How To Set Up A US Company As A Non-Resident.

While a non-resident will have to go through all the same steps as a resident, there are additional complications. For most non-residents, international tax law, getting visas and opening a bank account present the most problems. Each of these topics is very complicated.

The steps outlined below cover the critical steps that must be addressed before a business can be launched.

Checklist: How to set up a US Company as a Non-Resident

Step 1: Determination Stage

Step 1, determine what exactly you want to do, where and how you want to do it, how much it will cost and whether or not you have the budget. In this step, you need to determine:

• Where to establish your US business
• Where to incorporate your US company
• Your need for protecting your intellectual property
• Whether you will need to obtain any special licenses
• Your need for visas or other immigration needs
• Your need for staffing for the business
• Your need to access the capital markets in the US
• Your need for marketing, supply chain and other support services
• Are there any tax incentives available, and what options are available to minimize your tax burden

Free business planning templates are available from SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives) As an alternative, you can use the  lean canvas designed to organize the strategy for a startup  business. It’s free for 30 days, and very useful. (We are not related to this site in any way).

Step 2: Planning Stage

In the Company Planning Stage you will determine such practical matters as:

• The name of the company
• Whether to be a corporation or a limited liability company
• Which state to incorporate in and which states to register in
• Determine the capitalization of the company (how many shares at what par value, and how much each shareholder will contribute to the company as their capital contribution
• Determine who will be the shareholders, officers and directors
• Determine the roles and responsibilities of the company’s officers and directors

Step 3: Action Stage

After completing the Company Planning Stage, the Action Stage should be very smooth and fast:

Provide the necessary documents

• Form the company
• Register the company in other states as needed
• Hold the organizational meeting, appointing the officers and directors, issuing shares to the shareholders and taking such other actions as necessary
• Obtain the federal Employer Identification Number
• Open your bank account
• Start business: buy, lease or rent office space, hire employees, market the products, etc