One of the most common misconceptions among global entrepreneurs is believing they must obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) before they can form a U.S. business. This is completely incorrect.
Required Immediately
EIN (Employer Identification Number)
A federal 9-digit tax ID assigned to your business entity by the IRS.
- ✓ Needed to open a U.S. bank account
- ✓ Needed for Stripe and payment gateways
- ✓ FileUSLLC secures this for you in our package
- ✓ No personal SSN or ITIN required to obtain it
Generally Not Required to Start
ITIN (Individual Tax ID Number)
A personal tax processing number issued to foreign individuals who have personal U.S. tax return filing obligations.
- ✕ NOT required to form an LLC
- ✕ NOT required to open a Mercury bank account
- ✕ Takes 8–14 weeks to process with the IRS
- • Only needed if you file personal U.S. tax returns (1040-NR)
You Can Start Right Now with Just an EIN
We obtain your official IRS EIN as part of our $399 all-inclusive package.
Start Your LLC Formation ($399) →