Check the bank first
Being paid in dollars by clients abroad
Mercury doesn't open for founders here, and Wise gives no USD details. A US company without a bank can't take payments.
From Cameroon · Africa
Start a US company from Cameroon
For Cameroonian founders who need to be paid in dollars or sell to clients abroad. Stripe doesn't take Cameroonian businesses, and Mercury doesn't open for founders here, so plan the bank first. Owning a US company is a direct investment abroad, which needs the BEAC's prior authorisation.
Launch + Wyoming filing; the tax return is separate.Checked by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer.
At a glance
Mercury doesn't open for founders living in Cameroon, and Wise gives no USD account details there.
The banks, in detailYou can form a US company while living in Cameroon, without an SSN or a US visit. Mercury doesn't open for founders here, so find the bank first. Launch starts at $351.40 in Wyoming, including our plan and state filing fee. Stripe doesn't take Cameroonian businesses, so a US company is often how founders here get paid. The Cameroonian point: owning it is a direct investment abroad, which needs the BEAC's prior authorisation.
Before you form
Start with the bank and the BEAC, then the company.
BaseAcross's Wyoming LLC and Delaware C-Corp options for founders in Cameroon
Wyoming LLC
Owner-run business paid by clients abroad, once a bank is in view.
- State filing
- $102.40
- Yearly state charge
- From $60
Delaware C-Corp
Raising from US investors, after BEAC approval.
- State filing
- $110
- Yearly state charge
- $450 for the model shown
Both charges are the state's, before our plan, optional services and your advisers' fees. Wyoming sets a minimum yearly charge, and Delaware's franchise tax depends on how it's calculated. Staff, stock or premises in another state can bring obligations there. An S-corporation isn't an option, because nonresident aliens can't hold its shares.
Prepare the information
Different documents are needed at different stages.
You provide
Before state filing
- Your proposed company name, business activity and chosen structure.
- Owners' names exactly as on their passports, ownership shares, managers and home addresses.
- How you'll hold and fund the company, because the BEAC authorises direct investment abroad before it happens.
- The approved company name and formation details.
- The responsible party. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4.
- Accurate mailing and principal business addresses, and your signed authorization where required.
You confirm; we prepare
After formation, for the EIN
- A passport for each owner the provider asks about.
- Formation documents, the EIN confirmation and the operating agreement.
- A real business address, your website, a description of the business and the source of funds, as each provider asks.
The provider verifies
For bank and payment applications
- The BEAC's prior authorisation for the direct investment.
- A declaration of your own accounts abroad.
- Your return, with worldwide income, including any dividends from the company.
You, your bank and your conseil fiscal
For the BEAC and the tax office
You don't need a Cameroonian company to form a US company. The EIN is the US company's tax ID. Send identity documents through a secure request, and only the ones asked for.
How it works
Seven steps from Cameroon to a maintained US company.
The state approves the company, the IRS issues the EIN and each provider approves its own account. In Cameroon, the BEAC authorises the investment and your conseil fiscal handles the tax office; we don't file there.
You, your bank and your conseil fiscal
Check the Cameroonian side first
Decide whether you need a US company at all, apply for the BEAC's authorisation, and find a bank that will open for the company.
You leave this stage with: A plan that fits the CEMAC rules, with a bank in view.
01 / 07
You choose; BaseAcross checks
Choose the name and registered agent
We check the proposed name and provide the registered agent in the formation state. The registered office is for legal papers, not your operating address.
You leave this stage with: Confirmed filing details and a registered agent.
02 / 07
BaseAcross files; the state approves
File the company with the state
We submit the formation filing and send you the state's documents once it's approved. The company exists from that approval.
You leave this stage with: State-approved formation documents.
03 / 07
BaseAcross
Prepare the operating documents
We draft the LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws. Check every name and share against your passport before you sign.
You leave this stage with: Operating documents for your records, your bank and US providers.
04 / 07
BaseAcross prepares; the IRS issues
Apply for the EIN
The EIN is a separate application after formation. Without an SSN or ITIN, it goes on Form SS-4 rather than the IRS's online tool.
You leave this stage with: The IRS's EIN confirmation once it's issued.
05 / 07
You apply; the providers review
Apply for banking and payments
Mercury doesn't open for founders living in Cameroon, and Wise gives no USD account details here. Ask each provider whether it serves you before you order, and use the same names, addresses and business description everywhere.
You leave this stage with: An approved account, if a provider accepts the application.
