An Indian founder can own 100% of a US LLC without being a US citizen, holding a green card, or ever flying to the United States. The hard part is rarely the company filing itself; it is sequencing the EIN, US business banking, and payment processors so they actually approve a foreign-owned entity. This is the exact path we run for clients, and it typically goes live in under eight weeks.
Can you register a US LLC from India?
Yes. Non-US residents can form a US LLC in any state and own it entirely from India. You do not need an SSN, a US visa, or a US partner. You will need a passport, a registered agent in the state of formation, and a US business address (your registered agent or a virtual mailbox can provide one).
What you need (and what you don't)
- Not required: US citizenship, green card, SSN, US visit, or a US co-founder.
- Required: passport, a registered agent, a US business address, and an EIN.
- Strongly recommended: a US business bank account and at least one payment processor before you take revenue.
Step by step: forming a US LLC from India
- Choose a state. Most India-to-US operators pick Wyoming (low cost, privacy, no state income tax) or Delaware (investor-familiar). See the comparison below.
- Name the LLC and appoint a registered agent in that state (a legal requirement for foreign owners).
- File the formation documents (Articles of Organization). This is usually approved in a few business days.
- Get the EIN from the IRS. Without an SSN you cannot apply online; you file Form SS-4 by fax or through a third-party designee. This is the step that most often stalls a DIY filing.
- Open a US business bank account (Mercury, Relay, or Wise Business are the realistic options for non-residents). Expect identity verification on the beneficial owner.
- Connect payments — Stripe, PayPal, or Authorize.net — and pass underwriting with a real website, clear product, and matching business details.
- Stay compliant — BOI / FinCEN beneficial-ownership report, annual report, and the US tax filings below.
Delaware vs Wyoming for a foreign-owned LLC
| Factor | Wyoming | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Formation + annual cost | Lower | Higher |
| Privacy of owners | Strong | Moderate |
| State income tax | None | None on out-of-state income |
| Best for | Bootstrapped / ecommerce / SaaS | Raising VC, US investors |
For most cross-border ecommerce and service businesses, Wyoming is the pragmatic default. Choose Delaware if you plan to raise venture capital.
How long does it take to set up a US LLC from India?
A focused setup runs in under eight weeks: formation in week one, EIN in weeks two to four (the bottleneck without an SSN), banking in parallel, and payment-processor onboarding once the entity and site are live. Doing the steps in parallel rather than in series is what compresses the timeline.
What does it cost?
Plan for three buckets: state filing fees (state-dependent, paid once), registered-agent fees (annual), and setup/advisory if you use a partner to handle EIN, banking introductions, and processor onboarding. Our productized Cross-Border Launch Kit bundles formation, EIN, banking introductions and Stripe onboarding into one fixed-fee engagement; filing fees are passed through at cost.
Payments and banking from India: the part that breaks
This is where most founders get stuck. US banks and Stripe both run underwriting on a foreign beneficial owner, and inconsistent details (mismatched address, no live website, vague product) trigger holds or rejections. The fix is to launch banking, the entity, and a real localized website together, so the processor sees a coherent, legitimate business. We cover this in our payments and fraud services.
Tax and compliance you cannot skip
A foreign-owned single-member US LLC has real US filing obligations, including Form 5472 with a pro-forma 1120, the annual state report, and the federal BOI / FinCEN beneficial-ownership filing. Missing the 5472 carries steep penalties, so treat compliance as part of setup, not an afterthought.
Praxxii Global is not a law firm or a CPA and does not provide legal or tax advice. We coordinate filings with licensed registered agents, CPAs, and counsel in each jurisdiction.
FAQ
Do I need to travel to the US to open an LLC or bank account? No. The entire process — formation, EIN, banking, and payments — can be completed remotely from India. Non-resident-friendly banks verify identity online.
Can I get an EIN without an SSN? Yes. You apply with Form SS-4 by fax or through an authorized third-party designee. It cannot be done through the IRS online tool without an SSN or ITIN.
LLC or C-Corp? Choose an LLC for an owner-operated cross-border business; choose a Delaware C-Corp if you intend to raise venture capital from US investors.
Will Stripe approve a foreign-owned US LLC? Yes, when the entity, US bank account, and a real website with a clear product all line up. Mismatched or thin details are the usual reason for rejection.
Want this handled end to end? We register the entity, secure the EIN, introduce banking, and onboard payments under one accountable team. Book a free consultation and we will send a written plan with timelines within three business days.