Can a Portuguese resident open a Mercury or Relay account?

Yes in principle. Portugal is not on Mercury's prohibited list (residence-based) or on Relay's list (owners' citizenship or residency), subject to each bank's own review.

Can I form an LLC in Florida if I live in Portugal and have never visited the US?

From Portugal, yes, entirely remotely. Florida does not ask for residency or a trip to the US, and no SSN is required. A registered agent provides the Florida address, and the EIN application uses "Foreign" or "N/A" where an SSN would go.

What time can I phone the IRS from Portugal?

The IRS international line is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. Portugal is five hours ahead of Eastern Time for most of the year, so the window is 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Portuguese time, with a shorter gap on the few weeks when US and European clock changes differ.

How long does a Florida LLC take from Portugal?

From Portugal, expect a few business days to roughly two weeks for Florida to approve the filing, depending on volume. The EIN by phone is usually same-week, so formation, EIN and a submitted bank application commonly take 2-4 weeks in total.

What ongoing filings does a Portuguese founder need for a Florida LLC?

From Portugal, the federal Form 5472 and pro forma Form 1120 come due every year, with a $25,000 minimum penalty for a missed filing. On the state side, Florida's requirement is $138.75 mandatory annual report, due every year.

Is the Portuguese Non-Habitual Resident regime still available?

The classic NHR regime stopped accepting ordinary new applications from 2024, and a short transitional window closed on 31 March 2025. A narrower regime called IFICI, often described as NHR 2.0, replaced it.

Who qualifies for Portugal's IFICI regime?

IFICI is aimed at listed high-value activities such as scientific research, qualified jobs in certified innovation projects and highly qualified roles. Pensions and passive income such as dividends and rent generally fall outside it, and registration is due by 15 January of the year after you become resident.

Form a Florida LLC from Portugal: Complete 2026 Guide

Everything a Portugal-based founder needs to form, bank, and run a Florida LLC — costs, EIN process, and tax angles specific to Portugal.

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$125 · State filing fee

$138.75/year, due by May 1 · Annual fee

5-10 business days · Avg. filing time

Quick Summary

Country: Portugal
State: Florida
Avg. filing time: 5-10 business days (standard online filing)
State filing fee: $125 ($100 Articles of Organization + $25 registered agent designation)
Annual report fee: $138.75/year, due by May 1 (mandatory - not free, unlike Texas; $400 late penalty and eventual administrative dissolution if missed)

Why Florida

What makes Florida worth a look for someone in Portugal: the state fee is $125 on paper ($125 online), and after that the state-level upkeep is $138.75 mandatory annual report fee, due every year. The state levies no personal state income tax. Florida is the only one of these five states that discloses member names on its public annual report. None of this changes your Portugal tax position, which sits on top of the US picture, but it does mean Florida itself adds little friction. Among the five states we cover, Florida is the only one of the five that publishes member names.

Is Florida Right For You

Choose Florida when you want a well-known state with strong US business infrastructure and don't mind that Florida is the one state on this list requiring member names on the public annual report. If your priorities lean another way, compare the other four states first, because moving a Florida LLC to another state later means dissolving it and forming a new one.

After Formation Checklist

Checklist once the EIN letter arrives: (1) Operating Agreement signed and stored; (2) bank account application submitted; (3) Stripe and/or PayPal applications, subject to their own review; (4) your Florida annual obligation ($138.75 mandatory annual report, due every year) in your calendar; (5) Form 5472 with a pro forma 1120 on the federal calendar. Federal Beneficial Ownership Information reporting is not something you need to do: FinCEN's rule in force since August 14, 2026 permanently exempts all US-formed LLCs.

Calling The IRS From Portugal

The IRS international EIN line (267-941-1099) answers from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. Portugal is five hours ahead of Eastern Time for most of the year, so the window runs from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Portuguese time, with a shorter gap for a few weeks when the US and Europe change clocks on different dates. Any daytime or evening call is comfortable. Plan on 45-60 minutes.

Forming In Florida Step By Step

Forming from Portugal is a five-step job. One: choose and check the name. Two: appoint a registered agent with a physical Florida address. Three: file the Florida formation documents. Four: obtain the EIN, entering "Foreign" or "N/A" where Form SS-4 asks for an SSN or ITIN; by phone on 267-941-1099 it takes about 45-60 minutes, by fax or mail 4-6 weeks. Five: open the business bank account online. No US trip is needed at any point.

Florida LLC For Portuguese Founders

Florida appeals to Portuguese founders with customers or relatives in the state. Its public annual report names members, and the $138.75 annual fee recurs every year.

