Register a US company from Colombia, without leaving home.
Formation, EIN without an SSN, and US bank-account guidance — the whole US setup run remotely by a CPA firm, so you can reach Stripe, US payment processing, and American marketplaces without fighting cross-border card declines and wire friction.
For a Colombian founder, a US company is usually about getting paid cleanly — Stripe, US processing, and dollars that actually arrive.
Colombian founders come to us because getting paid from abroad is the hard part. Local cards are frequently declined on cross-border and USD charges, so US customers can't always pay you the way they expect. Sending and receiving through a bank like Bancolombia means international wires that are slow, expensive, and paperwork-heavy. A US company with a US bank account and a US processor moves settlement onto domestic rails, where it belongs.
Digital-product founders, agencies, SaaS builders, and marketplace sellers all want the same thing: to receive in dollars and settle with US customers without friction on every transaction. The work is to build that US presence correctly — a real entity, a consistent identity, and a filing calendar that stays handled — so the access you set it up for doesn't come with a compliance surprise later.
The full US setup, from Colombia
The same spine we run for every international founder, adapted to how Colombian sellers and digital businesses operate.
Entity & state choice
A single-member LLC suits most sellers and digital founders; a Delaware C-Corp fits those raising US capital. We match the state — commonly Wyoming, Delaware, or Florida — to how you'll operate. Comparing options? Our US company cost calculator lays out filing and annual costs side by side.
EIN without an SSN
Without a US Social Security Number, the IRS online tool is closed to you, so the EIN goes through Form SS-4 by fax — roughly 10 to 14 days or more as of 2026. We prepare and submit it and track it to issuance; here's how getting an EIN without an SSN actually works.
US bank account, remotely
Options such as Mercury, Wise, Payoneer, and Relay let founders in Colombia open US business banking without flying over — the account Stripe and other processors pay out to. We prepare your documentation to meet the bank's checks; here's more on opening a US business bank account as a non-resident.
No Colombia–US tax treaty
Colombia and the United States do not have an income tax treaty. There's no treaty rate to fall back on, so your US position turns on whether your income is effectively connected to a US trade or business. We base your setup on that reality, not on a treaty that doesn't exist.
Form 5472 & annual duties
A foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 with a pro-forma 1120 every year, even with no activity — the form that carries a $25,000 penalty if missed. We set the calendar and file on time, alongside your state annual report.
Marketplace KYC consistency
Amazon and other marketplaces verify that your entity name, EIN, address, and banking match across every record. We keep those details consistent from day one so verification doesn't stall your seller account.
What tends to matter for founders in Colombia
A few realities specific to setting up from Colombia, so there are no surprises.
Card declines and wire friction are the real problem
For many Colombian founders the issue isn't demand — it's collection. Cross-border card declines and slow, costly international wires get in the way of every payment. A US bank and processor lineup lets payouts settle domestically in dollars, which is usually the whole point of incorporating in the US.
Coordinating with your Colombian side
Colombian tax residents report worldwide income and have their own filings and exchange-control reporting on foreign inflows, so the US company doesn't stand alone. We run the US filings in full and coordinate with your Colombian contador so the two sides agree instead of contradicting each other.
Effectively-connected-income analysis
With no treaty in play, whether US income tax is owed rests entirely on whether your income is effectively connected to a US trade or business. That analysis carries extra weight for Colombian founders because there's no treaty to soften it, so we do it deliberately rather than guessing.
Receiving and holding in dollars
A US business account lets marketplace and processor payouts land in dollars, and you decide when to convert to pesos. That gives you control over timing rather than converting automatically at every settlement, and it keeps your working balance out of the local decline-and-wire cycle.
Questions from founders in Colombia
General information to help you plan. Your specifics may differ — that's what the first conversation is for.
Can I receive Stripe payouts with a US company?
A US company with an EIN and a US bank account is generally what Stripe and other US processors expect, and it's one of the most common reasons Colombian founders incorporate in the US. Stripe runs its own approval and ongoing review, so we make sure your entity name, EIN, address, and banking line up to give the application its strongest footing. Payouts then settle to your US business account instead of stalling on cross-border card and wire friction.
Is there a Colombia–US income tax treaty?
No. Colombia and the United States do not have an income tax treaty. There is no treaty rate to reduce US withholding and no treaty framework to lean on, so your US position turns on whether your income is effectively connected to a US trade or business. We run that analysis so your setup rests on the actual rules rather than an assumption.
Do I need to visit the US to register the company from Colombia?
No. Founders in Colombia can form and run a US company entirely from home. Formation needs your passport, not travel or a US visa. We file everything remotely and coordinate the few steps that touch a US institution, such as the bank application.
Will a US company help with card declines and wire friction?
It changes where your money settles. Colombian cards are often declined on cross-border and USD charges, and international wires through local banks can be slow and costly. With a US entity, US bank account, and US processor, payouts land domestically in dollars, which removes much of the friction you hit routing everything through Colombia. Local reporting on those inflows still applies, and we coordinate on that.
Selling on Amazon, Shopify, eBay, or Etsy? Your setup has extra moving parts — marketplace verification, sales tax, settlement accounting. See our dedicated e-commerce & Amazon practice.
Already formed through an online service? Start with a free compliance check to see what filings you may have missed, or return to the full US market-entry overview.
Set up your US company from Colombia, the right way.
Tell us about your business and where you sell — we'll map the path from formation through ongoing filings.