US LLC for Founders in the Philippines: Formation, EIN and Banking (2026)

• No US citizenship/residency required to own a US LLC. HIGH
• EIN with no SSN/ITIN via SS-4 line 7b "Foreign". HIGH, IRS
• Mercury is PROHIBITED for residents of the Philippines (Mercury's own list) → use Wise/Payoneer. HIGH
• US–Philippines income-tax treaty exists; application depends on your facts. HIGH, IRS treaty list
• A foreign-owned U.S. disregarded entity has no income tax return filing requirement of its own, but must still file a pro forma Form 1120 with Form 5472 attached by that Form 1120's due date.[1]Internal Revenue Service, Instructions for Form 5472 (12/2024)
• BSP foreign-exchange and BIR foreign-income rules NEEDS LOCAL EXPERT REVIEW.

Filipino virtual assistants, freelancers, agencies, and creators use a US LLC to bill US clients in USD, present a credible US company, and access Stripe and US payment rails. The VA-to-agency path and creator monetization are especially common.

This is the point most guides get wrong for the Philippines. Mercury's prohibited-countries list includes the Philippines, so it isn't a realistic default. The workable routes are Payoneer (very common among Filipino freelancers) and Wise Business (real US routing/account numbers). Neither guarantees approval; keep your documentation consistent.

Whether and how a Philippine resident may hold/fund a foreign entity and register outward investment intersects with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) rules, and foreign-source income may have BIR implications. This is a question for a professional in your country, not a page like this one. NEEDS LOCAL EXPERT REVIEW. Confirm with a Filipino tax advisor.

A valid passport (primary ID), proof of address, and your LLC formation documents and EIN for banking/Stripe. Providers may request additional KYC.

File SS-4 with "Foreign" on line 7b and apply by fax or the international phone line. See the EIN guide. Timing varies; not guaranteed.

Stripe options are limited locally, so founders route through a US entity; payouts then flow to Wise/Payoneer. A US LLC improves readiness but does not guarantee Stripe approval.

Budget for Form 5472 + pro-forma 1120 every year, plus your state report/fee. BOI does not apply to your US-formed LLC.

Formation plus registered agent in USD, and the ongoing state cost depends on the state. Wyoming charges an annual report license tax of $60 or two-tenths of one mill on the dollar of assets located in Wyoming, whichever is greater, due the first day of the anniversary month of formation.[2]Wyoming Secretary of State, Annual Report and License Tax Rules Every domestic and foreign Delaware LLC owes a flat $400 annual tax, due on or before June 1, and files no annual report.[3]State of Delaware, Delaware Code, 6 Del. C. § 18-1107(b) Convert to PHP at the current rate with a live FX note. (FX MEDIUM.)

You can form the US LLC; just don't plan on Mercury. Use Payoneer/Wise, keep clean records, file Form 5472 each year, and get a Filipino advisor to confirm BSP/BIR handling.

BSP: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (central bank). BIR. Bureau of Internal Revenue. EIN / Form 5472 / ECI, see the federal guides. VA, virtual assistant. KYC, identity checks.