In Short: Forming a US LLC From Pakistan
A Pakistani resident can form and own a US LLC entirely online, with no US visa, Social Security number or visit. The work splits into two sets of rules: US filings and Pakistani foreign exchange and tax reporting.
- Who can form one: any Pakistani citizen or resident. The US places no citizenship or residency requirement on LLC owners.
- Best state for most founders: Wyoming, at $100 to form and $60 a year, or New Mexico, at $50 to form with no annual report.
- EIN: no SSN or ITIN is needed. The IRS accepts Form SS-4 by fax or mail, and BusinessAnywhere files it for $97.
- US tax filing: a single-member LLC owned by a non-US person files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year. The IRS penalty for missing it starts at $25,000.
- Pakistani rules: capital sent abroad falls under Chapter 20 of the SBP Foreign Exchange Manual, and the LLC is reported to the FBR in your return and wealth statement.
- Cost with BusinessAnywhere: $197 in year one for a Wyoming LLC with the EIN, and $207 a year after.
A US LLC gives a Pakistani founder a US company to sign US clients, sell on US marketplaces and apply to US payment processors. Stripe does not list Pakistan among its supported countries, so a US company is the standard route for freelancers, agencies and ecommerce sellers who need US payment rails. Forming one takes four steps: pick the state, file the company, get the EIN and open a bank account. Keeping it in good standing means one state filing and one federal filing a year, plus your Pakistani reporting.
This guide replaces our earlier Pakistan guides and covers both sides: the US filings and the State Bank of Pakistan and FBR rules that apply to residents of Pakistan.
US LLC From Pakistan at a Glance
| Who can form | Any Pakistani citizen or resident; no US visa, SSN, ITIN or visit required |
|---|---|
| Recommended states | Wyoming ($100 to form, $60 a year) or New Mexico ($50 to form, no annual report) |
| Registered agent | Required in the state of formation; BusinessAnywhere includes year one free, then $147 a year |
| EIN | Form SS-4 by fax or mail without an SSN; BusinessAnywhere files it for $97 |
| US federal filing | Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 each year for a single-member LLC |
| BOI report | Not required; FinCEN exempts companies formed in the US |
| Pakistani rules | SBP Foreign Exchange Manual Chapter 20, FBR return, wealth statement and foreign assets statement |
| Year-one cost with BusinessAnywhere | $197 for a Wyoming LLC with the EIN |
Can a Pakistani Resident Own a US LLC?
Yes. No US state requires an LLC owner to be a US citizen or resident, and the whole process runs online. You need a passport, a US registered agent in the state of formation and, for most banks, a US business address. You do not need a US visa to own the company. A visa matters only if you plan to work in the United States in person.
Owning the LLC and working inside the US are different questions. Running the company from Lahore, Karachi or Islamabad and selling to US customers is ownership. Moving to the US to run it requires a visa that permits work.
Step 1: Choose the Right State
Form the LLC in the state where it does business. For a Pakistani founder selling online with no US office or staff, that is any state you choose, so the choice comes down to cost and upkeep.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 minimum annual report | Most non-resident founders: low cost, strong privacy |
| New Mexico | $50 | No annual report | The lowest ongoing state cost |
| Delaware | $110 | $300 annual LLC tax | Founders raising venture capital, who form a Delaware corporation instead |
| Your US operating state | Varies | Varies | Founders with a US office, staff or warehouse there |
See the full breakdowns of Wyoming LLC costs, New Mexico LLC costs and Delaware LLC costs.
Step 2: File the LLC and Appoint a Registered Agent
- Pick a name and check it is available in the state’s business search, such as the Wyoming business search.
- Appoint a registered agent with a street address in the state. The agent receives lawsuits and state notices for the company. You cannot act as your own agent from Pakistan.
- File the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State and pay the state fee.
- Sign an operating agreement. Banks ask for it, and it records that you own 100% of the company.
- Save the stamped articles; you need them for the EIN and the bank.
