Forming a US LLC as a non-resident does not require a Social Security number, a US address, or a visa. You mainly need your passport, a few company details, and a short description of your business, and PowerLaunch handles the filing, EIN, and paperwork from there.
What you need before you start
Before you fill out any form, have these ready:
- A clear photo or scan of your passport photo page.
- Proof of your home address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or national ID that shows an address. This does not need to be in English, but a translation helps if the document is unusual.
- Two or three company name choices, in case your first pick is already taken in the state you choose.
- A short description of what your business does. A sentence or two is enough, for example "online consulting services" or "sale of digital products through an e-commerce store."
- The full legal name and address of every owner, called a member in an LLC, and of any manager if the LLC will be manager-managed.
You do not need a lawyer to gather any of this. It is the same information you would give to open most online accounts.
Documents for the formation filing
The state filing itself is short. PowerLaunch prepares the Articles of Organization (or Certificate of Formation, the name varies by state) using the details you give us, and applies for your EIN with the IRS. You will also get an operating agreement, which is an internal document that sets out ownership and management rules. It is not filed with the state, but banks and some partners may ask to see it later.
Here is a quick view of what is used for which step.
| Document or detail | Used for state filing | Used for EIN application | Kept for your records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | No | Sometimes requested by IRS | Yes |
| Proof of home address | No | No | Yes, for your files |
| Company name choices | Yes | No | N/A |
| Business description | Sometimes, depending on the state | Yes | Yes |
| Owner and manager names and addresses | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Requirements differ slightly by state, so if you are choosing between states for reasons other than speed or cost, check that state's own filing site for anything unusual before you commit.
What is not needed
This trips up a lot of first-time founders, so it is worth saying plainly. You do not need any of the following to form a US LLC or get an EIN as a non-resident:
- A Social Security number.
- A US mailing address of your own. PowerLaunch's plans include a virtual business address and registered agent, which covers this requirement.
- A US visa or any US immigration status. Owning a US LLC is not the same as working in the US, and it does not on its own grant any right to live or work there.
If someone tells you that you must have one of these to form a company, that is not accurate for a standard non-resident-owned LLC. Tax filing obligations are a separate matter from formation, and those are handled once the company and EIN are in place.
What banks ask for later
Once your LLC is formed and your EIN is issued, PowerLaunch can introduce you to banking partners such as Mercury, Wise Business, and Relay. The bank makes its own decision on every application, but they typically want to see:
- Your formation documents, meaning the state-approved Articles of Organization or Certificate of Formation.
- Your EIN confirmation letter from the IRS.
- A working website or a clear description of your business, sometimes just a landing page is enough.
- In some cases, a sample invoice, a signed contract with a client, or another document that shows the business is active or about to start operating.
Banks vary in how strict they are about the last point, especially for brand-new companies with no history yet. If a bank asks for something specific that you do not have, it is worth asking whether a simpler alternative, like a short business plan or your website, would work instead.
The PowerLaunch onboarding form, step by step
When you sign up at powerlaunch.solutions/signup, the onboarding form walks through the same information in order:
- Pick your state. If speed matters most, Wyoming, Kentucky, and Colorado usually file in 1 to 3 business days, while most other states take 1 to 2 weeks.
- Enter your company name choices, in order of preference.
- Add your business description in a sentence or two.
- Enter owner and, if applicable, manager details, including full legal names and home addresses.
- Upload your passport and your proof of home address.
- Choose your plan, Launch, Run, or Scale, and add expedited EIN if you want faster processing.
- Pay the plan fee plus the state filing fee, which is passed through at cost.
After that, PowerLaunch prepares and submits your filing, applies for your EIN, and sets up your operating agreement or bylaws, registered agent, and virtual address. EIN issuance usually takes 2 to 4 weeks for non-resident owners without an SSN, or a matter of days with the expedited add-on. Bank introductions follow once the EIN is in hand, though approval is always the bank's own decision.
If PowerLaunch makes a formation error, we fix it at our cost and refund that portion of the fee. State filing fees themselves are never refundable, since they go straight to the state.
What to do next
Gather your passport, proof of address, and a couple of company name ideas, then start your filing at powerlaunch.solutions/signup. If you would rather talk through your specific situation first, especially if your home country has any unusual documentation quirks, book a free 20-minute consultation at powerlaunch.solutions/book and we will walk through exactly what you need before you file.
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