06 / 07
You, your US preparer and your conseil fiscal
Keep records and file in both countries
Keep the company's books, the BEAC authorisation and every record of money between Cameroon and the company. Put Form 5472 and your Cameroonian return on one calendar.
You leave this stage with: A yearly calendar with someone responsible for each filing.
07 / 07
Plan the wait
Formation, the EIN and banking have separate timelines.
Published service estimates and prerequisites for a Wyoming company from Cameroon
- Wyoming formationSame day
- Ordinary EINsix to eight weeks
- Expedited EINtwo to three weeks
- Bank and payment accountsProvider review
- US Stripe accountStripe's review
These are service estimates, not promised completion dates. The IRS and each provider set their own processing times. Names or addresses that differ between documents slow every stage.
What it costs
The same price from Cameroon as from anywhere.
Charged in US dollars, with the Wyoming state fee passed on at cost. Where you live changes which bank we introduce you to, not the price.
The full cost from Cameroon
What a Wyoming LLC costs from Cameroon, line by line, and what to budget for outside our plans.
Included in both plans
- State formation filing
- Registered agent and registered office
- EIN application without an SSN
- LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws
- Bank and payment application guidance
- Filing calendar and reminders
The registered agent renews with the plan. Operate adds its published business tools and bookkeeping. Neither plan files your tax returns in either country.
What a Wyoming LLC costs from Cameroon, on each plan
Launch
To start, before optional extras
$351.40
- Our feeFor the first year; the plan renews each year
- $249
- Wyoming filing feePaid to the state, passed through at cost
- $102.40
- Recurring subtotal, fromPlan renewal + minimum state charge, before extras
- $309
OperateBilled yearly
To start, before optional extras
$2,490.40
- Our feeFor the first year; the plan renews each year
- $2,388
- Wyoming filing feePaid to the state, passed through at cost
- $102.40
- Recurring subtotal, fromPlan renewal + minimum state charge, before extras
- $2,448
Optional extras are priced before you order, such as filing ahead of our next batch for $39. See full pricing.
Budget for the work outside that subtotal
Managed annual state compliance
$149 service fee / year
Optional on both plans. The state's charge is separate, and a reminder alone doesn't file the report.
State filing serviceUS federal return preparation
Arrange separately
You or your accountant handle Form 5472 and any other US returns on Launch and Operate. Ask the preparer for their scope and fee.
Federal filing responsibilitiesCameroonian tax and exchange advice
Quote from your conseil fiscal
The BEAC application, how you're taxed and where the company banks depend on your circumstances.
Optional tools after free periods
Published in full pricing
Check domain renewals and when Launch's email, phone and site trials end. Operate includes its stated tools while subscribed.
Plans, trials and add-onsWhat the totals assume
The $309 Launch renewal example is the $249 plan renewal plus Wyoming's $60 minimum license tax. Wyoming charges the greater of that minimum or 0.0002 of the company's assets located and employed in the state, and paying online can add a processor fee. The Operate example uses the same minimum.
Prices are in US dollars. Paying from Cameroon, ask your bank whether it can make the payment, and check its exchange rate and fees.
Get started from Cameroon
Use the first-year cost calculator to compare plans and optional tools. Then add your conseil fiscal's fees and US return preparation to that budget.
Launch
To start
$351.40
$249 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee
Renews from $309 a year
OperateBilled yearly
To start
$2,490.40
$2,388 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee
Renews from $2,448 a year
Included in both plans
- State formation filing
- Registered agent and registered office
- EIN application without an SSN
- LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws
- Bank and payment application guidance
- Filing calendar and reminders
What changes because you live here
The filing is the same from anywhere. Four things aren't.
Treaty status, payment availability, bank eligibility and time zones. Sources checked 14 October 2026; account approval remains with the provider.
1 of 4: The tax treaty
The tax treaty
The tax treaty: None
There's no US–Cameroon income tax treaty.
US-source dividends, interest and royalties paid to you are withheld at 30% unless a US exemption applies. Pay for work you do in Cameroon generally isn't US-source income, so nothing is withheld on it.
Cameroon's money rules
Owning a US company is a direct investment abroad, and needs the BEAC first.
The money rules come from the CEMAC exchange regulation as the BEAC publishes it, and the tax rules from the Direction Générale des Impôts' own guide, both in French. They run alongside the US steps below.
Before you invest
You and the BEACYou and the BEAC
Prior authorisation for a direct investment abroad: 10% or more of a non-resident company.
For your own accounts abroad
YouWhen the company pays you
You and your conseil fiscalYou and your conseil fiscal
Declared as worldwide income; capital income at 16.5% at the normal rate.
