How to Start a Business in the U. S. as a Non-resident

Information may not be reliable

Thanks to good business and government relations, anyone can become a businessman in the United States, regardless of their level of income.

Partnerships in the United States are encouraged. The priority areas for the development of small businesses are the service sector, health, and construction work. Government preferences are allocated based on the number of employees. 

To start a business in the U.S. as a nonresident, it’s essential to have a business visa. This document will bring you lots of benefits as well as access to the market in America itself. 

Obtaining a business visa is the most burdensome part, because the period of 3-4 months is long, even within the framework of large-scale entrepreneurship. Further, you’ll need to go through some stages of business registration until your company becomes a full-fledged participant in the American market. 

1. Legal form and name

Depending on the form of business organization, a person can either use an already promoted brand or register his own. For each state, this action is carried out separately - the tariff and resource are different.

Legal forms:

- Sole Proprietorship. This form pleases with the simplicity of the organization + the absence of restrictions on financial results.

- Partnership. It includes two types LLC (LLP) and general company. In the second form, the company risks property + deposits, and in the first - only deposits. The form will go to specialists in one field of activity who wish to cooperate for greater profitability of the business.

- Corporation Corporations are the pillars of medium and large businesses in America. The basis is a legal entity. Risks are only deposits. There are 2 types of corporations - "C" and "S". The difference lies in the relief of S members from double taxation.

- The state fee for registering a new trademark will be about $ 200 + $ 70-100 will have to be allocated monthly for service.

2. Submitting an application for starting a business

You can register a company online. You do not need a personal presence for this. In the questionnaire, you must indicate the name of the company, information about the founders, and the legal address of the company.

Please note that you only need to indicate the address in the state in which you open a business. If you have not had time to rent or purchase an office or plan to do so later, there is an easier option - rent a post office box. It is to her that official notifications will come.

The cost of a cell is about $ 100 per year. The service is available on many sites, so finding a cell is not difficult. For the very procedure of registration on the website of the Secretary of State, you need to pay a fee. In different states, its sizes differ: from $ 80 to $ 130.

Registration of a company in the standard mode takes 25 working days. But many sites have an urgent registration service for an additional fee. In this case, the process will take from 1 to 10 days if all documents are completed correctly.

3. Registration with the tax office

To be able to pay taxes and do business legally, you need to register a tax identification number. This is where a little disappointment awaits you. If US citizens can fill out an online form, then the non-resident is required to send the printed documents by mail. They are considered much longer than online applications, so the case can be delayed.

But there is a little trick. You can use the services of an intermediary in the United States. Authorized representatives are allowed to submit online applications, so waiting times can be shortened.

4. Opening a bank account

The US legal framework obliges businessmen to make settlements only through local banking institutions, therefore, it will not work to work offshore or through national banks of a non-resident.

Algorithm for opening an account in an American bank:

- Visiting a bank with a passport + business visa

- Questioning and signing a standard contract

-Issuing a credit card

The received invoice is a priority to use only for business purposes - do not confuse the tax authorities. Otherwise, there may be errors in the calculation of deductions, which will have to be solved for more than one month.

5. Obtaining licenses and permits

The last stage before a full-fledged business launch is obtaining permits for doing business. Even working as a hairdresser in many states requires a license. Serious fines are imposed for doing business or working without such a document.

Each state has different license requirements, and you can check them on the official website of the state. For example, here is the official website of the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.

To find out exactly what licenses and permits you need, you need to indicate the state in which you intend to do business and the nature of the business. For example, a hairdresser or a lawyer. The system will give a complete list of documents that you need, as well as the addresses of all organizations where you can get them.