Do I really need a Registered Agent?

Yes. Every state requires every LLC, Corporation, and similar entity to designate a Registered Agent. Without one in good standing, the state may suspend or dissolve your entity, and lawsuits can be served by publication, which is hard to defend.

Can I be my own Registered Agent?

In most states, yes, but it is rarely a good idea. Your name and home address go on the public state record, you have to be available at that address during business hours every day, and Service of Process gets delivered at potentially awkward times. A professional Registered Agent solves all three problems.

What is Service of Process?

Service of Process is the formal delivery of a lawsuit, subpoena, or similar legal document to your business. Missing service can result in a default judgment against you. Service is one of the main reasons a reliable Registered Agent matters.

How quickly will I see mail when it arrives?

Mail received by 4 PM local time is opened, scanned, and uploaded to your account by 6 PM. Service of Process and other urgent documents trigger an immediate SMS and email alert. You can also choose to have originals forwarded weekly.

Does this include foreign qualification?

Foreign qualification (registering to do business in a state other than your formation state) is a separate filing, but we pair it with Registered Agent service in that state automatically. On Growth and Enterprise, both services are included at no additional cost.

What happens if I have multiple entities?

On Starter, you pay per entity per state. On Growth and Enterprise, all of your entities in all of your states are covered under one subscription. The Compliance Suite tracks every filing across every entity from one dashboard.

What does Form a US business from anywhere involve?

This page covers Form a US business from anywhere — including what it is, who needs it, how to file or apply, typical costs, deadlines, and how File.Business handles it for you end-to-end.

How much does Form a US business from anywhere cost with File.Business?

Pricing is shown on this page. We always disclose state filing fees separately from our service fee, with no surprise add-ons at checkout.

How long does Form a US business from anywhere take?

Turnaround depends on the state agency. Standard processing typically takes a few business days; rush options are available where the agency offers expedited service.

Is this service available in all 50 states?

File.Business handles filings across all 50 US states and DC. State-specific rules, fees, and forms are built into the workflow so you don't have to research them yourself.

Home/Services/International Founder

For non-US founders · 180+ countries

5-15 business days to fully operational

Form a US business from anywhere. Operate from day one.

You do not need to be in the US. You do not need a US SSN. We form your LLC or Corporation, get your EIN, open your US bank account through partner banks, give you a US business address, and file your ITIN application if you need one. Complete US business presence in 5 to 15 business days, depending on your home country.

Start the package

No US visit requiredEIN without SSNUS bank account remoteStripe-ready setup

180+ countries served Mercury + Relay banking partners Stripe Atlas alternative

Non-US founder onboarding

DE entity · no SSN required · ITIN path

14-day setup

Viktoria Kowalski

Polski · English

PL passport · 71428190

🇵🇱 → 🇺🇸Warsaw → DE

✓

DE LLC formed

7129-4814 · agent set

Day 103/14

✓

EIN issued · no SSN path

Fax SS-4 · 7-day

Day 703/21

◐

US business bank account

Mercury · Brex · remote

Day 1003/24

●

ITIN application · W-7

For pers. tax filing

Day 1403/28

Stripe + Mercury linked · W-8BEN-E filed $499 setup · all-in

How it works

How it works From your country to a US business.

5-15 business days end to end.

Pick state + tier

Pay one-time fee. We confirm your details in under 24 hours and start the filings.

We file everything

State formation, EIN, bank intro, address setup, registered agent, optional ITIN. We coordinate in your time zone.

Bank + Stripe ready

Once your EIN is issued, Mercury or Relay opens your account. We provide the documentation Stripe expects from non-US founders.

You operate

In 5-15 business days you have a US business with bank account, EIN, address, Stripe-ready setup. Operate from anywhere.

What we'll set up for you

A clean handoff, in four steps.

You give us the basics. We handle the state, the IRS, and the compliance clock so you can focus on the business.

01 · Name + Brand

A name that's actually available.

Real-time check against the state register, USPTO trademark database, and matching domains.

02 · State filing

Filed with the Secretary of State.

We submit your Articles, pay the state fee on your behalf, and return the stamped certificate.

03 · Federal IDs

EIN + the right tax setup.

Federal Employer ID with the IRS, plus state tax accounts when your business needs them.

04 · Stay compliant

Registered Agent + deadline tracking.

Your agent on file in every state, with every renewal and annual report tracked in one calendar.

Pricing

All-in pricing.

Pick your tier. State formation fees pass through at cost; no hidden upsells at checkout.

Essentials

$799one-time

For solo founders building a SaaS or e-commerce business.

US LLC or Corp formation
EIN without SSN
US business address (1 year)
Registered agent (1 year)
Mercury or Relay bank intro
Stripe account documentation

Start Essentials

Founder

$1,199one-time

Most common tier; includes ITIN + Compliance Suite year 1.

Everything in Essentials
ITIN filing (when applicable)
Compliance Suite (year 1 included)
Operating agreement
Beneficial ownership setup
Free Apostille for any one document

Start Founder

Premium

$1,499one-time

For founders raising venture capital or operating multi-state.

Everything in Founder
Delaware C-Corp option
Cap table starter (vesting + SAFE templates)
83(b) election filing
Premium support (English / Spanish / Mandarin)

Start Premium

FAQ

About the international founder package.

Do I need a US visa or SSN?

No. None of the steps require US presence, citizenship, residency, or an SSN. Federal tax obligations may require an ITIN, which we file if needed.

Which state should I choose?

Delaware for C-Corp investors; Wyoming for LLC privacy + low cost; Florida or Texas if you have US-based operations there. We recommend during the intake.

Can I get a US bank account without visiting the US?

Yes. Mercury and Relay accept non-US founders and open accounts remotely. Brex accepts US-formed companies with non-US founders. Traditional banks (Chase, BoA) usually require US visit. Our partner banks do not.

What about US taxes?

If your US LLC is single-member and you are non-US, you generally file Form 5472 + 1120 informational return annually. No US income tax unless your business has US-effectively-connected income. We coordinate through partner CPAs.

Can I use this for Stripe Atlas alternative?

Yes. Stripe Atlas costs $500 and locks you to Delaware C-Corp. Our package is more flexible (your state of choice, LLC or Corp) and includes Compliance Suite + ITIN where Atlas does not. Many of our customers came from Atlas.

Do you serve all countries?

We serve 180+ countries. We do not serve OFAC-sanctioned countries. Some countries (China, Russia, Iran) require additional documentation; we handle this on intake.

Operate from anywhere

Start your US business from your home country.

No US visit. No SSN. Full US business presence in 5-15 business days.

Start the package Talk to a specialist

Bundle & save

Recommended add-ons

Most customers add these to keep their business compliant year-round.

Registered Agent

Most ordered

Required for every registered business entity in every state.

$99 /year Add →

Compliance Monitoring

Best value

Track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline.

$19 /month Add →

Annual Report Filing

Recommended

Auto-file your state annual report. Never miss a deadline.

$99 /year Add →

Why File.Business

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.

I'm starting something

I have a deadline

Something is changing

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I manage multiple entities

I'm integrating or referring

I want intelligence

I need communications

I run money & people

I operate at scale

I want to learn

I want to compare / calculate

I want to research deeper

I need help