagged as compliance risk under BSA/AML rules.
Mercury
Most popular for foreign-owner LLCs. Online application; passport verification; EIN letter required; no US visit. FDIC-insured (through partner banks). Free; competitive wire transfer fees.
Relay
Multi-bank account structure; allows multiple sub-accounts for budgeting; same documentation as Mercury; cost similar.
Wise Business
Best for multi-currency operations; allows USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, and others; competitive FX rates; works with international banking partners. Less of a "primary" account; more of an international banking layer.
Bluevine
Traditional online bank features; interest-bearing account; works for foreign-owner LLCs with proper documentation.
Required documents
(1) Valid passport; (2) Formation documents: Articles of Organization + Operating Agreement; (3) EIN letter (CP-575 or 147C); (4) Address proof in your home country; (5) Some banks require notarized affidavits or US business address (which our partners can provide).
Application process
Online application via the bank's website or app. Submit documents. Video verification call in some cases. Decision typically within 1-2 weeks. Once approved, account is active immediately for receiving funds.
Wire transfer practices
International wires typically cost $15-$45 outbound; inbound free. Wise Business offers cheaper international transfers (currency conversion at near-mid-market rates). Most foreign founders pair Mercury for primary banking with Wise for international payouts.
Common rejection reasons
(1) Incomplete documentation; (2) Address mismatch between passport and application; (3) High-risk industry classification; (4) Country of residence on sanctions watchlist; (5) Failure to verify EIN letter.
FDIC insurance
Mercury and Relay deposit funds at FDIC-insured partner banks. Coverage typically $250k per depositor per bank. Larger balances can be spread across multiple partner banks for higher coverage.
Common questions.
Can a non-US person open a US bank account?
Do I need to visit the US?
What documents are required?
Which bank is best?
Can I receive Stripe payouts?
What about wire transfers to my home country?
Is the account FDIC-insured?
What about US tax obligations?
Cost?
Form your US LLC.
From abroad. Wyoming or Delaware. EIN, US banking, Stripe, ongoing compliance handled.
This guide is educational. International tax and compliance require specialty CPA and attorney advice.
How we deliver, end-to-end.
Four-step path from request to confirmation. State and IRS turnaround varies; our steps run in parallel where possible to compress the timeline.
Intake + scope
You tell us what you need through a short intake form (or a call for complex matters). We confirm scope, surface any gating issues (deadlines, missing documents, entity status), and quote any state fees that pass through at cost.
Prepare + verify
Our specialists draft the filing, verify entity details against state databases, run internal QA, and route any items needing your sign-off. You see drafts before anything gets submitted.
File with the authority
We submit directly to the state Secretary of State, FinCEN, IRS, USPTO, or whichever authority your filing requires. We pay state fees at cost and track the submission identifier in your account.
Confirmation + vault
Stamped certificate, IRS notice, or filing receipt arrives in your SOC 2 encrypted document vault the moment we receive it. Next filing deadline auto-added to your compliance calendar where applicable.
Built on the same infrastructure used by 220,000+ businesses.
SOC 2 Type II audited
Independent annual security audit covering access control, change management, incident response, and data handling. Current report on request.
All 51 US jurisdictions
Every state plus DC plus Puerto Rico - direct filings, not third-party reseller. We hold registered-agent qualifications in every state we operate.
Deadline guarantee
If we miss a filing deadline on a service you pay us to manage, we pay the state penalty. Specific to each plan and the filings it includes.
4.9 from 8,200+ verified reviews
Independently verified by Trustpilot + Google + our own NPS infrastructure. Customer success team within reach by email, chat, or phone.
60-day money-back promise
Change your mind in the first 60 days and we refund our service fee in full. State filing fees pass through at cost and are non-refundable once paid to the state.
E&O insured
Errors and omissions coverage protects you from service errors. Carrier and certificate available on request for enterprise clients.
Recommended add-ons
Most customers add these to keep their business compliant year-round.
Registered Agent in new state
RequiredRequired by every state when you foreign qualify.
Annual Report in new state
RecommendedNew state means new annual reports. Auto-file with us.
Multi-state Compliance Monitoring
Best valueTrack deadlines across every state you operate in.
Premium compliance, no service-fee markup.
Trust you can verify
SOC 2 Type II audited platform. 220,000+ businesses served. 60-day money-back on service fees. State fees passed through at cost with no hidden markup. Explicit AUP on restricted industries.
A compliance partner, not a transaction
Most providers go quiet after checkout. We auto-track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline across your entities. The Business OS dashboard keeps your compliance score visible year-round.
Premium experience competitors cannot match
Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state or federal filings. Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state filings.