A US company, from Sri Lanka.
In May 2026 the Prime Minister and the CBSL Governor stood up to announce that PayPal could finally receive payments in Sri Lanka. Months later it was still not operationally live. A US LLC with a real Stripe account and a US bank does not wait on an announcement to actually work.
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 or ITIN 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 Sri Lankan guides skip
PayPal's launch event was not the same as PayPal actually working
PayPal announced inward payments for Sri Lanka in May 2026 through partner banks, but the service was still not operationally live months later. Stripe remains unavailable outright. A US LLC with its own Stripe account and a US bank is not waiting on any of this.
CBSL tightened repatriation rules in June 2026, not the other direction
Gazette Extraordinary No. 2492/10 requires exporters, including service exporters, to convert residual foreign earnings into rupees by the 10th of the following month, after a narrow list of permitted deductions. Money earned through a US LLC and held in a US bank account never enters this system, because it never lands in a Sri Lankan bank in the first place.
The zero-tax era for freelancers ended on 1 April 2025
Foreign service income used to be fully exempt when remitted through an authorised Sri Lankan bank. It is now taxed at a concessionary 6% up to LKR 1,000,000 and capped at 15% above that, but only if you remit it home. Keeping money in a US LLC's bank account changes the picture, so get this checked by a Sri Lankan tax adviser rather than assuming the old exemption still applies.
Can you actually open a US bank account?
The honest answer, which is more than most providers will give you.
What actually works for Sri Lankan founders
- Mercury does not list Sri Lanka as a prohibited country.
- Wise is CBSL-authorised and the recommended platform for direct invoicing.
- Payoneer is fully authorised and the standard tool for Upwork and Fiverr withdrawals.
- Stripe becomes usable once the LLC has its EIN, solving the problem PayPal still has not.
What to know before you rely on it
- We cannot confirm Relay's position on Sri Lanka from any official source. Apply and verify directly rather than assuming either way.
- PayPal's inward-payment rollout is incomplete, so do not build a plan around it being available yet.
- A registered agent address is not a business address, which matters for whichever provider you use.
- The EIN takes 4-6 weeks for non-US founders, and most payment tools need it before they fully activate.
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.
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.
IRD's foreign investment fund rules and the US-NZ 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.