A US LLC, from New Zealand. Read this first.
A US LLC is simple to set up from New Zealand. The part worth ten minutes of real attention is how Inland Revenue treats your interest in a foreign entity once it exists, because New Zealand has its own rules for exactly that.
Want a New Zealand Limited company instead?
This page is about forming a US LLC as a New Zealand founder. If you want a NZ Limited company, that lives on a different page.
What's included
- LLC or C-Corp filed in the state you choose, in 1-2 business days
- EIN from the IRS with no SSN required
- Registered agent and a US business address
- Operating agreement and your stamped formation certificate
- The domain, if you still need one, at the price you keep renewing at
- Bookkeeping and US tax filing when the company starts trading
What it costs
Plus the state filing fee, paid straight through to the Secretary of State. Wyoming $100, New Mexico $50, Delaware $110 with a $300 annual franchise tax on top.
What IRD actually looks at
The foreign investment fund rules are the thing to check first
New Zealand's FIF regime can apply to a tax resident's interests in foreign entities, including certain foreign LLCs, and can tax on an accrual basis rather than only when you actually receive a distribution. There is a commonly cited NZD 50,000 individual exemption threshold for offshore interests, but thresholds and carve-outs change, so confirm your specific position with an IRD-familiar accountant rather than relying on a number from a website.
Whether the LLC is transparent or opaque for NZ purposes is a real question
Similar to the classification issue Australian founders face with the ATO, how a US LLC is characterised for New Zealand tax purposes is not automatically the same as how the IRS characterises it. Get this confirmed before you assume US pass-through treatment carries over.
The US-NZ double tax agreement is the backstop, not the whole answer
It exists to prevent double taxation between the two systems, but it works alongside the FIF rules and classification question above, not instead of them.
Can you actually open a US bank account?
The honest answer, which is more than most providers will give you.
Banking is straightforward from New Zealand
- Mercury accepts New Zealand founders without the friction seen elsewhere.
- Relay also accepts New Zealand, including international wires.
- Wise Business, Payoneer and Stripe all work normally once the LLC has its EIN.
What to know before you rely on it
- Nobody can guarantee an account, even in a straightforward market. Partner-bank policy can change without notice.
- A registered agent address is not a business address and some providers will still query it.
- The EIN still takes about 4-6 weeks for non-US founders, not the 1-2 days quoted for the state filing.
- None of this touches the FIF question above. Get that confirmed with an accountant before you decide the LLC is the right vehicle.
Why we say this out loud. Every competitor advertises a US bank account as though it were part of the package. It is not, for anyone, and pretending otherwise just moves the disappointment to after you have paid. Form the company for the entity, the EIN and the ability to take Stripe payments. Treat the bank account as a separate application with a real chance of rejection.
Real platforms this comes up against
Everything else your US company needs
EIN without an SSN
The step that stalls most non-US founders. We run the SS-4 process end to end.
Form 5472 and US filings
Foreign-owned LLCs file every year even at zero income. The penalty for missing it is $25,000.
Form the company
LLC or C-Corp in any of the 50 states, with the EIN and registered agent included.
Founders from other countries
Exchange control, your SARS position, and the honest answer on US banking.
CBN currency rules, Stripe access, and which banks actually work.
BoG licensing rules, GRA filing, and the Stripe-Paystack workaround.
PayPal's 2026 freeze wave, CBK's no exchange controls, and the KRA position.
PayPal's 8% conversion tax, CBE forex rules, and the zero-rated VAT on exports.
BIR registration, remittance limits, and Mercury vs Relay.
SBP rules, why PayPal is not the answer, and what is.
PayPal's announced-but-not-live access, CBSL's 2026 repatriation rules, and IRD's new freelancer tax.
Bangladesh Bank's 2026 forex overhaul, the IT tax exemption, and Mercury's ban.
SBV forex rules, Decree 117's platform withholding, and why Stripe needs a US LLC.
Why Stripe is invite-only, Mercury's ban, and the DHE repatriation rules.
The 100% tax deduction that still needs a foreign bank, and why Stripe still says no.
The cepo cambiario after 2025, why Stripe still won't onboard you, and the LEC.
The 9x IOF shock, why Stripe needs a CNPJ, and the Carne-Leao filing.
The ATO LLC classification trap, CFC rules, and the DTA.
How this works. NameMarshal is not a law firm or an accountancy practice, and nothing on this page is legal or tax advice. Company formation, EIN and registered agent services here are fulfilled by our formation partner doola. Foreign-owned US LLCs generally have to file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even with no income, and the penalty for missing it is steep. Ask us and we will point you at someone licensed to handle it.