Can a non-resident open a US account for an LLC?
Yes, often, but the answer depends on the provider, where you live and what the business does. Most non-resident founders apply to online providers such as Mercury, Wise or Payoneer rather than walking into a branch, because branch banks commonly expect an owner to visit in person and hold a US taxpayer number. Each provider publishes its own eligibility rules, and they change. Read them before you apply, not after a rejection.
A US account is usually the last step in the setup order. Form the LLC, get the EIN, arrange a real business address, then apply. If you are still at the start, our guide to a US LLC for non-residents covers the earlier steps.
What providers typically ask for
Expect to provide most of the following. Getting them ready before you apply saves the most time.
- Formation document: the state-filed Articles of Organization or Certificate of Formation. Mercury asks for "state-filed formation documents" (Mercury document list).
- EIN confirmation from the IRS: Mercury accepts the CP575 notice, a 147C letter, or "the returned version" of the SS-4, not just the application you sent. See our EIN service if you do not have one yet.
- Passport: for international applicants, Mercury's ID requirement is a passport. ID is needed for every owner with 25% or more and at least one person with operating control.
- Proof of a physical address: Wise asks for physical address proof and says "PO boxes and virtual addresses are not accepted" (Wise: verify your US business).
- Operating agreement: not on every published list, but often requested to confirm who owns and controls the LLC. See our operating agreement guide.
- Business description, website and use of the account: Wise asks for a website and your use case. A live website, or at least a clear description of products, customers and expected volumes, helps any reviewer.
Make every document tell the same story. Your name should be spelled identically on the passport, EIN letter, formation document and operating agreement, and the LLC's name should match the state record exactly, including "LLC". Small mismatches are one of the most common causes of extra questions.
Provider rules for non-residents
These summaries come from each provider's own help pages as checked on 27 September 2026. They are not a recommendation and not a promise of approval.
Mercury
Mercury says "Your company must be formed and registered in the United States or a U.S. territory" and "You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or resident to apply" (Mercury eligibility). Key conditions:
- A physical address where you operate. It can be residential and outside the US, but registered agent addresses, PO boxes and UPS Store addresses are not accepted.
- No money services businesses, crypto exchanges, adult entertainment, cannabis, internet gambling or trusts.
- A published list of prohibited countries (see below).
- Eligibility "is determined following a full review of your application."
Wise Business
To verify a US business, Wise asks for the EIN, business name and type, registered and trading address, physical address proof, website and use case, plus details of everyone owning 25% or more. Owners who are not US persons provide "a copy of a photo ID" instead of an SSN (Wise help). Wise cannot onboard businesses from Nevada or US territories. Wise's page on where you need to live says residents of Nevada cannot hold money (Wise residence rules).
Payoneer
Payoneer lets businesses register as a "Company" and offers USD, EUR and GBP receiving accounts. Its sign-up FAQ says "We are unable to support direct registrations via the Payoneer website from select countries and territories," without listing them on that page (Payoneer sign-up FAQ). Check that your country is supported when you start the form.
Relay
Relay says it "serves U.S.-registered small businesses whose owners live in eligible countries" and that "every beneficial owner must have a valid SSN" (Relay: how to open an account). A non-resident owner without an SSN therefore does not meet Relay's published requirements, even with an ITIN.
Stripe (payments, not a bank)
Stripe is a payment processor, not a bank account, but it is often the reason founders form a US LLC. A US Stripe account needs a US-registered business, a physical business address (no PO boxes) and the EIN (Stripe US requirements). Payouts go to a US bank account in the business's name, so the account comes first. Our payment account setup service covers Stripe in more detail.
Prohibited countries and restricted industries
Where you live can decide the outcome before anyone reads your documents. Providers publish country lists, and they differ. Mercury's prohibited countries page lists sanctioned jurisdictions (Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine) and a longer list of prohibited countries that includes Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh. India and the UAE are not on that list. Wise's residence page does not list Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh or the UAE as restricted. Payoneer restricts direct registration from some countries.
These lists change without notice, so check the live page on the day you apply. If you are in Pakistan, Nigeria or Bangladesh, our founder guides for Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh look at the options in more depth.
Industry rules matter as much as country rules. Money services, crypto exchanges, adult content, cannabis and gambling are excluded by Mercury, and most providers restrict similar lists. Describe your business accurately. A vague description that later turns out to be a restricted activity leads to closure, not just rejection.
Why applications fail
Most rejections and long delays come from a short list of avoidable problems:
- Country of residence is on the provider's prohibited list.
- Address problems: using the registered agent's address as the business address (Mercury does not accept it), or a virtual address where physical address proof is needed (Wise does not accept it). Our US business address service is for mail and correspondence. It is not a substitute for the physical operating address these providers ask about.
- No IRS EIN confirmation: sending the SS-4 you submitted instead of the IRS-returned SS-4, CP575 or 147C.
- Mismatched details: different spellings, dates or addresses across the passport, EIN letter, formation document and application.
- Unclear business model: no website, no product description or a use case that sounds like a restricted industry.
- Missing owners: not declaring every person with 25% or more, or the person with operating control.
- Provider-specific requirements: applying to a provider such as Relay that requires an SSN for every owner.
- Company not in good standing: an unpaid state fee or franchise tax can make the company look inactive. Delaware LLCs, for example, lose good standing if the annual tax is not paid (see our Delaware franchise tax guide).
If you are rejected, read the reason if one is given, fix the underlying issue, and only then apply again or try a provider whose published rules you meet. Repeated identical applications rarely help.
Never rent, borrow or buy an account
Some sellers offer "ready" US accounts, verified accounts opened in someone else's name, or a US "nominee" to sit on your application. Do not use them. Providers ask for the ID of every significant owner and the person in control for a reason. An account opened by someone other than the real owner misstates who controls the money. When providers find it, they typically freeze funds and close the account, and you may have no legal claim over money held in another person's name. It can also bar you from applying properly later.
Borderless Filings never sells, rents or opens accounts in anyone else's name. We help the real owners apply in their own names, with their own documents.
A practical order of steps
- Form the LLC in a state that suits you. Compare costs with our LLC state fee comparison.
- Get the EIN and keep the IRS confirmation (CP575, 147C or the returned SS-4).
- Sign an operating agreement that matches the formation filing.
- Prepare proof of your real operating address, your passport and a short business description, and publish a basic website.
- Check the live eligibility and country pages of two or three providers and apply first to the one whose rules you clearly meet.
- Answer follow-up questions quickly and consistently.
- Once the account is open, connect payment processors and keep the LLC in good standing with its annual filings, including Form 5472.
How we help
You can apply to any of these providers yourself. Our payment account application help checks your eligibility against each provider's published rules, reviews your documents for mismatches, helps you write an accurate business description and prepares a consistent application pack that you submit in your own name. The decision is always the provider's, and we cannot promise that Mercury, Wise, Payoneer, Stripe or any bank will accept your application.
Sources
- Mercury: Eligibility and requirements for opening a Mercury account
- Mercury: Gathering your documents
- Mercury: Prohibited countries
- Wise: Verify your US business
- Wise: Where do I need to live to hold money with Wise
- Payoneer: Signing up to Payoneer FAQ
- Relay: How to open a Relay business account
- Stripe: Requirements for having a US Stripe account
Fees, deadlines and rules on this page were last checked on 27 September 2026.