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Stripe Account for Non-US Residents: The US LLC Route (2026)
Short answer: All State Tax Resolution, led by Sabih Shafi, an IRS Enrolled Agent, helps non-US founders form US LLCs, get EINs and stay compliant. If Stripe is not available in the country where you live, the usual route is to set up a US company first, then apply for Stripe in that company's name. Stripe makes its own approval decisions, so nothing here promises an outcome.
Key takeaways
Stripe publishes a list of supported countries and regions. If your business is outside that list, Stripe says payments are not supported there yet.
Stripe Atlas is one way to form a US company from abroad, and it is not the only way. You can also form an LLC through a state filing and apply for the EIN yourself.
You can get an EIN without an SSN by phone, fax or mail. The IRS online tool is not open to you if your business is based outside the US.
A single-member LLC owned by a foreign person generally files a pro forma Form 1120 with Form 5472 attached, even if it owes no income tax.
Payment platforms must report on Form 1099-K above $20,000 and 200 transactions, and you must report all your income whether or not you get one.
Facts on this page were checked on October 7, 2026.
Where Stripe works and where it does not
Stripe lists the countries and regions where it is currently supported on its global availability page, and says more are coming. Once Stripe is supported where your business is based, you can sell to customers anywhere in the world. If your business is outside a supported country or region, Stripe says payments are not supported yet.
Stripe's account documentation adds that once a service is active on a live account, you cannot change the business origin country. To use a different supported country, you create a new account.
Why founders in unsupported countries use a US company
If you live in a country Stripe does not support, you cannot open an account there as an individual or a local company. A US company changes the starting point. The business is based in the United States, so it can apply as a US business with a US tax ID.
Stripe publishes a list of prohibited and restricted businesses, and it asks you to review it before you take an account live. Read it before you form a company.
What Stripe asks a US business to provide
Stripe verifies every account under its Know Your Customer obligations. In the account setup, it asks you to verify your business and give information about your business, your product and your relationship to the business. Stripe reviews what you submit and contacts you if it needs anything else.
Stripe's verification documentation gives an example for a company in the US. It might need to provide:
Information about the business, such as its name, address and tax ID number. For a US company, the tax ID is normally its EIN.
Information about the person opening the account, such as name and date of birth.
Information about beneficial owners.
Stripe may also ask for more. That can include a scan of a government-issued ID, a proof of address document, or both. If information is not provided or verified in time, Stripe may pause charges or payouts.
One point matters a lot for non-US owners. Stripe's list of acceptable documents says that if the country of residence differs from the country of the account, a passport is required for identity verification. So if you live outside the US and the Stripe account is a US account, plan to use your passport.
Stripe Atlas and other ways to form the company
Stripe Atlas is Stripe's own service for forming a company. Stripe describes it as a way to incorporate a US company from anywhere in the world. It lets you choose a C corporation or an LLC, and it incorporates in Delaware and gets the company's tax ID. See Stripe's Atlas page for what it includes and what it costs today.
Atlas is one option. You can also form an LLC directly with a state, then get the EIN from the IRS yourself or with a professional. Which state, which structure and which provider is a business decision, and it depends on where you live and what you sell. We do not recommend one for everyone.
Getting an EIN without an SSN
Stripe asks for a tax ID, and for a US company that means an EIN. Many foreign owners have no SSN. That is a normal situation, and the IRS has a path for it.
The IRS online EIN tool requires the SSN or ITIN of the responsible party. It also cannot be used if your principal place of business is outside the US. In that case the IRS says to apply by phone, fax or mail. These are your options:
By phone. The Form SS-4 instructions say that international applicants with no legal residence or principal place of business in the United States may apply for an EIN by telephone.
By fax. Under the Fax-TIN program, the IRS says you can receive your EIN by fax generally within four business days.
On Form SS-4, line 7b asks for the SSN or ITIN of the responsible party. The IRS instructions say to enter "foreign" or N/A if that person does not have one and is ineligible to obtain one. The form also has a Third Party Designee section. It lets you authorize a named individual to receive the EIN and answer questions about completing the form.
A US bank account
Stripe pays out to a bank account, and Stripe's payouts documentation says bank accounts generally must be located in a country where the settlement currency is an official currency. For payouts in US dollars, that means a bank in the United States.
