Company formation online from outside the US usually means a Wyoming LLC: the state charges $100 for the Articles of Organization, the annual report starts at $60, and the IRS issues the EIN for free. Settle four decisions before checkout and company formation online stops being a loop of emails between your provider, the IRS and your bank. I'd price CORPBOLT first: Wyoming LLC formation runs from $349, or $599 with your EIN included, and the $100 state filing fee is included on every plan.
Transparency note: the button above is a CORPBOLT referral link, and this newsletter may be paid a commission if you sign up through it.
This guide is based on CORPBOLT's published plans and the official Wyoming Secretary of State and IRS pages, checked on 17 October 2026. Nothing was bought or tested.
Four decisions to settle before company formation online
The filing is the easy part. The delays come from choices made in the wrong order, where the bank asks for something the formation already fixed.
1. Structure. This guide assumes one owner abroad and a single-member LLC. That choice also sets your tax paperwork: the IRS treats a single-member LLC wholly owned by a foreign person as a "foreign-owned U.S. DE", and that status comes with an annual Form 5472. Know this before you pick the structure, not in April.
2. State. In Wyoming, state cost comes down to two numbers. Articles of Organization cost $100 and the annual report license tax is $60 or $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming-located assets, whichever is greater, per the Wyoming SOS fee schedule. If you need a different state, CORPBOLT is the wrong provider: it forms Wyoming LLCs only.
3. The responsible party for the EIN. The EIN application names a responsible party, usually you. The IRS online application needs that person's SSN or ITIN, and it can't be used if the principal place of business is outside the US. If either condition rules you out, you apply by phone, fax or mail with Form SS-4. Decide who the responsible party is before filing, so the EIN route is planned instead of discovered.
4. What the bank and Stripe will ask for. Getting paid by US customers and platforms is often the whole point. Local processors abroad often charge noticeably more than ~2.9%, so access to US payment accounts through a US entity can matter for margins. Banks and processors commonly ask for the formation documents, the EIN, an operating agreement and sometimes a banking resolution. The bank still decides, and no provider can promise approval.
Week 1: the filing
The filing itself is the shortest stretch of company formation online. Three things go into it:
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A name that contains "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company".
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A Wyoming registered agent, named in the filing.
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The Articles of Organization, filed with the Secretary of State through WyoBiz, the state's online portal.
Speed depends on the plan. CORPBOLT's Foundation plan files within 5 business days, Launch within 2 business days, and Concierge the same day. Each includes the $100 state fee, so there is no separate state charge at checkout, and every plan includes the registered agent and the yearly Wyoming annual report with the state fee paid.
Weeks 2-4: the EIN and the payment file
Once the LLC exists, the work moves to the IRS and to whoever will pay you.
The EIN. The IRS is clear that "you never have to pay a fee for an EIN" (IRS EIN page). Any EIN price a provider charges is a service fee for handling the application, not an IRS charge. The IRS confirms the number with notice CP 575; keep it with the rest of your bank file. On CORPBOLT, the EIN is included on Launch with standard IRS processing, which takes 6-8 weeks on average. Need it faster? Rush EIN gets it done within 5 business days; it's available as an add-on and included on Concierge.
The bank and processor file. With the EIN in hand, the US payment side of company formation online is about paperwork that looks complete. Launch adds a bank-ready operating agreement, a banking resolution, a digital mailbox (3 scans) and priority live chat. Concierge adds a bank application review, Stripe and payment processor guidance, a dedicated manager and the Bank-Ready Document Guarantee. Bank-ready documents help an application read well; approval stays with the bank.
Every year after company formation online
Two deadlines repeat every year, and missing either one is expensive.
Wyoming annual report. It is due on the first day of the LLC's anniversary month. Form the LLC in March, and the report is due on March 1 each following year. The minimum is $60. An LLC still unpaid 60 days after the due date is subject to administrative dissolution.
Form 5472. A foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 attached to a pro forma Form 1120 every year, by the 1120 due date (April 15 for a calendar year). The penalty for failing to file is $25,000, per the IRS Form 5472 instructions. CORPBOLT offers Form 5472 + 1120 filing (included on Concierge); otherwise budget for a tax professional.
Year one vs year two: what you pay and to whom
| Item | Paid to / filed with | Year one | Year two and after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | Wyoming SOS | $100, included in every CORPBOLT plan | Not repeated |
| Annual report license tax | Wyoming SOS | Not due yet | $60 minimum, first day of anniversary month |
| EIN | IRS | $0 at the IRS; included on Launch and Concierge | Not repeated |
| Form 5472 + pro forma 1120 | IRS | First return covers the formation year | Due April 15 (calendar year); $25,000 penalty if missed |
| Formation plan | CORPBOLT | From $349, or $599 with your EIN included | Every plan includes the registered agent and the annual report with the state fee paid |
Every CORPBOLT plan includes the registered agent and the yearly Wyoming annual report with the state fee paid. Ask any other company formation online provider the same question before you compare totals.
Who CORPBOLT suits, and who should pick something else
CORPBOLT forms Wyoming LLCs for founders outside the US, from $349, or $599 with your EIN included. The $100 state filing fee is included on every plan, and no US residency, citizenship or visit is required. See current plans and prices at corpbolt.com.
It suits a founder doing company formation online from abroad with no SSN, who needs the EIN handled and wants a bank file ready. For that founder I'd price Launch first: $599 with the EIN included, filing within 2 business days instead of 5, plus the operating agreement and banking resolution banks tend to ask for.
Pick something else if:
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You need a state other than Wyoming. CORPBOLT's plans are Wyoming only.
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You're a US founder with an SSN on a tight budget. You can apply for the EIN online yourself, so a lower-cost filing plus the $100 state fee will likely beat a non-resident package.
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You want the cheapest first year with an EIN. doola's Starter is $297 a year plus the $100 state fee, $397 in total with the EIN and a US business address included, against $599 for CORPBOLT Launch with the EIN included.
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You want annual tax filing bundled. CORPBOLT includes Form 5472 + 1120 filing only on Concierge.
Your next step
Write down your four decisions first: structure, state, responsible party, bank file. When those are settled, company formation online from abroad is a short checklist instead of a month of follow-up emails. If Wyoming and a non-resident setup fit, compare CORPBOLT's Foundation, Launch and Concierge plans (same referral link as above) and check which one covers your EIN and bank paperwork.
Which of the four decisions is still open for you? Reply and say where you're stuck.