How to Start a US LLC from India (2026 Complete Guide)

An EIN is the US equivalent of a PAN -- the IRS uses it to identify your business for tax purposes, and banks and payment platforms require it to open an account. Indian founders without an SSN or ITIN can still get one: the IRS accepts Form SS-4 filed by phone (international line), fax, mail, or through a third-party designee like EasyBrise, who can obtain it on your behalf without you needing a US phone number. Processing usually takes one to three weeks. Our detailed EIN guide covers the exact SS-4 process and timelines for each method.

Ongoing compliance is lighter than most Indian founders expect. Every state requires some form of annual filing -- a flat fee in Wyoming and Delaware, a free Public Information Report in Texas, nothing at all in New Mexico, and a mandatory annual report in Florida. Federally, the only recurring filing is Form 5472 plus Form 1120, due April 15 each year. As of a FinCEN rule effective August 14, 2026, US-formed LLCs are permanently exempt from Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting -- only foreign entities registered to do business in the US still need to file it, so most Indian-founded US LLCs have no BOI obligation at all.

The EasyBrise process is built specifically for non-US founders. You choose a state and complete a short onboarding form, submit a scanned passport copy, and EasyBrise files your Certificate of Formation (or Articles of Organization) with the state directly. Once the state approves the filing -- typically three to fifteen business days depending on the state -- EasyBrise applies for your EIN and helps you open a Mercury or Relay account. Your dashboard tracks every step in real time, and compliance reminders start automatically once the company is active.

The most common mistakes we see from Indian founders are avoidable. Some assume a PAN card is required to form the LLC -- it is not. Others pick Delaware by default because it is the most well-known name, without needing what Delaware actually offers, when Wyoming or New Mexico would be cheaper and just as effective. A frequent and costly mistake is missing the Form 5472 filing entirely, since many founders assume US tax filing does not apply to them because the LLC itself owes no US tax -- the 25,000 dollar penalty applies regardless of whether any tax was due. Finally, some founders remit money to the US without tracking it against the LRS 250,000 dollar annual limit, which can create compliance friction with their bank back in India.

There is no single best state -- the right one depends on what you are building. Wyoming is the default choice for most Indian founders: low cost, strong privacy, and a simple flat annual fee. Delaware suits founders who plan to raise venture capital or eventually convert to a C-Corp, since US investors and their lawyers are most familiar with Delaware corporate law. Texas fits businesses expecting real revenue, since it has zero franchise tax below a 2026 threshold of 2.65 million dollars and no personal state income tax. New Mexico is the lowest-cost, most private option -- it never charges an annual report or franchise tax and does not publish member names. Florida works well if you need a Miami-based presence for Latin America-facing trade, though it is the only one of these five states that publicly discloses manager and member names. The comparison table below lines these up side by side.

Starting a US LLC from India is a five-step process that most founders complete in two to four weeks without ever visiting the United States. Step one is choosing a state -- Wyoming, Delaware, Texas, New Mexico, and Florida each suit a different kind of business, and we break down that choice below. Step two is filing the LLC itself, which only needs a passport and a business name. Step three is getting an EIN (US tax ID) from the IRS, which is possible without an SSN or ITIN. Step four is opening a US business bank account -- Mercury and Relay both accept foreign-owned LLCs remotely. Step five is staying compliant: an annual state filing, a federal Form 5472 disclosure, and (for most LLCs today) no BOI report at all. EasyBrise handles steps one through four end-to-end, and keeps you on track for step five with automated reminders.

With an EIN and a US bank account in place, most Indian founders connect Stripe to accept payments from US and global customers, since Stripe treats a properly formed LLC with a US bank account like any other US business -- no separate Stripe Atlas step is needed if you have formed the LLC yourself. Payoneer is a common complement for freelancers and agencies who already receive payments from platforms like Upwork or Fiverr and want to route them into the same US business structure. Both integrate cleanly with the EIN and bank account EasyBrise helps you set up.

Two tax systems touch your US LLC: US federal rules, and India's rules on money you bring home. On the US side, a single-member LLC owned by a non-resident is a disregarded entity for federal tax purposes -- it does not pay US corporate income tax on income that is not effectively connected with a US trade or business, but it must still file an informational Form 5472 alongside a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, with an April 15 deadline (extendable via Form 7004). Skipping this filing carries a 25,000 dollar penalty that increases every 30 days it remains unfiled. On the India side, the US-India tax treaty (in force since 1990) prevents the same income from being taxed twice, and any US tax paid can typically be credited against your Indian tax liability. When you remit funds from India to fund or run your US LLC, RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme allows up to 250,000 dollars per financial year, and a 20 percent TCS applies to LRS remittances above 10 lakh rupees a year for business purposes -- this is not an extra cost, since it is fully creditable against your income tax when you file your Indian return.

Once your EIN is issued, you can open a US business bank account entirely online -- no branch visit and no US address of your own required. Mercury is free, offers FDIC-backed sweep coverage up to five million dollars through its partner banks, and includes free domestic and international USD wires. Relay is also free on its Starter plan, supports up to twenty free sub-accounts, and integrates natively with QuickBooks and Xero. Both are commonly used by Indian founders; our Mercury vs Relay comparison breaks down which fits your business better.