You may not need a US company
Freelance work for clients abroad
Some individuals with business turnover up to IDR 4.8 billion pay a 0.5% final tax, with the first IDR 500 million free. A US company adds US filings, so it needs a reason.
From Indonesia · Asia-Pacific
Start a US company from Indonesia
For Indonesian founders who need US card payments, a US contracting party or a company for US platforms. Formation and the EIN happen remotely, without an SSN. Mercury and Wise's USD accounts won't serve founders who live here, so plan the bank first, and Indonesia's controlled foreign company rule is set out below.
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 Indonesia, and Wise gives no USD account details there. Check who will bank you first.
The banks, in detailYou can form a US LLC while living in Indonesia, without an SSN or a US visit. Launch starts at $351.40 in Wyoming, including our plan and state filing fee. Mercury and Wise's USD accounts won't serve founders who live here, so plan the bank first. Indonesia taxes residents on income from anywhere, and its controlled foreign company rule can tax a company's passive income before it's paid out.
Watch
The first year from Indonesia, in 6 minutes
Want card payments on your own site from Indonesia, and wondering whether a US company is the way? Ask who will bank you first: two of the accounts most guides recommend won't open, or won't give US account details, for founders who live in Indonesia, so the options are fewer than they suggest.
Before you form
Start with whether you need a US company at all.
BaseAcross's Wyoming LLC and Delaware C-Corp options for founders in Indonesia
Wyoming LLC
Owner-run business that needs Stripe or a US contracting party; plan the bank first.
- State filing
- $102.40
- Yearly state charge
- From $60
Delaware C-Corp
Raising from investors who want shares.
- 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, management and home addresses.
- Any Indonesian company you already run, and how it will work with the US company.
- 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
- Your tax number and annual return, with the company and its income in it.
- Records of the company's passive income, if the controlled foreign company rule may apply.
- Proof of any US tax paid, to claim the credit.
You and your bank
For your bank and the tax office
You don't need an Indonesian company to form a US LLC. The EIN is the US company's tax ID, and it doesn't replace your Indonesian tax number. Send identity documents through a secure request, and only the ones asked for.
How it works
Seven steps from Indonesia to a maintained US company.
The state approves the company, the IRS issues the EIN and each provider approves its own account. In Indonesia, your tax adviser handles your return and the controlled foreign company rule; we don't file there.
You and your tax adviser
Check the Indonesian side first
Decide whether you need a US company at all, how the controlled foreign company rule treats it, and how you'll be paid for your own work.
You leave this stage with: A payment and tax plan that fits Indonesia's rules.
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 won't open for you and Wise won't give you USD account details. Ask each provider about Indonesia before you apply, and use the same names and addresses everywhere.
You leave this stage with: An approved account, if a provider accepts the application.
06 / 07
You, your US preparer and your tax adviser
Keep records and file in both countries
Record every payment between you and the company, and what it was for. Put Form 5472 and your Indonesian 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 Indonesia
- 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 Indonesia 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 Indonesia
What a Wyoming LLC costs from Indonesia, 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 Indonesia, 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 responsibilitiesIndonesian return and adviser fees
Quote from your tax adviser
The controlled foreign company rule, the Omnibus Law exemption and the foreign tax credit 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 Indonesia, check the rupiah amount, exchange rate and fees your bank or card charges.
Get started from Indonesia
Use the first-year cost calculator to compare plans and optional tools. Then add your tax adviser's fees, US return preparation and bank charges 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: In force
The United States and Indonesia have an income tax treaty in force.
It caps US withholding on interest and royalties paid to you at 10%, and on dividends at 15%, or 10% for a qualifying company shareholder. Pay for work you do in Indonesia is generally not US-source income in the first place, so the treaty matters less for a services business.
Tax in Indonesia
Indonesia can tax the company's income even before you take it out.
These come from PwC's summaries of Indonesia's income tax rules, and they run alongside the US steps below. The controlled foreign company rule is the one most guides leave out.
Each year, for passive income
You and your tax adviserYou and your tax adviser
A foreign company at least 50% owned by Indonesian taxpayers is a controlled foreign company. Its dividends, interest, rent, royalties and gains on assets can be taxed in Indonesia as a deemed dividend even if they're never paid out.
For active business income
You and your tax adviserYou and your tax adviser
Under the Omnibus Law, active business income from abroad that doesn't come through a branch or a foreign subsidiary isn't taxed if it's invested in Indonesia within a set period.
When you're paid for your own work
You and your tax adviserYou and your tax adviser
Some individuals with business turnover up to IDR 4.8 billion a year pay a final tax of 0.5% of turnover, with the first IDR 500 million a year free under the HPP Law.
When you file your return
YouYou
As a resident you report income from anywhere, and you can credit foreign tax on taxed income, with proof of the tax paid attached.
Worked example
The 0.5% final tax applies only to some individuals and conditions; your adviser checks whether it applies to you.
Your business turnover for the year is IDR 800 million, and the 0.5% final tax applies to you.
The first IDR 500 million is free, so the tax is on IDR 300 million.
0.5% of IDR 300 million is IDR 1.5 million for the year.
Whether pay from your own US company counts as this turnover is for your adviser to confirm.
What Indonesia expects
Owning a US company doesn't take you out of Indonesia's tax system.
Indonesia taxes its residents on income from anywhere. A foreign company Indonesians control can have its passive income taxed in Indonesia as a deemed dividend, while active business income from abroad can be exempt if it's invested in Indonesia.