If you wind it up
YouYou
Declared within 30 days; proceeds not reinvested come home within 30 days.
Worked example
This is an illustration, not a quote. The Direction Générale des Impôts' guide gives the rates; your adviser applies them to you.
You own all of your Wyoming LLC, with the BEAC's prior authorisation for the investment.
It pays you XAF 3,000,000 as a dividend.
As income from capital at the normal rate, 15% plus the 10% communal surcharge, 16.5% is XAF 495,000.
How Cameroon classifies the LLC can change this; your conseil fiscal decides.
What Cameroon expects
Owning a US company doesn't take you out of Cameroon's tax system.
Cameroon taxes residents on worldwide income, and the CEMAC exchange regulation requires the BEAC's prior authorisation for a resident's direct investment abroad.
Investing abroad needs the BEAC
Under the CEMAC exchange regulation, a resident's direct investment abroad, meaning 10% or more of a non-resident company with control or notable influence, needs the BEAC's prior authorisation. Owning your own US company is one.
Accounts abroad
A resident individual's accounts abroad are declared to the BEAC. A resident company can't open a foreign-currency account outside the CEMAC unless the BEAC authorises it.
Closing it down
Winding up a direct investment abroad is declared to the BEAC within 30 days, and proceeds not reinvested abroad come home within 30 days through an approved bank.
Worldwide income
You're domiciled in Cameroon if your home or main stay is there, you work there other than incidentally, or your economic interests are centred there. Residents declare their worldwide income, including dividends from a foreign company.
The rates
Income tax runs from 10% to 35%, plus a 10% communal surcharge on the tax. Income from capital, such as dividends, is taxed at 16.5% at the normal rate.
On the record
We form US companies. We aren't Cameroonian tax advisers. These are the rules as they're generally published, they change, and how they apply to you depends on details this page can't know. Take this list to a tax adviser in Cameroon before you order, and we'll tell you what the US forms need.
After formation
Someone has to own each filing, in each country.
US information reporting
A US LLC with one foreign owner is usually a disregarded entity that files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you. Money you put in, take out or are paid for your work can count even in a year without sales. The IRS penalty for not filing starts at $25,000.
For a calendar-year company, the return is usually due 15 April, and Form 7004 requests an extension before then. A C-Corp, or an LLC with more than one owner, files different returns.
Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120State, BEAC and ownership checks
Keep the registered agent active and track the state's yearly charge. In Cameroon, keep the BEAC's authorisation with the company's records, declare your accounts abroad, and report your worldwide income.
US-created companies are exempt from BOI reporting under FinCEN's current rule, effective 14 August 2026. Banks and payment providers still verify who owns the company.
| Task | Who handles it | Where the responsibility ends |
|---|---|---|
| Formation and EIN application | BaseAcross prepares and submits | The state approves formation; the IRS issues the EIN. |
| Bank and payment applications | You, with our guidance | The provider verifies the information and decides. |
| Cameroonian returns and the BEAC application | You, your bank and your conseil fiscal | We provide the US company records they need. |
| Annual state filing | You, or our optional filing service | Reminders are included; managed filing and the state charge are separate. |
| US federal returns | You and your US tax preparer | Launch and Operate remind you; they don't file the return. |
Prepare the conversation
Take these questions to your bank and conseil fiscal before you order.
Bring the owners, where each lives, how the company will be funded and banked, and the business activity. Each question is also in French.
Download the checklist for your conseil fiscal (.txt)- 01EN
Does owning my US LLC need the BEAC's prior authorisation as a direct investment abroad, and how do I apply?
FRLa détention de ma LLC américaine constitue-t-elle un investissement direct à l'étranger soumis à l'autorisation préalable de la BEAC, et comment la demander ?
- 02EN
Must I declare the company's US account, or only my own accounts abroad?
FRDois-je déclarer le compte américain de la société, ou seulement mes propres comptes à l'étranger ?
- 03EN
How will Cameroon tax what the company pays me?
FRComment le Cameroun imposera-t-il les sommes que la société me verse ?
- 04EN
Which bank or provider can open an account for the company?
FRQuelle banque ou quel prestataire peut ouvrir un compte pour la société ?
- 05EN
How do I bring money home lawfully?
FRComment rapatrier les fonds dans le respect de la réglementation des changes ?
- 06EN
Would a Cameroonian company serve me better than a US company?
FRUne société camerounaise me conviendrait-elle mieux qu'une société américaine ?
- 07EN
How should I keep records for the US return and my Cameroonian return?
