No SSN needed. No US address needed. Form a US anonymous LLC from anywhere in the world.
By Shafwan Ahmed, Operations & Fulfillment Lead, Anonymousllc.co
Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada all allow non-US residents to form LLCs with no restrictions. You do not need a US Social Security Number (SSN), a US address, or US citizenship. The only requirement is a registered agent with a physical address in the formation state - which Anonymousllc.co provides.
Every LLC needs an EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS. Non-residents without an SSN apply via fax using IRS Form SS-4. The timeline: 2-4 weeks for the IRS to process and mail the EIN confirmation. Anonymousllc.co handles the entire EIN application process. You do not need to contact the IRS directly.
US residents with an SSN get EIN same-day online. The fax timeline only applies to non-SSN applicants.
Mercury and Relay both accept non-resident LLC owners. Documentation required: EIN approval letter, formation documents, passport (foreign passport accepted), and proof of address from your home country. No US visit required - everything is online.
Approval timelines may be longer for non-residents (7-20 days vs 5-15 for US residents) due to additional document review. Anonymousllc.co's 4-5 bank strategy is especially valuable for non-residents, as some banks have more favorable country-of-origin policies than others.
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is needed if you have personal US tax reporting obligations - for example, if your LLC earns US-source income and you need to file a personal return. The LLC's EIN is separate from your personal ITIN. Not every non-resident needs an ITIN; it depends on your tax situation. Anonymousllc.co offers an ITIN application service for $299 as a separate add-on.
Under IRC § 6038A, a single-member LLC owned by a non-US person must file Form 5472 with the IRS annually, reporting certain transactions between the LLC and its foreign owner. This includes capital contributions, loans, and distributions. Failure to file carries a $25,000 penalty per form. A US tax professional or CPA should handle this filing.
Both work well for non-residents. Wyoming is recommended for most: lower ongoing cost ($60/yr vs $300/yr), better banking, stronger asset protection. Delaware is recommended if you are raising venture capital - VC attorneys and investors expect Delaware. If in doubt, choose Wyoming.
This depends on whether your LLC has income that is effectively connected to a US trade or business, and whether you have a US presence. Many non-resident owners of a single-member LLC that sells services to non-US clients, with no US employees, office, or dependent agent, owe no US federal income tax on that income. The LLC is a pass-through, so there is no corporate tax layer either. This is a fact-specific determination, not a blanket rule, and the correct answer comes from a US tax professional who reviews your activity. The information return obligations below still apply even when no tax is owed.
Sales tax is separate from income tax. If you sell physical goods to US customers you may trigger state sales-tax nexus regardless of your residence, which is another reason to confirm your position with a professional before scaling.
Every step of the process is remote. The state filing is submitted electronically, the EIN is obtained by fax to the IRS on Form SS-4, the operating agreement is signed digitally, and the bank onboarding for Mercury and Relay happens through an online application and video or document verification. You never need a US address of your own, a US phone number tied to a carrier, or a plane ticket. The registered agent supplied by Anonymousllc.co satisfies the one physical-presence requirement the state imposes.
Three errors cost non-residents the most time. First, treating the EIN and the ITIN as the same thing: the EIN belongs to the LLC and opens the bank account, while the ITIN is personal and only matters when you have your own US filing obligation. Second, ignoring Form 5472: a foreign-owned single-member LLC must file it under IRC section 6038A even in a year with zero income, and the penalty for skipping it is $25,000. Third, listing an inconsistent address across the filing, the EIN, and the bank application, which is the single most common reason a bank puts an application into manual review or declines it.
Yes. None of the four anonymous states require US citizenship, residency, a visa, or a green card to own an LLC. A registered agent in the state is the only local requirement, and that is provided.
Around 2-4 weeks. Without an SSN the SS-4 application goes to the IRS by fax rather than the instant online system, so the confirmation letter is mailed back after processing.
No. An LLC formed in a US state is a domestic reporting company under the Corporate Transparency Act, even when the owner lives abroad. Under the March 2025 FinCEN interim final rule, domestic reporting companies are currently exempt from BOI filing.
Not for most founders. The LLC operates and banks on its EIN. An ITIN, priced at $299 as an add-on, is only needed when you personally have to file a US return, which many service-based non-resident owners do not.