Can I form an LLC in New Mexico if I live in Kuwait and have never visited the US?

For a founder in Kuwait, yes. US LLC formation does not require US residency, a US visit or a Social Security Number. Founders based in Kuwait form New Mexico LLCs remotely using a registered agent for the required US address, and they apply for an EIN with "Foreign" or "N/A" in place of an SSN.

Can a Kuwaiti resident open a Mercury or Relay account?

Yes in principle. Kuwait 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.

How long does a New Mexico LLC take from Kuwait?

For a founder in Kuwait, state approval in New Mexico typically takes a few business days to about two weeks depending on filing volume, and the EIN can often be obtained the same week by phone. Most founders have the LLC, the EIN and a bank application in 2-4 weeks.

What ongoing filings does a Kuwaiti founder need for a New Mexico LLC?

For a founder in Kuwait, only the federal one: Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120, due every year for a foreign-owned single-member LLC, with a $25,000 minimum penalty if missed. New Mexico has no annual report or fee to add.

What time can I phone the IRS from Kuwait?

The IRS international line is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. Kuwait is on UTC+3 all year, so the window is 1 p.m. to 6 a.m. in US daylight time and 2 p.m. to 7 a.m. in US standard time.

Does Kuwait tax income earned through a US LLC?

Moore's Kuwait summary says there is no personal income tax in Kuwait and that only foreign companies operating there pay corporate income tax. Confirm current rules, and any other levies, with a Kuwaiti adviser.

Form a New Mexico LLC from Kuwait: Complete 2026 Guide

Q: Do I still have US filings?

Yes. A foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, with a $25,000 minimum penalty for a missed filing.

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

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$50 · State filing fee

None - New Mexico requires no… · Annual fee

3-7 business days · Avg. filing time

Wire/ACH via a US business bank… · Transfer method

Quick Summary

Country: Kuwait
State: New Mexico
Avg. filing time: 3-7 business days
State filing fee: $50
Annual report fee: None - New Mexico requires no annual report and no franchise tax of any kind for a standard LLC (the only US state offering true zero ongoing state-level filing)
Transfer method: Wire/ACH via a US business bank account (eligibility depends on your country of residence and citizenship)

Why New Mexico

Why do Kuwaiti founders look at New Mexico? Mostly because the state-level side is predictable. The filing fee is $50 ($50 online), the ongoing requirement is $0 ever — New Mexico is one of the only states with no ongoing annual report or annual fee for LLCs, and the state applies no tax on LLC income earned outside the state for non-resident owners. New Mexico does not publicly disclose member or manager names in its formation records. Keep in mind that the state says nothing about how Kuwait taxes you; that depends on Kuwait law and is covered further down this page. What New Mexico offers is the least ongoing paperwork of any of the five states.

For Kuwaiti Founders

Kuwaiti freelancers, consultants, developers and online sellers form US LLCs to invoice international clients in dollars, hold a US business bank account and present a domestic US vendor to American customers. Kuwait has no personal income tax, so the home-country tax picture is simple. The questions are mainly about banking, source documents and the American filings.

After Formation Checklist

Three things to do straight after formation. First, the paperwork: an Operating Agreement, and a note of the EIN letter's location (if it is lost, ask the IRS for Form 147C). Second, the money side: bank account, then Stripe or PayPal subject to their review. Third, the calendar: there is no New Mexico annual filing to calendar and the federal Form 5472 and pro forma 1120. 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.

Is New Mexico Right For You

The case for New Mexico: minimizing ongoing paperwork is the top priority — no annual report, ever, is unique among these five states — and strict privacy matters more to you than name recognition. The case against is simply that another state may suit your priorities better, and changing states after formation means closing the LLC and starting a new one.

Forming In New Mexico Step By Step

For a Kuwait-based owner the order of operations is: registered agent first (you need their New Mexico address for the filing), then the Articles of Organization, then the EIN, then the bank account. The EIN application is Form SS-4; leave the SSN field as "Foreign" or "N/A". Calling the IRS international line (267-941-1099) is the fast route at about 45-60 minutes; faxing or mailing the form takes 4-6 weeks. Once you hold the EIN letter, bank and payment applications can begin.