Spell your name exactly as it appears on your Pakistani passport on every filing. The IRS, banks and payment processors match the LLC records against your passport, and a different transliteration of the same name is a common reason for a rejected application. BusinessAnywhere files the LLC for $0 plus the state fee, includes the first year of registered agent service and renews it at $147 a year. Standard filing takes 10 to 14 working days, or 5 days for $57 and 2 days for $77.
Step 3: Get an EIN Without an SSN
The EIN is the company’s US tax number. Banks, payment processors and marketplaces ask for it. Without an SSN or ITIN you cannot use the IRS online application, so the request goes on Form SS-4 by fax or mail, with “Foreign” entered on the line for the responsible party’s tax number. A faxed SS-4 takes 4 to 6 weeks to come back from the IRS.
You do not need an ITIN to get an EIN. BusinessAnywhere’s EIN application service prepares and files Form SS-4 for $97 for owners with or without an SSN. You need an ITIN later only if you file a US personal return or claim treaty benefits, and BusinessAnywhere’s ITIN application partner handles that.
Step 4: Open a US Business Bank Account
Several US fintech banks open accounts for non-resident owners online. They ask for the stamped articles, the EIN letter, the operating agreement, your passport and a US business address. Use the same address, phone number and spelling of your name on every application; mismatches are the most common reason accounts are declined. Each bank keeps its own list of supported countries, so confirm Pakistan is on it before you apply.
A registered agent address is not a mailing address for most banks. A virtual mailbox gives the company a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month billed annually. See our business banking options for founders outside the US. US clients and platforms that pay the LLC ask for a W-8BEN-E for a foreign-owned LLC or a W-9, depending on how the LLC is classified.
Pakistani Rules: SBP Foreign Exchange Regulations
Sending money from Pakistan to capitalize a company abroad is an equity investment abroad, governed by Chapter 20 of the State Bank of Pakistan Foreign Exchange Manual as revised by FE Circular No. 01 of 2021. The circular gives resident individuals a general permission for three types of foreign investment, routed through one designated branch of an authorized dealer bank:
- Listed shares abroad: up to USD 25,000 per calendar year, with no more than 1% of any one company.
- Employee share option plans: up to USD 50,000 per calendar year for employees of foreign-owned companies in Pakistan.
- Sweat equity: shares received for services with no payment, up to 20% of the company.
Capital sent to a private US LLC you own outright falls outside these three categories, so the remittance needs State Bank of Pakistan approval, requested through your designated bank. The rules add four conditions that apply to every investment abroad:
- Tax-paid funds: the money must be legitimate and tax paid, with a clean loan repayment record.
- Bank route only: remit through your designated bank, never through hundi, hawala or a friend’s account.
- Repatriation: dividends, disinvestment proceeds and capital gains come back through normal banking channels, and the bank files the proceeds realization certificate.
- Reporting: the investor files the post-investment documents and Form V-100 with the SBP through the bank within one month.
Formation fees, the registered agent and the EIN service are payments for services, paid by card. A founder who funds the LLC from its own US revenue sends no investment capital from Pakistan. Confirm the forms and timelines with your bank and a chartered accountant before any capital remittance.
US Tax Filing: Form 5472 and the Pro Forma 1120
A single-member LLC owned by a non-US person is a disregarded entity for US income tax, but it still files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year. The return reports transactions between you and the company, including the money you put in and take out. It is due by April 15 for a calendar-year company, and the IRS penalty for missing it starts at $25,000.
An LLC with no US office, staff or US-based work by the owner does not owe US federal income tax when its income is not effectively connected with a US trade or business. Confirm that this applies to you before you rely on it. BusinessAnywhere’s US LLC tax filing service prepares and files Form 5472 with the pro forma Form 1120 for $497 a year. Our guide to Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120 walks through the return line by line.
No beneficial ownership (BOI) report is due. FinCEN’s final rule, effective August 14, 2026, exempts all companies formed in the United States, including LLCs owned by non-US persons. See the FinCEN BOI page.
Pakistani Tax: FBR Return, Wealth Statement and Foreign Assets
Pakistan taxes its residents on worldwide income. You are resident for a tax year (July 1 to June 30) if you spend 183 days or more in Pakistan, and a Pakistani citizen is also resident if not present in any other country for more than 182 days in that year. Profit the US LLC earns is reported in your Pakistani return.
