Form a U.S. LLC or Corporation from Anywhere in the World

Yes. The entire process is handled remotely. LLC formation (3-7 business days), EIN application (about 4 business days by IRS fax for foreign nationals, about 4 weeks by mail), and bank account setup can all be completed online. You do not need to visit the U.S.

A foreign-owned single-member U.S. LLC generally must file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 for each year it has a reportable transaction with its owner or another related party (funding the company or paying its costs counts), so the filing is usually due even with zero revenue. Failure to file carries a $25,000 penalty per form per year. Many formation services do not include this filing. All Arc & Ledger packages include Form 5472 for the first year. Filing deadline: April 15, 2027 for the 2026 tax year (October 15, 2027 with a timely Form 7004 extension).

For most international entrepreneurs: Wyoming (no state income tax, $60/year annual report, strong privacy) or New Mexico (lowest formation cost, no annual report required). If your LLC will do business in California, it must register there as a foreign LLC (or be formed in California) and pays the California $800 annual LLC tax either way, so forming in another state does not avoid California costs.

An Enrolled Agent (EA) is a tax professional federally authorized by the U.S. Treasury Department to represent taxpayers before the IRS. EAs have the same representation rights as CPAs and attorneys for tax matters. Arc & Ledger is led by an EA with a Master of Science in Taxation, which means we can handle IRS audits, notices, and penalties on your behalf.

First year total: state filing fee ($50-$100 depending on state) + Arc & Ledger service fee ($499+) = $549 - $599. Year one of registered agent is bundled into the package fee, so it is not an extra first-year cost. Annual ongoing: registered agent renewal ($100-$150) + annual report ($0-$60) + Form 5472 renewal at the formation-client rate ($500) = approximately $600 - $710 per year. See our cost breakdown table for details.

Our packages focus on U.S. business formation and tax compliance. The following are not included: home-country tax returns, immigration law advice, trademark/patent registration, and notary/apostille services. State filing fees (paid directly to the state) are separate from the service fee. Form 5472 filing: included in the first year for Starter and E-Commerce packages; included every year in Business and Investor packages. From year two, Starter and E-Commerce clients renew the Form 5472 + pro-forma 1120 filing at $500/year, a formation-client rate that applies only to a company set up or maintained under one of our packages. Standalone Form 5472 filing for any other company is $1,800; see our Form 5472 service page.

State approval: Wyoming 3-5 business days, New Mexico 1-3 business days, California 5-10 business days. EIN applications for foreign nationals go by fax, phone, or mail; the IRS says fax applications are generally answered in about 4 business days and mailed applications in about 4 weeks. During peak season (January-April), timelines may extend. We manage the entire process on your behalf and keep you informed at every step.

Full refund is available before the state filing process has been initiated. Once the filing has been submitted, state fees are non-refundable (these are paid to the state and cannot be recovered). Ongoing services (bookkeeping, tax filing, etc.) can be canceled before the next billing period begins.

There are no hidden fees. Annual ongoing costs: Registered Agent renewal $100-$150, annual report $60 (Wyoming) or $0 (New Mexico), Form 5472 renewal $500 (formation-client rate; included every year in Business and Investor). All fees are transparently listed in every package. Review our cost breakdown table to see first-year and ongoing costs.