Can I use Firstbase as a non-US resident?
Quick answer
Yes. You do not need to be a US citizen or resident, hold a US visa, or have an SSN to form a US company through Firstbase. Non-resident founders are one of Firstbase's core audiences, and it handles the formation, the EIN, and US bank account guidance for you.
This is one of the most common worries for founders outside the US, and the reassuring reality is simple: US company ownership is open to non-residents. You can own a US LLC or C-Corp from almost anywhere in the world, no green card, no visa, and no Social Security number required. Firstbase built its service around exactly this use case, so the flow is designed for people filing from abroad rather than treated as an edge case.
With the Start package (a $399 one-time fee as of 2026, confirm at checkout), you get your Delaware or Wyoming formation, the state filing fees, your EIN, and the essential legal documents. Because you have no SSN, Firstbase files your EIN application with the IRS by fax or mail on your behalf, so you skip the part that trips up most DIY non-resident founders. It also points you toward founder-friendly banking (typically Mercury) once your company and EIN are in place.
The honest caveat is banking. No formation service, Firstbase included, can guarantee a US bank or fintech will approve you, because that decision depends on your country, your business model, and the documents you can provide. What Firstbase does is get you formation-ready with a clean EIN and paperwork so you walk into the bank application with everything an approval needs. Approval odds are strong for straightforward software, e-commerce, and consulting businesses, and weaker for higher-risk categories.
Firstbase is the right pick for a non-resident who wants a lean, banking-ready formation with a one-time fee and the option to add services later. If you also want bookkeeping and tax filing bundled in year-round, Doola's subscription model may fit better, and we compare them directly. If you are comfortable filing your own EIN and opening banking yourself, a budget option like Northwest is cheaper, but that path is genuinely harder without an SSN.
Best-outcome tip: before you start, have your passport, a foreign address, and a clear one-line description of your business ready, and decline any add-ons you did not come for so your $399 headline stays your $399 total. Screenshot the order summary at checkout so you have a record of exactly what you bought.
Ready to form your US company?
Firstbase handles the formation, expedited EIN, and banking guidance in one flow, including for non-residents. Transparent pricing, and the company is yours to keep.