- Return and wealth statement: due September 30 for the tax year ending June 30. Every resident filing a return also files a wealth statement.
- Foreign income and assets statement: a separate statement is required once foreign income reaches USD 10,000 or foreign assets reach USD 100,000.
- Foreign tax credit: tax paid abroad on foreign-source income is credited up to the Pakistani tax on that income.
- Treaty: the United States and Pakistan have an income tax treaty, listed on the IRS treaty page.
How the LLC’s income is classified in Pakistan depends on your facts, so work it out with a chartered accountant. For planning across both countries, BusinessAnywhere offers a tax and residency consultation.
What a US LLC From Pakistan Costs
| Item | Year one | Each year after |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming state fee | $100 formation | $60 annual report |
| Registered agent (BusinessAnywhere) | Free | $147 |
| EIN (BusinessAnywhere) | $97 | None |
| Total, formation and upkeep | $197 | $207 |
| Form 5472 filing (BusinessAnywhere, optional) | $497 for the formation year, due the next April | $497 |
| Virtual mailbox (optional) | $240 | $240 |
Compare providers in our roundup of the best LLC formation services.
Common Mistakes Pakistani Founders Make
- Skipping Form 5472 because the LLC earned nothing. The filing is due whether or not there was income.
- Funding the LLC through hundi, hawala or a friend’s account, which leaves no record of the investment with your bank or the SBP.
- Leaving the LLC out of the wealth statement and the foreign income and assets statement.
- Spelling your name differently on the articles, the SS-4 and the bank application.
- Using the registered agent address as the bank address, which most banks reject.
- Letting the agent lapse, which leads to missed state notices and, in time, administrative dissolution.
Form Your US LLC From Pakistan With BusinessAnywhere
BusinessAnywhere forms your US LLC for $0 plus the state fee, includes a free first year of registered agent service, gets the EIN without an SSN for $97 and files Form 5472 for $497 a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Pakistani citizen open an LLC in the USA?
Yes. No US state requires an LLC owner to be a US citizen or resident, and the LLC can be formed online from Pakistan without a visa or a US visit.
Do I need an ITIN to form a US LLC from Pakistan?
No. You form the LLC and get the EIN without an ITIN by filing Form SS-4 with the IRS by fax or mail. An ITIN is needed only for a US personal return or treaty claims.
Which state is best for a US LLC from Pakistan?
Wyoming suits most founders, at $100 to form and $60 a year. New Mexico costs $50 to form and has no annual report. Delaware suits founders raising venture capital, who form a corporation.
How much does it cost to form a US LLC from Pakistan?
With BusinessAnywhere, a Wyoming LLC with the EIN costs $197 in year one and $207 a year after, before optional services such as a virtual mailbox or Form 5472 filing.
Does a US LLC owned from Pakistan pay US tax?
A single-member LLC with no US office, staff or US-based work by the owner does not owe US federal income tax when its income is not effectively connected with a US trade or business, but it files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year. The penalty for missing it starts at $25,000.
Do I need State Bank of Pakistan approval to fund my US LLC?
The SBP general permission for resident individuals covers listed foreign shares up to USD 25,000 a calendar year, employee share plans and sweat equity. Sending capital to a private US LLC you own falls outside those categories, so ask your designated bank to route the request to the SBP before you remit.
Do I report my US LLC to the FBR?
Yes. A resident individual reports worldwide income and lists assets in the wealth statement filed with the return. A separate statement of foreign income and assets is required once foreign income reaches USD 10,000 or foreign assets reach USD 100,000.
Can I use Stripe from Pakistan with a US LLC?
Stripe does not list Pakistan as a supported country. A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account applies to US payment processors as a US business, subject to each processor’s own review.
This guide summarizes IRS, FinCEN, state, State Bank of Pakistan and FBR rules as of November 2026. It is general information, not legal, tax or foreign exchange advice. Confirm your position with a chartered accountant in Pakistan and a US tax professional before you invest or file. Related: forming a US LLC from India and opening a US LLC as a non-US resident.