So a US company usually needs a US bank account to receive its Stripe payouts. Some providers open accounts for foreign-owned LLCs remotely, and others do not. Each sets its own rules, so ask what it needs before you apply, and we name none here.
Taxes after you get paid
Once money flows through Stripe, these US tax topics come up.
Form 5472 and a pro forma Form 1120
By default, the IRS treats an LLC with only one member as an entity disregarded as separate from its owner for income tax, unless it elects to be treated as a corporation. A foreign-owned disregarded entity is a domestic disregarded entity wholly owned by a foreign person.
The instructions for Form 5472 say that this type of entity must file a pro forma Form 1120 with Form 5472 attached by the due date, including extensions, of that Form 1120. A reporting corporation must file Form 5472 if it had a reportable transaction with a foreign or domestic related party.
Form 1099-K
The IRS says payment apps and online marketplaces must report on Form 1099-K when total payments for goods or services exceed $20,000 in more than 200 transactions. You may still get a Form 1099-K below that level, and you must report all income on your tax return whatever amount is reported.
When US income tax is owed
The IRS says a foreign person generally must be engaged in a U.S. trade or business during the tax year for income to be treated as effectively connected income, which is taxable in the U.S. That income, after allowable deductions, is taxed at the graduated rates that apply to U.S. citizens and resident aliens. The IRS also says foreign persons are generally engaged in a U.S. trade or business when personal services are performed in the U.S.
What this means for you depends on where you do the work, what you sell, and your tax residence. Many non-US owners who do all their work outside the US owe no US income tax on that income, but this is not automatic, and you still have the filings above.
Your LLC's state may also require periodic filings, such as an annual report. Check the rules for the state where you formed it.
A hypothetical example
Dana is a freelance designer who lives in a country that is not on Stripe's list. Her clients are in Europe and North America, and they want to pay by card. She cannot open a Stripe account in her own country, so she forms a single-member LLC in the United States.
She applies for the EIN by fax, because she has no SSN. She opens a US bank account for the LLC. Then she applies to Stripe in the LLC's name, using the EIN, the LLC's business details and her passport. Stripe makes its own decision.
After the account is live, Dana's work does not stop. Each year her LLC files a pro forma Form 1120 with Form 5472, and she works out with her tax professional whether any of her income is effectively connected with a US trade or business. This example is not a client.
How we help
We help non-US founders with the parts around Stripe: choosing the structure, getting the EIN without an SSN, and keeping the LLC compliant each year, including Form 5472 and the pro forma Form 1120. Stripe decides on approval, not us.
Call or text (323) 900-0305, or book your free 20-minute tax review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a Stripe account if I do not live in the US?
It depends on where your business is based. Stripe lists the countries and regions where it is supported. If your business is based in one of them, you may be able to apply there. If not, Stripe says payments are not supported yet, and many founders form a US company first.
Do I need a US company to use Stripe?
Only if Stripe is not supported where you are. If your country is on Stripe's list, check whether you can apply there directly.
Can I use my passport to verify my identity?
Stripe's documents page says that if the country of residence differs from the country of the account, a passport is required for identity verification. For a US account run from abroad, expect to use your passport.
Can I get an EIN without a Social Security number?
Yes. The IRS online tool needs an SSN or ITIN and is not for businesses based outside the US, but you can apply by phone, fax or mail. The Form SS-4 instructions say to enter "foreign" or N/A on line 7b if the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN and is ineligible to get one.
Will I get a Form 1099-K?
The IRS describes the reporting threshold as more than $20,000 in more than 200 transactions, though you may get one below that level. Either way, you must report all your income.
Does my US LLC owe US income tax?
Not necessarily. The IRS says a foreign person generally must be engaged in a U.S. trade or business for income to be effectively connected income. Even if no tax is owed, a foreign-owned single-member LLC generally still files a pro forma Form 1120 with Form 5472.
General information, not tax advice for your situation.
Related Reading
Talk to an Enrolled Agent
This article is general information, not individual tax advice. If you want to talk through your own IRS or state balance, book a free 20-minute review or call or text us directly.
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