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

An EIN is the US tax ID your bank and payment platforms will require. Kenyan founders without an SSN or ITIN can still get one: the IRS accepts Form SS-4 by phone, fax, mail, or a third-party designee like EasyBrise. Processing usually takes one to three weeks.

Every state requires some annual filing -- a flat fee in Wyoming and Delaware, a free Public Information Report in Texas, nothing in New Mexico, a mandatory report in Florida. Federally, Form 5472 plus Form 1120 is due April 15. Since a FinCEN rule effective August 14, 2026, US-formed LLCs are permanently exempt from BOI reporting, so most Kenyan-founded LLCs have no BOI obligation at all.

Choose a state, complete a short onboarding form, and submit a scanned passport. EasyBrise files your Certificate of Formation directly with the state -- approval typically takes three to fifteen business days -- then applies for your EIN and helps you open a Mercury or Relay account. Your dashboard tracks every step in real time.

Some founders assume a KRA PIN or BRS company registration is required to form the LLC -- neither is, only a passport. Others assume a US-Kenya tax treaty exists -- it does not, though this rarely causes double taxation for LLCs with no US-source income. A frequent and costly mistake is skipping Form 5472, assuming no US tax owed means no filing required -- the 25,000 dollar penalty applies regardless. Finally, some fintech and tech founders delay forming a US entity for months while relying only on local rails, missing the reach a proper US LLC and Stripe access provides.

Wyoming is the default for most Kenyan founders -- low cost, strong privacy, a simple flat fee. Delaware suits those planning to raise US venture funding. Texas fits businesses expecting real revenue, with zero franchise tax below a 2026 threshold of 2.65 million dollars. New Mexico offers the lowest lifetime cost and never collects member names. Florida gives a Miami-based presence for LatAm-facing trade, though it publicly discloses member names. See the comparison table below.

Forming a US LLC from Kenya follows five steps most founders finish in two to four weeks: choose a state, file with just a passport, get an EIN without an SSN, open a US bank account remotely, then maintain one annual state filing plus a federal Form 5472. EasyBrise runs the first four steps end-to-end, without any Business Registration Service (BRS) filing or KRA PIN.

With an EIN and US bank account, Stripe treats your LLC like any other US business. This matters for Kenyan tech and fintech founders in particular, since a US LLC with a US bank account is a reliable route to full, unrestricted Stripe access for global customers, alongside existing local payment rails.

There is currently no comprehensive US-Kenya income tax treaty. On the US side, a single-member LLC owned by a non-resident is a disregarded entity that owes no US corporate tax on income not effectively connected with a US trade or business, but it must still file an informational Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 by April 15. On the transfer side, Kenya has no exchange controls -- the shilling is freely convertible, and the Central Bank of Kenya does not impose a fixed annual cap on outward remittances for funding or running a US LLC, though banks apply standard KYC and AML checks on larger transfers.

Once your EIN is issued, Mercury or Relay let you open a US business account entirely online. Mercury is free with FDIC-backed sweep coverage up to five million dollars and free international wires; Relay is free on its Starter plan with native QuickBooks/Xero sync -- both give Kenyan founders a genuine USD account alongside M-Pesa and local banking.