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Getting paid by clients abroad
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From Lebanon · Middle East and North Africa
Start a US company from Lebanon
For Lebanese founders who need a dollar business outside the domestic banks, US clients or US investors. Mercury, Relay and Wise's USD accounts don't serve people living here, so plan the bank first. Lebanon taxes profit from work done in Lebanon, even through a US company, so read that section too.
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 Lebanon, and Wise gives no USD account details there. Try Payoneer.
The banks, in detailYou can form a US company while living in Lebanon, without an SSN or a US visit. Mercury, Relay and Wise's USD accounts don't serve people living here. Launch starts at $351.40 in Wyoming, including our plan and state filing fee. Check Payoneer and plan the bank before you order. The Lebanese points: profit from work done in Lebanon is taxed here at 17%, even through a US company, and dividends from it are declared on form TH4/G.
Before you form
Start with whether you need a US company, and who will bank it.
BaseAcross's Wyoming LLC and Delaware C-Corp options for founders in Lebanon
Wyoming LLC
Owner-run business, once a bank will open.
- State filing
- $102.40
- Yearly state charge
- From $60
Delaware C-Corp
Raising from US investors.
- 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.
- Where the work will be done, because Lebanon taxes profit from effort exerted in Lebanon.
- 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
- Form TH4/G for dividends from the company, before 1 March.
- A record of where the work is done.
- Any filings the company owes if it has a place of business here.
You and your tax adviser
For the Ministry of Finance
You don't need a Lebanese 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 Lebanon to a maintained US company.
The state approves the company, the IRS issues the EIN and each provider approves its own account. In Lebanon, your tax adviser handles the Ministry of Finance; we don't file there.
You and your tax adviser
Check the Lebanese side first
Decide whether you need a US company at all, how Lebanon will tax work you do here, and who will bank the company.
You leave this stage with: A structure, tax plan and bank that fit.
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
Check Payoneer first. Mercury, Relay and Wise's USD accounts don't serve people living in Lebanon. 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 tax adviser
Keep records and file in both countries
Keep the company's books, and a record of where the work is done. Put Form 5472, form TH4/G and your other Lebanese filings 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 Lebanon
- 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 Lebanon 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 Lebanon
What a Wyoming LLC costs from Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, 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 responsibilitiesLebanese tax advice
Quote from your tax adviser
How work done here is taxed, how the LLC is classed and how it pays you 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 Lebanon, check your card's limits and fees.
Get started from Lebanon
Use the first-year cost calculator to compare plans and optional tools. Then add your tax adviser'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–Lebanon 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 Lebanon generally isn't US-source income, so nothing is withheld on it.
How Lebanon sees it
Work done in Lebanon is taxed in Lebanon.
Where profit is earned, residence, the rates and form TH4/G come from PwC's summary. They run alongside the US steps below.
When the work is done here
The company, with your tax adviserThe company, with your tax adviser
Profit from effort exerted in Lebanon, taxed at 17%.
If it has a place of business here
The companyWhen it pays you a dividend
YouYou
10%, declared on form TH4/G before 1 March.
Worked example
This is an illustration, not a quote. Whether the profit is taxed as the company's or as yours, and at which rate, is for your tax adviser.
Your Wyoming LLC makes US$60,000 of profit, all from work you do in Beirut.
That profit comes from effort exerted in Lebanon, so at the 17% company rate it's US$10,200.
If it pays you the remaining US$49,800, tax at 10% is US$4,980, declared on form TH4/G.
The amounts are in US dollars, the currency most Lebanese founders invoice in.
What Lebanon expects
Owning a US company doesn't take you out of Lebanon's tax system.
Lebanon taxes profit from effort exerted in Lebanon at 17%, whoever earns it, and residents declare dividends from foreign shares on form TH4/G at 10%.
Where the work is done
Lebanon taxes profit that comes from effort exerted in Lebanon, whoever earns it and wherever they're resident. Work you do here for a US company counts.
A place of business here
A company is resident if it's established or registered under Lebanese law, or has a place of business in Lebanon. Company profit is taxed at 17%.
Dividends from abroad
Residents who receive income from foreign shares declare it on form TH4/G before 1 March and pay by 1 April. Dividends are taxed at 10%, and Lebanon has no CFC rules.
Banks' extra checks
The FATF lists Lebanon among jurisdictions under increased monitoring, as of 19 June 2026. Expect banks to ask more questions.
Residence
You're resident with a place of business here, a home kept available for your family, or after more than 183 days here in any 12 months.
On the record
We form US companies. We aren't Lebanese 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 Lebanon 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 and Lebanese checks
Keep the registered agent active and track the state's yearly charge. In Lebanon, declare dividends on form TH4/G before 1 March, and expect filings for work done here.