Tax residence
You're a tax resident if you live in Indonesia, or are there for more than 183 days in any 12 months, or are there in the year and intend to live there. As a resident you're taxed on income from anywhere.
Controlled foreign company
A foreign company at least 50% owned by Indonesian taxpayers is a controlled foreign company. Its passive income, such as dividends, interest, rent, royalties and gains on assets, can be taxed in Indonesia as a deemed dividend even if it's never paid out.
Business income from abroad
Under the Omnibus Law, active business income from abroad that doesn't come through a branch or a foreign subsidiary isn't taxed in Indonesia if it's invested in Indonesia within a set period.
Small business turnover
Some individuals with business turnover up to IDR 4.8 billion a year pay a final tax of 0.5% of turnover, and under the HPP Law the first IDR 500 million a year is free of it.
Credit for foreign tax
Foreign tax paid on income taxed in Indonesia can be credited, with proof of the tax paid attached to your return. Income that's exempt in Indonesia gets no credit.
On the record
We form US companies. We aren't Indonesian 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 Indonesia 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, Indonesia and ownership checks
Keep the registered agent active and track the state's yearly charge. In Indonesia, your return covers income from anywhere, and the controlled foreign company rule can bring the company's passive income into it each year.
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. |
| Indonesian return and tax | You and your tax adviser | 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 tax adviser before you order.
Bring the owners, where each lives for tax, the business activity, the company's likely income and how money will move between you. Agree who prepares each filing in Indonesia and in the US.
Download the checklist for your tax adviser (.txt)- 01
Is the US company a controlled foreign company, and which of its income would be a deemed dividend?
- 02
Is the company's active business income exempt if I invest it in Indonesia, and within what period?
- 03
How will the tax office treat what the company pays me, and does the 0.5% final tax on small turnover apply?
- 04
What does my bank need from me to send money to the company or receive money from it?
- 05
How do I credit any US tax, and what proof must I attach to my return?
- 06
How do I show the company in my annual tax return?
- 07
How should I keep records for both the US return and my Indonesian return?
Questions
Questions from Indonesia.
If yours is not here, email us at hello@baseacross.com before you order.
Can an Indonesian resident own a US LLC?
Yes, as far as US law goes. It doesn't require an LLC's owners to be US citizens or residents, and formation, the EIN and the bank applications all happen remotely. On the Indonesian side, the tax rules for residents and for controlled foreign companies apply. Owning a US company doesn't give you a US visa.
Will Indonesia tax the US company's profits before I take them out?
It can, for passive income. A foreign company at least 50% owned by Indonesian taxpayers is a controlled foreign company, and its dividends, interest, rent, royalties and gains on assets can be taxed in Indonesia as a deemed dividend even if they're never paid out. Ask your adviser how this applies to your company.
Is income from abroad always taxed in Indonesia?
Not always. Under the Omnibus Law, active business income from abroad that doesn't come through a branch or a foreign subsidiary isn't taxed if it's invested in Indonesia within a set period. Your adviser applies the conditions to your case.
Do I need a US company to get paid as a freelancer in Indonesia?
Not necessarily. Some individuals with business turnover up to IDR 4.8 billion a year pay a final tax of 0.5% of turnover, with the first IDR 500 million free. A US company is for Stripe, US contracts and platforms that need one.
How much does a US company from Indonesia 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 tax adviser's fees, US return preparation and bank charges in Indonesia 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 Indonesia?
A Wyoming LLC usually suits an owner-run business selling to customers abroad. A Delaware C-Corp suits raising from investors who want shares. 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. Your Indonesian tax number isn't part of it.
How long does it take from Indonesia?
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.
Can I open a Mercury account from Indonesia?
No. Mercury's prohibited-countries list includes Indonesia, and it goes by where you live, not your passport.
Which account can a founder in Indonesia use?
Fewer than most guides suggest. Mercury bars founders living in Indonesia, Wise gives them no USD account details, and Relay asks every owner for a physical US address. Ask each provider about Indonesia before you order.
Will a US LLC get me Stripe from Indonesia?
It lets you apply. Stripe lists Indonesia as in preview, and a US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account can apply for a US Stripe account. Stripe reviews the business and the person behind it, and approval isn't guaranteed.
Do I pay US tax on work I do from Indonesia?
Generally not. Pay for work you do in Indonesia is generally not US-source income, so a single-owner LLC with no US office or staff often owes no US income tax on it. It still files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you.
Is there a US–Indonesia tax treaty?
Yes, it's in force. It caps US withholding on interest and royalties at 10%, and on dividends at 15%, or 10% for a qualifying company shareholder. Pay for work you do in Indonesia generally isn't US-source income anyway.
Can I credit US tax in Indonesia?
Foreign tax paid on income taxed in Indonesia can be credited, with proof of the tax paid attached to your return. Income that's exempt in Indonesia gets no credit.
Does BaseAcross file the US and Indonesian 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 Indonesian return is for you and your tax adviser.
Does my new US LLC need a BOI report?
US-created companies are exempt under FinCEN's current BOI rule, effective 14 August 2026. A company formed outside the US and registered to do business there is a different case. Banks still collect ownership details for their own checks.
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.
Indonesia
United States (IRS, Treasury and FinCEN)
Banks and payments
Indonesia's rules are read from PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries, a professional summary of the law rather than the law itself; Bank Indonesia's foreign exchange rules weren't read. Confirm the current position with your adviser 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
Jakarta
Indonesia
To
Wyoming
LLC · Cheyenne, WY
- Plan
- Launch
- First year
- $351.40
- To order
- 10 steps
Launch · $249 + $102.40 Wyoming · Same day