FRComment tenir mes documents pour la déclaration américaine et ma déclaration au Cameroun ?
Questions
Questions from Cameroon.
If yours is not here, email us at hello@baseacross.com before you order.
Can a Cameroonian resident own a US LLC?
US law allows it: owners don't need to be US citizens or residents, and formation and the EIN happen remotely. On the Cameroonian side, owning it is a direct investment abroad, which needs the BEAC's prior authorisation.
Do I need the BEAC's permission?
Yes, before you invest. Under the CEMAC exchange regulation, a resident's direct investment abroad, meaning 10% or more of a non-resident company with control or notable influence, needs the BEAC's prior authorisation.
Can I open a Mercury account from Cameroon?
No. Cameroon is on Mercury's list of countries it doesn't serve, and the list goes by where you live. Wise gives no USD account details to founders living in Cameroon either. Relay asks every owner for a physical US address.
Where can the company bank, then?
Ask before you order. The providers founders usually use decline Cameroon or need a US address, and a US company without a bank account can't take payments or apply for Stripe.
Do I declare accounts abroad?
Yes, your own. A resident individual's accounts abroad are declared to the BEAC. A resident company can't open a foreign-currency account outside the CEMAC unless the BEAC authorises it.
How does Cameroon tax me on the US company?
Residents declare worldwide income, including dividends from a foreign company. Income tax runs from 10% to 35%, plus a 10% communal surcharge, and income from capital is taxed at 16.5% at the normal rate.
How much does a US company from Cameroon cost?
Launch starts at $351.40: $249 for the plan plus $102.40 for the Wyoming filing. The plan and Wyoming's minimum yearly charge then total $309 a year. Your conseil fiscal's fees, US return preparation and Cameroonian filings are separate. Wyoming's license tax can be more than its $60 minimum.
Should I form a Wyoming LLC or a Delaware C-Corp from Cameroon?
A Wyoming LLC suits an owner-run business paid by clients abroad, once you have a bank in view. A Delaware C-Corp suits raising from US investors. Nonresident aliens can't hold shares in an S-corporation.
Can I get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN?
Yes. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4 instead of the IRS's online tool. We prepare it after the company is formed, and the IRS issues the number.
How long does it take from Cameroon?
Each stage has its own clock. Wyoming's published turnaround is same day once a complete filing is accepted. Our ordinary EIN estimate is six to eight weeks after the application, or two to three weeks with the $199 expedited option. Banks, payment providers and Stripe each set their own review times. These are estimates, not promises.
Do I need a US company for Stripe in Cameroon?
For Stripe itself, usually yes. Stripe doesn't list Cameroon among the countries it supports. A US LLC needs a US bank account before it can apply, and Stripe can decline.
Do I pay US tax on work I do from Cameroon?
Generally not. Pay for work you do in Cameroon is generally not US-source income, so a US company with no US office or staff often owes no US income tax on it. A single-owner LLC still files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you.
Is there a US–Cameroon tax treaty?
No. US-source dividends, interest and royalties paid to you are withheld at 30% unless a US exemption applies.
Does my LLC need a BOI report?
Not if it was formed in the US. US-created companies are exempt under FinCEN's current BOI rule, effective 14 August 2026, though some guides still say to file. Banks still collect ownership details for their own checks.
Does BaseAcross file the US and Cameroonian returns for me?
On Launch and Operate, we add deadlines and reminders; you or your accountant file the federal returns. Managed annual state compliance is an optional $149 service fee a year, with the state's charge separate. Your Cameroonian returns and the BEAC application are for you, your bank and your conseil fiscal.
Sources and editorial scope
Check the published rules behind the explanation.
Prepared by the BaseAcross team and reviewed by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer. Sources checked . This is general formation information, with source links for the tax and banking context. An individual tax or legal review remains with your qualified advisers.
Cameroon
United States (IRS, Treasury and FinCEN)
Banks and payments
The money rules are read from the CEMAC exchange regulation as the BEAC publishes it, and the tax rules from the Direction Générale des Impôts' guide to the IRPP, both in French. Confirm the current position with the BEAC, your bank and your conseil fiscal before acting.
Ready when you are
Answer the questions. We do the filing.
It takes about four minutes. You see the whole order, state fee included, before anything is charged.
Compare the plansYour company's route
Nothing charged yetFrom
Douala
Cameroon
To
Wyoming
LLC · Cheyenne, WY
- Plan
- Launch
- First year
- $351.40
- To order
- 10 steps
Launch · $249 + $102.40 Wyoming · Same day