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. |
| Lebanese filings, form TH4/G among them | 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, the operating agreement, where the work will be done and the business activity. Each question is also in Arabic.
Download the checklist for your tax adviser (.txt)- 01EN
Is work I do in Lebanon for my US LLC taxed here as Lebanese profit?
ARهل يُعتبر العمل الذي أقوم به في لبنان لصالح شركتي الأمريكية (LLC) ربحاً محققاً في لبنان يخضع للضريبة هنا؟
- 02EN
Does a place of business here make my US LLC tax-resident under Law 60?
ARهل يجعل وجود مكان عمل هنا شركتي الأمريكية (LLC) مقيمة ضريبياً بموجب القانون رقم 60؟
- 03EN
How do I declare dividends from the US company on form TH4/G, and is the tax 10%?
ARكيف أصرّح عن أنصبة الأرباح من الشركة الأمريكية على النموذج TH4/G، وهل الضريبة 10%؟
- 04EN
How does Lebanon class my US LLC: as a company or as transparent?
ARكيف يصنّف لبنان شركتي الأمريكية (LLC): كشركة أم ككيان شفاف ضريبياً؟
- 05EN
With no US–Lebanon treaty, how do I get credit for US tax withheld?
ARفي غياب اتفاقية ضريبية بين الولايات المتحدة ولبنان، كيف أحتسب الضريبة المقتطعة في الولايات المتحدة؟
- 06EN
Which bank or payment provider will serve a US company owned from Lebanon?
ARأي مصرف أو مزوّد خدمات دفع سيخدم شركة أمريكية يملكها مقيم في لبنان؟
- 07EN
How should I keep records for the US return and my Lebanese return?
ARكيف أنظّم السجلات للإقرار الضريبي الأمريكي وللإقرار الضريبي اللبناني؟
Questions
Questions from Lebanon.
If yours is not here, email us at hello@baseacross.com before you order.
Can a Lebanese resident own a US LLC?
Yes. US law doesn't require an LLC's owners to be US citizens or residents, and formation and the EIN happen remotely. The Lebanese questions are how work you do here is taxed, and who will bank the company.
Is income from my US company outside Lebanese tax?
Not if the work is done here. Lebanon taxes profit that comes from effort exerted in Lebanon, whoever earns it and wherever they're resident. Company profit is taxed at 17%.
Can a US company be tax-resident in Lebanon?
It can. Under Law 60 of 2016, a company is resident if it's established or registered under Lebanese law, or has a place of business in Lebanon.
How are dividends from the company taxed in Lebanon?
At 10%. Residents who receive income from foreign shares declare it on form TH4/G before 1 March and pay by 1 April. Lebanon has no CFC rules.
Is Lebanon considered a high-risk country?
For banks, yes. The FATF lists Lebanon among jurisdictions under increased monitoring, as of 19 June 2026, so expect more questions. OFAC's Lebanon-related sanctions list named people and groups, not every Lebanese business.
Which account can a founder in Lebanon use?
Fewer than most guides suggest. Mercury and Relay don't serve people living in Lebanon, and Wise gives them no USD account details. Payoneer's own site describes a Lebanese freelancer receiving payments worldwide, so check whether it will open an account in your company's name.
How much does a US company from Lebanon 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 Lebanese 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 Lebanon?
A Wyoming LLC suits an owner-run business selling to US customers, once a bank will open for it. 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 Lebanon?
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 Lebanon?
No. Mercury's prohibited-countries list includes Lebanon, and it goes by where you live, not your passport.
Do I need a US company for Stripe in Lebanon?
For Stripe itself, usually yes, because Stripe doesn't list Lebanon. But a US Stripe account needs a US bank account, and Mercury won't open for you. Find the bank before you count on Stripe.
Do I pay US tax on work I do from Lebanon?
Generally not. Pay for work you do in Lebanon 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–Lebanon tax treaty?
No. There's no US–Lebanon income tax treaty in force. US-source dividends, interest and royalties paid to you are withheld at 30% unless a US exemption applies.
Does BaseAcross file the US and Lebanese 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 Lebanese filings, form TH4/G among them, are 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.
Lebanon
United States (IRS, Treasury and FinCEN)
- OFAC · sanctions programs and country information
- IRS · withholding on US-source income paid to nonresident aliens
- IRS · income tax treaty list
- IRS · sourcing of nonresident income
- IRS · EIN application instructions
- IRS · Form 5472 instructions
- IRS · S-corporation eligibility
- FinCEN · current BOI exemption
Banks and payments
Where profit is earned, residence, the rates and form TH4/G come from PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries; the monitoring list from the FATF's own page. Confirm the current position with your tax 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
Beirut
Lebanon
To
Wyoming
LLC · Cheyenne, WY
- Plan
- Launch
- First year
- $351.40
- To order
- 10 steps
Launch · $249 + $102.40 Wyoming · Same day