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US LLC (New Mexico) · via Mercury (banking-only)·🇵🇹Founder profile

Forming a New Mexico LLC for Portuguese Remote Developers

VerifiedJul 2026
EligibilityEligible
Setup timeline21–45days
Year-1 total$0.00

New Mexico LLCs provide a low-cost, privacy-focused structure for Portuguese-based developers operating internationally. This jurisdiction requires no annual reports, reducing administrative overhead for solo founders.

Mercury banking serves as a compatible financial partner for US-based LLCs owned by non-residents. Founders must maintain strict compliance with US IRS reporting requirements to avoid significant financial penalties.

§ 01Cost of ownership

Model the full outlay, not just the setup fee

Renewal costs sneak up on non-resident founders. Compare year-1 filing against a 3-year total to see the real bill.
Currency · USD (live FX)
2-year cost of ownership
$0.00
$0.00/month amortized·USD @ live FX
Time horizon
Line items
Amount
  • SetupMercury (banking-only) setup
    $0.00
  • AnnualYear 2 renewal
    $0.00
Total$0.00
§ 02Tax residency · Portuguese Remote Developers

What the tax authority sees

US federal / local status

US LLCs are pass-through entities for federal tax purposes, meaning non-US owners without a US trade or business (ETBUS) are generally not subject to US federal income tax on foreign-sourced income.

Home-country rule

NHR (Non-Habitual Resident) regime — being phased out 2024

Editorial verdict

New Mexico is ideal for privacy and low maintenance, but ensure your Portuguese tax residency status is documented to avoid double taxation under the US-Portugal tax treaty.

Key compliance risks
  • 01Form 5472 and 1120 penalty of $25,000 for late or missing filings
  • 02Potential permanent establishment risk in Portugal if management occurs locally
  • 03US-source income may trigger 30% withholding tax without proper W-8BEN-E documentation
§ 03Setup timeline

From filing to funded bank account

Setup timeline
21–45days total, 3 phases
Milestone check
Filing · Tax ID · Banking
d0
d11
d23
d34
d45
01FilingMercury (banking-only) submits formation docs
d0–d16
02Tax ID / EINIRS EIN issuance
d14–d34
03BankingBusiness account approved & funded
d27–d45
§ 04Head-to-head

US LLC (New Mexico) vs Estonia OÜ (e-Residency)

US LLC (New Mexico)
LLC
Estonia OÜ (e-Residency)
Entity
LLC
Setup cost
$50.00
$205.20
Annual
$0.00
$129.60
Local director
Remote OK
Remote OK
Physical presence
Remote OK
Remote OK
Tax regime
No annual report; federal only on US-source income
20% only on distributed profit; 0% on retained earnings
§ 05Questions founders actually ask

FAQ

If your LLC has no physical presence, employees, or office in the US (not ETBUS), you are generally not subject to US federal income tax. However, you must still file informational returns like Form 5472 and Form 1120.
Next step

Start filing with Mercury (banking-only)

Formation typically completes in 2–3 weeks. Use the promo below, then click through to begin the checklist directly on the platform.