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Stripe and PayPal From Colombia With a US LLC
Short answer: All State Tax Resolution, led by Sabih Shafi, an IRS Enrolled Agent, prepares US LLC documents for Colombian owners who want to use payment platforms. Colombia is not on Stripe's list of supported countries, and Stripe says a registered business must be registered in the US. PayPal lists Colombia and has separate US terms, and both platforms decide for themselves who they approve.
Key takeaways
Colombia is not on Stripe's supported-country list as of October 6, 2026. For US accounts, Stripe says a registered business must be registered in the US.
Stripe asks about the business name, entity type, EIN, an SSN or ITIN, and the address. For a representative with no SSN or ITIN, it expects a local non-US tax ID and documents.
PayPal lists Colombia, but accounts registered there can only send and receive international payments. US accounts need a business organized in, operating in or resident in the US.
Stripe's own pages differ on virtual bank accounts, and PayPal says online-only accounts may not be compatible, so check before you choose a bank.
Stripe and PayPal decide for themselves. We prepare documents and cannot promise approval.
Facts on this page were checked against the primary sources named in the text on October 6, 2026.
What Stripe says about Colombia
Stripe publishes a global availability page. On October 6, 2026 it listed the countries where Stripe is supported, and Colombia was not one of them. For a business outside the list, the page says payments are not supported yet and offers a way to register interest.
Stripe's help page on US accounts separates two cases. An unregistered business needs an owner or representative physically located in the US. A registered business must be registered in the US, even if you operate in another country. A US LLC is a registered business, so the second rule applies.
What a US Stripe account asks for
Here is what Stripe checks, according to its pages:
The business. Stripe says it verifies the legal entity name, entity type, EIN, an SSN or ITIN, and the business address. For a business with an EIN it accepts IRS letters including the SS-4 confirmation letter, Letter 147C and the EIN Confirmation Letter (CP 575). An SS-4 application is not the confirmation letter, and the name must exactly match the IRS record.
The owner. Stripe lists single-member LLCs with the businesses that use an SSN and checks the individual listed as owner. If your country of residence differs from the account's, it requires a passport. Ask Stripe which description fits your LLC before you submit documents.
The SSN question. One Stripe page says the SSN is still required for the individuals associated with every US account. Another says a representative who is not a US individual, with no SSN or ITIN, should expect to provide a local non-US tax ID and documents showing they are not a US taxpayer. Stripe also collects a national ID or verification document from non-US resident representatives.
Address and bank. Stripe asks for a physical location where you carry out most of your business, with no PO boxes, and for a physical bank account in the account's country that can't be a virtual bank account. Stripe's payouts page, though, lists virtual bank accounts among those it supports, with a note about higher payout failures. Confirm the current rule with Stripe.
What PayPal says for Colombia
PayPal's country list includes Colombia. Its terms for Colombia say that PayPal users resident in Colombia can only send and receive international payments. A Business account there asks for your full legal name, email address, a password, the business registration number, a business description and your business bank account details. PayPal's fee page notes that withdrawal to a bank account or card may not be available in every market, and that a currency conversion may apply.
What a US PayPal Business account asks for
PayPal's US user agreement applies to US PayPal accounts only. For an individual it requires US residence. For a business, the business must be organized in, operating in, or a resident of the United States or one of its territories. PayPal also says you do not need an LLC to open a Business account. The residence and organization rules above are what apply to a US account.
Sign-up. Your legal name, email address, a password, your tax ID or SSN, a business description and business bank account details.
Owners. For at least one and up to five beneficial owners, the name, address, date of birth and SSN, or a passport number or similar information for foreign persons.
Tax status. Non-US tax residents complete a Certificate of Foreign Status or Form W-8. The same page says a single-member LLC disregarded from its owner must give its owner's TIN, and its example is an individual's SSN. PayPal decides how that applies to a foreign owner.
Documents and bank. A copy of the IRS letter assigning the EIN, with a matching business name, a passport, and a physical business address, not a PO box. The bank must be a US bank, and PayPal says most online-only or prepaid accounts may not be compatible.
The order that avoids rejections
We often see the platform application come first and the paperwork second. A better order is the LLC, the EIN letter, the bank account, then the platforms, with the same details on every document. The IRS says an EIN by fax generally arrives within 4 business days, and real timing can be longer. Stripe's own tax ID page says each business case is unique and its list does not promise a match. Our guides to opening a US bank account as a non-resident LLC owner and to the bank account and Stripe cover the bank step.
How we help
I am Sabih Shafi, an IRS Enrolled Agent, federally licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS in all 50 states. I work with business owners in other countries by phone and video, in English or Spanish.
My wife is Venezuelan, so I know firsthand what it takes to build a business from Latin America.
I form your LLC in Wyoming, our standard. Delaware or another state is available on request, and the price may vary.
I fax Form SS-4 to the IRS, so you can get your EIN without an SSN or ITIN.
Formation includes a bank and Stripe document pack and a 30-minute call with me. Stripe and banks make their own decisions.
I file your Form 5472 and pro forma Form 1120 every year.
The fee is flat and put in writing before we start: $795 for formation, $695 a year for annual compliance, or $1,395 for both. See US LLC for Non-Residents.
Call or text (323) 900-0305, or book your free 20-minute tax review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stripe work in Colombia?
Colombia is not on Stripe's supported-country list as of October 6, 2026. For businesses outside the list, the page says payments are not supported yet.
Can I open a US Stripe account with a US LLC if I live in Colombia?
Stripe says a registered business must be registered in the US, even if you operate in another country. Stripe decides whether to approve you, and we cannot promise a result.
Do I need an SSN to use Stripe?
Stripe's pages mention an SSN in one place and, for a representative who is not a US individual, a local non-US tax ID in another. Ask Stripe which applies to you.
Do I need a US address and a US bank account for Stripe?
Stripe asks for a physical location in the account's country where you can receive mail, and for a physical bank account there. Its pages differ on virtual accounts, so check with Stripe.
Does PayPal work for a business in Colombia?
PayPal lists Colombia. Accounts registered there can only send and receive international payments, and withdrawal options vary by market.
Can I open a US PayPal Business account with my LLC?
PayPal's US terms say a business organized in the United States can open one. PayPal asks for owner identity, tax status and a US bank, and it decides whether to approve you.
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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