Register a US company from the UAE, 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 US payment rails and American marketplaces without flying to the States or unwinding your UAE structure.
For a Dubai or Abu Dhabi business, a US company is usually about access — to American payment rails and marketplaces — not about lowering tax.
Founders in the UAE rarely set up a US company to save tax; the local environment already handles that. They do it to expand. E-commerce operators want to sell into the US on the same footing as a domestic seller, and to reach US payment processors that expect a US entity and a US bank account behind the business.
Many already run a mainland or free-zone company and simply need a US arm bolted alongside it, not instead of it. The job is to build that US presence correctly — clean records, consistent identity, and a filing calendar — so the expansion adds capability without adding a compliance mess.
The full US setup, from the UAE
The same spine we run for every international founder, adapted to how UAE-based businesses expand into the US.
Entity & state choice
A single-member LLC suits most e-commerce and services founders; a Delaware C-Corp fits those raising US venture capital. We match the state — commonly Wyoming, Delaware, or Florida — to how you'll operate, not to a default.
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.
US bank account, remotely
Options such as Mercury, Wise, Payoneer, and Relay let UAE founders open US business banking without flying over. We prepare your documentation so the application meets the bank's checks; the bank makes the final call.
No UAE–US tax treaty
The UAE and the United States do not have an income tax treaty. There is 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 the UAE
A few realities specific to expanding from the UAE into the US, so there are no surprises.
US company alongside your UAE entity
A US LLC and a UAE free-zone or mainland company are separate legal creatures with separate obligations. We help you decide which activity belongs where, so the US arm carries what it should and your UAE structure keeps doing its job.
Payment rails are usually the point
For UAE founders, the US bank and processor lineup is often the whole reason to incorporate. We help you open with rails that fit your customers and your marketplace, rather than the first account that approves you and then limits how you take payments.
Effectively-connected-income analysis
With no treaty in play, whether US income tax is owed rests on whether your income is effectively connected to a US trade or business. That analysis carries more weight for UAE founders precisely because there is no treaty to soften it, so we do it deliberately.
UAE corporate tax coordination
The UAE now has a federal corporate tax regime, so a US company is no longer a purely tax-free bolt-on. We handle the US filings end to end and coordinate with your UAE adviser so the two sides line up rather than surprise you.
Questions from founders in the UAE
General information to help you plan. Your specifics may differ — that's what the first conversation is for.
I already have a Dubai free-zone company — do I still need a US one?
It depends on what you're trying to unlock. A UAE free-zone company is a UAE entity; it doesn't give you US banking, a US payment-processing footprint, or a US-facing presence for American marketplaces. If those are the goal, a US company is usually the cleaner route, and the two can coexist. We help you decide whether you need one, the other, or both.
Is there a UAE–US income tax treaty?
No. The UAE and the United States do not have an income tax treaty. That means there is no treaty rate to reduce US withholding, and no treaty framework layered on top of the ordinary rules. What matters instead is whether your income is effectively connected to a US trade or business. We run that analysis so your position is based on the actual rules, not an assumption.
Do I need to visit the US to set up the company?
No. Founders in the UAE can form and operate a US company entirely remotely. Formation needs your passport, not travel or a US visa. We file everything remotely and coordinate the steps that touch a US institution, such as the bank application.
Can I open Stripe or PayPal with my US company?
A US company with an EIN and a US bank account is generally what US payment processors expect, which is a common reason UAE-based founders set one up. Each processor runs its own approval and ongoing review, so we make sure your entity name, EIN, address, and banking are consistent to give the application its strongest footing.
Will my US company create a tax bill in the UAE?
The UAE has introduced a federal corporate tax regime, so how a US company interacts with your UAE position is a real question rather than an automatic zero. We focus on the US side — federal and state filings, Form 5472, and the effectively-connected-income analysis — and coordinate with your UAE adviser on the local treatment.
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.
New to the terms here? Start with our plain-English guides in Learn, or see the full US market-entry overview.
Set up your US company from the UAE, the right way.
Tell us about your business and where you sell — we'll map the path from formation through ongoing filings.