New Mexico LLC For Kuwaiti Founders

New Mexico suits a Kuwaiti founder who wants the lightest US paperwork: a $50 filing fee, no annual state report and no annual fee, leaving only the federal Form 5472 and pro forma 1120.

What A New Mexico LLC Costs From Kuwait

Budgeting for a New Mexico LLC from Kuwait? The one-time state fee is $50 ($50 online). Every LLC then needs a registered agent (typically $100-150 a year); the EIN itself costs nothing when you apply to the IRS directly; and Mercury or Relay accounts are usually free. The yearly state-side item is $0 ever — New Mexico is one of the only states with no ongoing annual report or annual fee for LLCs. Bundled, EasyBrise Global Launch costs $295 for year one with a registered agent included and $149 a year to renew.

Your Recurring Dates As A Kuwaiti Owner

As a Kuwaiti owner, your recurring dates look like this. State: New Mexico adds no state annual filing at all. 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 1 p.m. to 6 a.m. Kuwait time in US daylight time (2 p.m. to 7 a.m. in US standard time). 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.

Five Year State Cost Of A New Mexico LLC

Over five years, the state-level cost of a New Mexico LLC is a $50 filing fee and nothing recurring, so $50 in total, before the registered agent. That makes New Mexico the cheapest of the five states on this measure. The same arithmetic across the five states runs from $50 to $2,110. For a Kuwaiti owner, Kuwait levies no personal income tax, so the US costs and the federal filings are the main recurring items.

Zakat And Other Levies To Ask A Kuwaiti Adviser About

The same summary describes Zakat as a local levy of 1 percent of net profit for certain sizes of company, along with an additional charge on listed entities, and it flags some entries as unclear. It does not say whether any of these reach a resident individual's foreign LLC, so treat that as an open question for a Kuwaiti adviser and do not assume the answer either way. Keep a record of the money you contribute, the revenue the LLC receives and what you withdraw, because those records are what an adviser, a bank or a processor will ask to see.

What Kuwait S Zero Personal Tax Does And Does Not Remove

Kuwait's lack of a personal income tax removes a home-country tax on your own LLC income, but it does not remove the US filings. A foreign-owned single-member LLC still files Form 5472 with a pro forma 1120 each year. Banks and payment processors also ask for documents showing who you are and what the business does, so keep the operating agreement, client contracts and invoices together.

Kuwait Has No Personal Income Tax And The US Filings Remain

Moore's Kuwait summary says there is no personal income tax in Kuwait and that only foreign companies operating in Kuwait are subject to corporate income tax. It lists controlled-foreign-company rules as not applicable. That summary was last modified in September 2024, so confirm current rules with a Kuwaiti adviser, in particular any other levies that might touch a resident's foreign company. Because Kuwaiti rules for individuals are thin, the practical work is documentation and the American side. The compliance that remains is American: the LLC files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, with a $25,000 minimum penalty for a missed or incomplete filing.

Kuwait Corporate Tax Applies To Foreign Companies Operating There

Moore's summary says only foreign companies operating in Kuwait are subject to corporate income tax, at 15 percent, and that companies incorporated in GCC countries and wholly owned by GCC citizens are not subject to income tax. A US LLC that serves clients outside Kuwait and has no Kuwaiti office, staff or customers is not described as operating there. If you run client work from Kuwait, or sell to Kuwaiti customers, ask a Kuwaiti adviser how the authorities would view the LLC, and keep contracts that show where the clients and the services are.

Requirements

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

Costs

Item	Cost
State filing fee	$50 (mail) / $50 (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 at most US business banks (eligibility varies by country)
EasyBrise Global Launch (year 1, incl. registered agent)	$295
EasyBrise renewal (year 2+)	$149/yr

Who Should Choose New Mexico

Choose New Mexico if

minimizing ongoing paperwork is the top priority — no annual report, ever, is unique among these five states — and strict privacy matters more to you than name recognition

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

Taxes

No comprehensive US-Kuwait tax treaty; limited practical impact given Kuwait's 0% personal income tax. FATF placed Kuwait under increased monitoring (grey list) Feb 2026.

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

More guides for founders in Kuwait

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