What we file · Payments
Stripe and PayPal for your US LLC, set up from abroad.
Stripe works with businesses in around 46 countries, and PayPal fully supports fewer. A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account applies to both as a US business, on their US terms. Every plan gets your company ready for both applications. Neither Stripe nor PayPal promises anyone an account, though, and we won't either.
Stripe
What does Stripe ask for, and when can it say no?
- Your EIN, which Stripe needs before anything else. That's why the expedited EIN matters more here than anywhere.
- A US bank account in the company's name, opened before you apply.
- A website that shows what you sell and what it costs, with a way to contact you and a refund policy.
- ID for the person representing the company. Stripe may ask for an SSN or ITIN, but many accounts are approved without one.
Stripe reviews every account, and it closes the ones it decides weren't honest about themselves. So give it the company's real details, your real name and your real address abroad. Dropshipping and other high-risk businesses get a closer look, and for those a clean store and honest delivery times matter more than the company you formed.
PayPal
What does PayPal ask for?
A US PayPal Business account is opened in the company's name, using its EIN. It takes payments in dollars and pays out to the company's US bank account. PayPal also asks for a US address and phone number and ID for the owner, and it can ask for an SSN or ITIN.
It's quicker than Stripe to put limits on a new account, and it sometimes asks for documents it didn't mention at the start. That's why most founders use PayPal alongside Stripe rather than instead of it.
Questions
Questions about Stripe and PayPal.
Can I use Stripe if I live in a country Stripe doesn't support?
A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account applies to Stripe as a US business, so where you live stops being the first question. Stripe still reviews you as the owner, and it can still say no. We can't promise an approval, but we get the company ready with everything Stripe asks for.
Does a US LLC guarantee a Stripe account?
No. It makes the company eligible for a US Stripe account, and then Stripe reviews it. It looks at the business, the website, the risk of disputes and the person behind it. Honest details and a real website are what get an account approved, and what keep it open.
Will Stripe or PayPal ask for a Social Security Number?
Either one can ask for an SSN from the person representing the company. Many owners who live abroad are verified with a passport and the company's documents, and some are asked for an ITIN. We can't tell you in advance which you'll get, and anyone who says they can isn't being straight with you.
Should I give Stripe my real address abroad?
Yes. The company's address is its registered address in the state, and your own address is where you actually live. Pretending to be in Delaware is one of the quickest ways to lose a Stripe account.
What if both say no?
You still have options. A merchant of record like Paddle or Lemon Squeezy sells on your behalf and doesn't need a US company at all. Wise Business can receive US dollar payments, if it serves your country. Most founders use more than one of these, and a no from one doesn't count against you at another.
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.