Five Year State Cost Of A Florida LLC

Over five years, the state-level cost of a Florida LLC is a $125 filing fee plus $138.75 a year for five years, so $818.75 in total, before the registered agent. That makes Florida the second most expensive of the five states on this measure. The same arithmetic across the five states runs from $50 to $2,110. For a Portuguese owner, the state fee is small beside the question of how Portugal treats the LLC's income, so plan for a written view from a Portuguese accountant before you form.

What A Florida LLC Costs From Portugal

Here is the first-year budget for a Florida LLC owned from Portugal. State filing: $125 ($125 online). Registered agent: typically $100-150 a year, or included in EasyBrise Global Launch at $295 for year one ($149 a year after that). EIN: free if you apply to the IRS yourself. Bank account: usually free at Mercury or Relay. Recurring state requirement: $138.75 mandatory annual report fee, due every year. Most founders land well under $500 all-in for year one.

Banking From Portugal Mercury And Relay

Portugal is not on Mercury's prohibited-countries list, which is based on country of residence, and it is not on Relay's list, which looks at the citizenship and residency of the owners. Both banks run their own reviews, so approval is never guaranteed. Neither bank's published rules restrict international wires involving Portugal. Euros are converted to dollars when you fund the account, so compare the rate and any fee at your Portuguese bank. Portugal takes part in the Common Reporting Standard, so Portuguese banks exchange account information automatically.

Your Recurring Dates As A Portuguese Owner

As a Portuguese owner, your recurring dates look like this. State: Florida's $138.75 annual report is due every year between January 1 and May 1. Federal: Form 5472 with the pro forma Form 1120 is due on the return due date, April 15 for a calendar-year LLC, extendable with Form 7004. For the one-off EIN call, the IRS line (6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern) is open 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Portuguese time for most of the year (the gap shrinks to four hours for a few weeks when US and European clock changes fall on different dates). Put the state date and the federal date in your calendar when the EIN arrives, because a missed Form 5472 carries a $25,000 minimum penalty.

An LLC For Someone Planning To Move To Portugal

Many founders form the LLC first and move to Portugal later. The LLC and its US filings do not change when you move, but your Portuguese tax position does from the day you become resident. Raise the LLC with a Portuguese accountant before the move rather than after, so that any rule affecting foreign entities, and any choice about special regimes, is dealt with at the right time.

Portuguese Tax Residence And The Special Regimes

A person who is tax resident in Portugal is taxed on worldwide income. The Non-Habitual Resident regime stopped accepting ordinary new applications from 2024, and the narrower IFICI regime, often called NHR 2.0, replaced it. IFICI is aimed at listed high-value activities such as scientific research, qualified jobs in certified innovation projects and highly qualified roles, and pensions and passive income such as dividends generally fall outside it. Do not assume a freelancer with a US LLC qualifies. Portugal also has controlled-foreign-company rules in its corporate tax code, so ask a Portuguese adviser how your own structure is treated and ask for the answer in writing.

IFICI Is For Listed Activities Not Every Freelancer

IFICI applies a flat 20 percent rate to qualifying employment and self-employment income and exempts most foreign-source income, but only if you carry on one of the listed activities and keep performing it. Pensions and passive income such as dividends and rent generally fall outside it. A founder running an e-commerce store or a general consulting practice through a US LLC should not assume the regime applies without checking the list.

Requirements

Requirement	Needed
US Social Security Number
US visit required
Registered agent with US address
Florida annual filing
Federal Form 5472 + pro forma 1120

Costs

Item	Cost
State filing fee	$125 (mail) / $125 (online)
Registered agent (annual)	$100-150/yr (or included in EasyBrise Global Launch)
EIN application	Free via IRS (or via a paid service)
US business bank account	Free (Mercury / Relay)
EasyBrise Global Launch (year 1, incl. registered agent)	$295
EasyBrise renewal (year 2+)	$149/yr

Who Should Choose Florida

Choose Florida if

you want a well-known state with strong US business infrastructure and don't mind that Florida is the one state on this list requiring member names on the public annual report

Consider another state if

your priorities (fundraising plans, revenue level, or reporting tolerance) point more strongly to one of the other four states in the comparison table above.

Comparison

State	Filing Fee	Annual Requirement	State Income Tax	Privacy
Wyoming	$100 mail / $102 online	$60	None	No public member names
Delaware	$110	$400 flat annual franchise tax	None	No public member names
Texas	$300	$0 franchise tax for LLCs with revenue below the no-tax-due threshold	None	No public member names
New Mexico	$50	$0 ever	None	No public member names
Florida	$125	$138.75 mandatory annual report fee, due every year	None	Member names public

Banking

Mercury
Popular with non-resident founders; requires US LLC + EIN; no US visit needed
Relay
Remote-friendly for non-residents; requires formed US entity

Frequently Asked Questions

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