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From Kenya · Africa

Start a US company from Kenya.

Kenya's developers, agencies and creators sell to clients all over the world, but Stripe only reaches Kenya through Paystack. A US LLC can apply for a US Stripe account and hold dollars in a US bank account, which Mercury opens for founders living in Kenya.

Our fee
from $289
Wyoming's fee
$102.40
Until we file
Refunded in full

Mercury opens accounts remotely for founders living in Kenya. The banks, in detail.

Start from Kenya

From

Kenya

··:··UTC+3

To

Cheyenne, Wyoming

··:··UTC−6

US tax treaty
None
Local Stripe
Via Paystack
Mercury
Yes
Currency
KES

01What changes because you live here

The filing is the same from anywhere. Four things aren't.

The tax treaty, whether Stripe will take you, which banks will open an account, and the time difference. Each was checked against its source in September 2026.

The tax treaty

None

The United States has no income tax treaty with Kenya. Dividends, interest and royalties from US sources are withheld at the standard 30%. Money you earn for work you do in Kenya isn't US-source income, so nothing is withheld on it.

Stripe

Via Paystack

In Kenya, Stripe works through Paystack, which it owns and which handles local payments. To take card payments in dollars from customers abroad, a US LLC can apply for a US Stripe account.

Banking

Mercury available

Mercury opens accounts remotely for US companies whose founders live in Kenya. It asks for the EIN, the formation documents, your passport, a real business address and a description of the company's existing or planned US operations. Relay asks a non-US owner for a US address, an ITIN or Social Security Number and a US operating presence, so it rarely suits a founder living in Kenya.

The time difference

UTC+3

New York is 7 hours behind Kenya in summer. Everything we do is in writing, through your dashboard and email, and we reply within one business day, so the time difference rarely slows anything down.

Checked in September 2026 against the IRS list of tax treaties, Stripe's country page, and Mercury's and Relay's published country lists. If something here has changed, email us and we'll correct it the same day.

02What Kenya expects

Owning a US company doesn't take you out of Kenya's tax system.

Kenya taxes its residents on income from anywhere in the world. Whether the LLC's profit counts as yours as it's earned, or only when you take it out, depends on how Kenya treats a US LLC, and that's a question for a local tax adviser.

  • Kenya taxes residents on pay for work they do, in Kenya or abroad, and on other income that comes from Kenya. A founder running a US company from Nairobi should expect the KRA to see that income as taxable and declare it.
  • There's no US-Kenya income tax treaty in force, so US-source dividends, interest and royalties are withheld at 30%.
  • Bringing dollars home through a bank or a licensed transfer service is routine, and several services pay out to M-Pesa.

What founders here build

What Kenyan founders usually form a US company for.

04What it costs

The same price from Kenya as from anywhere.

Charged once, in US dollars, with the Wyoming state fee passed on at cost. Where you live changes which bank we introduce you to, not the price.

Wyoming
Starter
StandardMost chosen
Premium
Our feeCharged once, when you confirm
$289
$499
$1,299
Wyoming filing feePaid to the state, passed through at cost
$102.40
$102.40
Included
To startNothing else to pay
$391.40
$601.40
$1,299
Then, every yearRegistered agent and the Wyoming annual charge
$179
$309
$1,059

Extras are optional, and the order form asks about each one with its price. Filing yours ahead of our next batch costs $75, and we email you before anything renews. Delaware, and every extra with its price, are on the pricing page.

05Questions

Questions from Kenya.

If yours is not here, email us at [email protected] before you order.

Yes. The United States doesn't require an LLC's owners to be US citizens or residents. You'll need a registered agent in the state, which every plan includes, and your passport for the bank. The filing is the same wherever you live. What changes is the tax treaty, the payment processors and the banks, which this page covers.

No. The filing, the EIN, the operating agreement, the bank application and the payment processors are all handled online. You don't need a visa or a trip.

The United States has no income tax treaty with Kenya. Dividends, interest and royalties from US sources are withheld at the standard 30%. Money you earn for work you do in Kenya isn't US-source income, so nothing is withheld on it.

You can apply. A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account is a US business, and Stripe reviews it on its US terms. Approval isn't automatic: Stripe looks at the business, its website and the person behind it, and it can say no. Honest, consistent details and a real website give you the best chance.

Ready when you are

Answer the questions. We do the filing.

It takes about four minutes. You see the whole order, state fee included, before anything is charged.

Compare the plans

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Company name

LLC · WY

Name checked first · Same business day

Start a company

Standard$499 + $102.40 WyomingSame day