Nick,

You may apply online to register an LLC in Wyoming, regardless where you live, as you are not required to be present in the United States.

Banking in the U.S. is a hot topic for international business owners, as this is difficult to accomplish as banks in the U.S. require applicants to appear in person. Of course, we understand this is quite impractical and sometimes impossible to travel all the way to the states to apply for a bank account. Being you currently reside in Canada, your best bet would be to drive, fly or even walk across the border to any large U.S. banking chain in any of the states, and get the account open.

If you are unable to physically come to the U.S., you can find other tips, resources and suggestions in our research section ‘U.S. Bank Account‘.

To my understanding, you are not required to have a U.S. address to register the company or to open the company bank account. For a merchant account, you may need to have a U.S. address. (It is always best to consult the merchant service providers directly for their exact limitations and requirements). As having a U.S. address is not a state requirement when forming the business, it is not a service we offer ourselves, however, we do have a list of resources and comparisons of several virtual office providers in our section ‘U.S. Business Address‘. You would need to reserve this address first to use on the initial company formation documents.

If you move at a later date, you would be able to change the business address by filing a Certificate of Amendment, which will allow you to change any of the filed Articles. (The EIN account would also need to be updated when changing the name, address or ownership of the business).

Regarding taxes, an LLC is a pass-through entity, which means the profits are passed-through the entity directly to the owners’ personal income, so you would pay personal income taxes as per your place of residence. We offer a free-tax webinar specifically designed for international residents, which addresses the common tax questions of owning a U.S. business.