Setting up a US LLC from another country is not a one-day event, even though the filing itself can be fast. Your real timeline depends on the state you pick, whether you have a US Social Security number, and how quickly a bank approves your account.
The full journey, in order
Here is the order things actually happen in, not the order people expect.
- You place your order and choose a state.
- The state processes your formation filing.
- You get your EIN from the IRS.
- You apply for a business bank account.
- Once the bank approves you, you connect Stripe or another payment processor.
- You send your first invoice.
Each step depends on the one before it. You cannot get an EIN without a formed company, and you cannot get a bank account without an EIN. This is why the total time is a chain, not a single number.
Formation timelines by state
Some states process filings faster than others. This is the part of the timeline PowerLaunch controls directly, since the filing itself goes out the same way regardless of where you live.
| State | Typical formation time |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | 1 to 3 business days |
| Kentucky | 1 to 3 business days |
| Colorado | 1 to 3 business days |
| Most other states | 1 to 2 weeks |
If speed matters to you, Wyoming, Kentucky, and Colorado are the fastest options. Other states can still work well for your business, but you should expect to wait longer for the state to process the paperwork. State processing times can shift without much notice, so always check the state's own site for its current backlog before you commit to a deadline.
The EIN wait, and why it is the longest step
For most founders, the EIN is the slowest part of the whole process, not the state filing. If you do not have a US Social Security number, the IRS has to process your application manually. That normally takes 2 to 4 weeks.
If you need to move faster, PowerLaunch offers an expedited EIN add-on for $295 on the Launch and Run plans, and it is included automatically on the Scale plan. Expedited processing can bring this down to a matter of days instead of weeks. If your bank onboarding, a contract signing, or a launch date depends on having an EIN in hand, the expedited option is usually worth the cost.
Nothing about the EIN step is something PowerLaunch can push through faster on its own. This is IRS processing time, and it depends on IRS workload at the time you apply.
Bank account review
Once you have your EIN, PowerLaunch can introduce you to Mercury, Wise Business, or Relay. These introductions happen after the EIN is issued, not before, since the banks require it as part of their own process.
Approval itself is entirely the bank's decision. PowerLaunch does not control how long a bank takes to review your application or whether it approves you. Some founders hear back within a day or two. Others wait longer if the bank needs more information about the business or the owner. If a bank asks you for more documents, respond quickly, since delays on your side add directly to the wait.
Stripe and your first invoice
Stripe activation typically follows your bank approval, since Stripe usually wants a working business bank account connected before it lets you process live payments. Run and Scale plans include Stripe invoicing as part of the platform, so once your bank account is active, setting up invoicing on MyCG.AI is quick.
From here, sending your first real invoice is usually the fastest step in the entire chain. Most of the delay by this point is behind you.
What slows each step down
A few things repeatedly cause delays, and most of them are avoidable.
- Choosing a slower-processing state without knowing the tradeoff. If speed is a priority, ask before you file, not after.
- Applying for an EIN with incomplete or inconsistent information, which can cause the IRS to hold the application for review.
- Slow responses to bank requests for extra documentation. Banks move at the speed you reply.
- Skipping the expedited EIN option when a launch date is tight, then being surprised the standard timeline runs several weeks.
None of these are things that ruin a launch. They are just places where a founder can lose two or three weeks without realizing it in advance.
What PowerLaunch guarantees, and what it does not
PowerLaunch stands behind its own filing work. If a formation error happens because of something PowerLaunch did wrong, it gets corrected at PowerLaunch's cost, and that portion of the fee is refunded. State filing fees are never refundable, since PowerLaunch does not set or control them.
What PowerLaunch cannot guarantee is bank approval, since that decision belongs to the bank, or IRS processing speed, since that belongs to the IRS. What you can control is picking a fast-forming state if speed matters, adding expedited EIN processing if your timeline is tight, and responding quickly whenever the bank or IRS asks you for something.
Ongoing filings once you are running
Once your LLC is up and operating, a foreign-owned single-member LLC has annual federal filing obligations. This includes Form 5472 along with a pro forma 1120, due by April 15. Under the current 2026 interim FinCEN rule, US-formed companies are exempt from BOI reporting, but rules like this can change, so it is worth checking FinCEN's site periodically for updates. The Run and Scale plans include annual state report filing and business IRS tax filings, so this part of the timeline is handled for you once you are set up.
What to do next
If you want a working business as fast as the process allows, start with a state known for quick processing, and add expedited EIN if your deadline is tight. You can compare plans and file at powerlaunch.solutions/signup. If you want to talk through your specific timeline before you commit, book a free 20-minute consultation at powerlaunch.solutions/book, and a licensed tax professional can walk through your exact state, EIN, and banking situation with you.
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