Question 1

Do I need a US LLC as a digital nomad?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your passport and income. US citizens abroad still owe US tax on worldwide income — a US LLC keeps you in a familiar compliance framework and gives you access to US payment processors and banking. Non-US nomads with no US income may find a US LLC creates more complexity than it solves. Nomads with US clients but no other US ties often benefit from a US LLC for payment processor access. The right answer requires knowing your situation.

Question 2

I'm a US citizen living abroad. Should I use Wyoming or New Mexico?

Accepted Answer

Both work. Wyoming is our default choice for US citizens abroad: no state income tax, no public member disclosure, and the strongest privacy framework. For US citizens with FBAR and FATCA obligations, the LLC doesn't create additional foreign reporting complexity — your CPA handles FBAR/FATCA separately. The key is that your US entity preserves access to US payment processors and banking, which becomes difficult or impossible without a US business entity.

Question 3

I'm a non-US person with no tax residency. Can I use a Wyoming LLC?

Accepted Answer

Technically yes. But whether you should is a different question. A single-member US LLC owned by a non-resident is a disregarded entity that may create FDAP withholding obligations, ECI filing requirements, and state-level complications if you have any US-sourced income. For most non-US nomads with no US income and no US clients, a Nevis LLC, Estonian e-residency, Dubai free zone entity, or Georgian residency is a cleaner solution. We'll refer you to the right specialist rather than sell you a structure that creates more problems.

Question 4

What is FBAR and FATCA, and how do they affect my LLC?

Accepted Answer

FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) is required when you have foreign financial accounts exceeding $10,000 aggregate at any point in the year. FATCA (Form 8938) is required when foreign financial assets exceed $50,000 for US residents or $200,000 for US persons living abroad. These are personal reporting obligations, not LLC obligations — the LLC itself doesn't trigger them, but if the LLC has foreign accounts or holdings, those need to be included in your personal FBAR filing. A crypto-aware, expat-specialized CPA is non-negotiable here.

Question 5

How do I open a US business bank account without being in the US?

Accepted Answer

This is the most common friction point for nomads. Mercury Bank, Relay, and First Internet Bank are the most nomad-friendly options — all allow remote account opening with business formation documents. Mercury in particular allows non-residents to open business accounts with EIN, Articles of Organization, and operating agreement. Wise Business is another option for multi-currency operations. We include bank account guidance in the onboarding package.

Question 6

What about Stripe, PayPal, and other payment processors?

Accepted Answer

Stripe requires a US business entity + US business bank account + US or international phone number. With a Wyoming LLC and a Mercury account, you can set up Stripe as a US business regardless of where you physically are. PayPal Business similarly supports LLC registration with a US bank account. For international clients, Wise is often the cleanest solution. We include a payment processor setup checklist as part of onboarding.

Question 7

Do I need to register the Wyoming LLC as foreign in my home state if I have no home state?

Accepted Answer

If you have no US domicile — truly location-independent — you typically don't have foreign registration obligations since you have no home state where business is being conducted. This is one area where being a true nomad (no fixed address, no state income tax domicile) is actually an advantage. Your CPA should confirm your domicile situation — it varies by state and can have significant tax implications.

"US LLC for nomads" is good adviceand terrible advice, depending on your situation.

Three nomad situations. Three different answers.

Why nomads form US entities at all

Digital nomad LLC — common questions

Your location is variable. Your structure should be stable.