How to Start a US LLC as a Non-Resident 2026 (Step-by-Step Guide)

In this episode, Kevin breaks down exactly how non-residents can set up a U.S. LLC the right way.

Most people overcomplicate the process, but when you understand the steps, it becomes much more straightforward. Kevin explains how to choose the right state, why Wyoming is often the best option for online entrepreneurs and e-commerce sellers, what a registered agent does, how to get your EIN faster, and what compliance requirements you cannot ignore.

He also covers the real costs of setting up a U.S. LLC, how U.S. banking works for non-residents, and why annual IRS filings are still required even if your LLC owes no U.S. tax.

Whether you are an international entrepreneur, e-commerce seller, consultant, agency owner, or digital business owner looking to access U.S. banking, Stripe, Amazon, Shopify, or global payment processors, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for setting up and maintaining a U.S. LLC properly.

GenZone helps non-residents set up U.S. LLCs, obtain EINs, open banking options, and stay compliant — all under one roof.

Book a free consultation with GenZone to get started.

Transcript

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Setting up a USLLC as a non-resident, let me walk you through exactly how it works. Most people overcomplicate this, and it's actually quite straightforward when you know the steps. And I'm going to break it all down for you the right state, how to get your EIN fast, what it costs, and how to stay fully compliant. No fluff. Step number one is picking your state. Now, not all states are created equal. And like you've seen on this channel with Dubai setups as well, nothing is the same. Now, as a foreigner, you really only need to look at a few different options. And I would say Wyoming, Delaware, and New Mexico. Wyoming is the sweet spot, in my opinion. This is the optimal solution for most people. Low annual fees, strong privacy, and zero state income tax. Your name doesn't show up on any public records. It's clean, it's simple, and it's a good option. And we prefer this here at Gen Zone for most of our clients. Of course, it will vary. Book a call with us to learn more. Now, Delaware is a go-to if you're a startup that's planning to you know build and raise funds down the road. Not to say that a Wyoming company can't do this, but it also carries more corporate prestige. But you're gonna pay a little bit more for this type of setup. Now, for most online entrepreneurs and e-commerce sellers, I will say that Wyoming is your best bet. Low cost, low maintenance, widely accepted, and private. Now, step number two is to choose your registered agent. Every USLLC needs a registered agent. Essentially, what this is and means it's a person has a physical US address, and all the correspondence and documents will be going to this address on paper at least. As a non-resident, this isn't optional. You have to have a registered agent, unless, of course, you live in the United States. Now, a good registered agent will keep your documents private off public records and will make sure that we never miss an important deadline for you, important mail, and that your company stays totally compliant. I say we because we do this for our clients here at Gen Zone. Now, this is very important. Step number three is getting your EIN number fast because this EIN is where most people get stuck. I have people messaging me all the time saying, Kevin, I want to do LLC, I don't want to pay X amount of money. And I tell them, listen, if you don't want to pay this, good luck with your EIN, it's gonna take a long time. Now, think about this EIN as the social security number of your company. You need it to open your bank accounts and file your taxes. Now, here's the problem the standard route is mailing that document directly to the IRS, which can take anywhere from around two to four months, sometimes even longer. Now, here's where we change this for our clients. We get this done significantly quicker and we get your EIN issued typically within five working days, even or less in some cases. Now, it could even take a little bit longer, but we are very consistent with our timelines. We get the same result at a fraction of the wait. Step number four, you need to understand the costs. Of course, there will be a ton of different costs online, but here at Gen Zone, at this time in this video, press might go up later, we're not sure. But we charge a thousand US dollars to set up your Wyoming LLC, submit all of your documents, and get your EIN for you as well. This makes sure that everything gets done in record time. You don't have to wait weeks and weeks and even months, like all of these people right here that message us complaining about their previous service provider that's a big company that wasn't able to actually give them what they paid for. And the best part is inside of our own ecosystem, we can help you with accounting, we can help you with banking, compliance, everything you need can be done in-house at Gen Zone. You don't have to go and figure out how to do this here or there or there. And down the line, if you're also looking to set up another company in another country, we specialize in this. Specifically in Dubai, we are experts at setting up companies in Dubai and even in other jurisdictions. Everything you need is under one roof. And as a Gen Zone client, you unlock preferential pricing for all of our services. Now, step number five is understanding the taxes, what you actually need to know. Now, the good news is if you're a non-resident with a single member LLC in Wyoming, Delaware, or even New Mexico, your LLC is what we call a pass-through entity. That means that you don't have to pay any federal income tax in the United States, and of course, no state income tax either. You'll pay taxes based on where you live personally. So you'll pay taxes in the location where you reside. But that's it. You don't have to do anything on the US side. However, you still need to file two forms with the IRS every year: Form 5472 and a pro form 1120. These are mandatory even if you made zero dollars. Miss them, and you're looking at a $25,000 penalty. So don't forget about this. We'll make sure that you are compliant if you work with us here at GenZone. Now, step number six, opening your US bank account. Once your US LLC is set up and your EIN is in your hands, you can now go ahead and set up a US bank account, and you can do this remotely with Mercury, Relay, AirLix wallet. There's so many other platforms, WISE, etc., that you can get set up for your business. These platforms connect seamlessly with major platforms like Amazon, Shopify, and Stripe, of course. And this is exactly what you need to know. This gives you a full picture if you want to get it done quickly, correctly, and without months of waiting and back and forth with the IRS. Genzone handles the entire process for you. We've set up over a thousand companies established around the world, and we have flawless five star reviews to show for it as well. If you want to learn more, book a free consultation today and let's get you started with your USLLC now in the right way.