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

Forming a Wyoming LLC for Portuguese Remote Developers

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

Portuguese remote developers can establish a Wyoming LLC to provide services to international clients while maintaining a distinct legal separation from personal assets. This structure utilizes Wyoming's favorable privacy laws and zero state income tax.

The process requires obtaining an EIN, filing necessary IRS information returns, and opening a business bank account via Mercury. Compliance with US tax reporting is mandatory regardless of whether the LLC generates US-sourced income.

§ 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

Wyoming LLCs are pass-through entities for US federal tax purposes, where income is taxable only if the business is Engaged in Trade or Business in the US (ETBUS).

Home-country rule

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

Editorial verdict

Use a Wyoming LLC for privacy and low maintenance, but ensure you maintain strict records to comply with Form 5472/5476 reporting requirements for foreign-owned US entities.

Key compliance risks
  • 01Form 5472/5476 penalty of $25,000 for late or incomplete filing
  • 02Potential double taxation if NHR status is unavailable or inapplicable
  • 03Complexity of proving non-ETBUS status to IRS
  • 04Banking access limitations if business model lacks clear US nexus
§ 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 (Wyoming) vs Estonia OÜ (e-Residency)

Full comparison →
US LLC (Wyoming)
LLC
Estonia OÜ (e-Residency)
OÜ
Entity
LLC
OÜ
Setup cost
$102.00
$205.20
Annual
$60.00
$129.60
Local director
Remote OK
Remote OK
Physical presence
Remote OK
Remote OK
Tax regime
0% state tax; federal only on US-source income
20% only on distributed profit; 0% on retained earnings
§ 05Questions founders actually ask

FAQ

If your LLC is not ETBUS (Engaged in Trade or Business in the US) and has no US-based employees or physical offices, you generally do not owe US federal income tax on foreign-sourced income. However, you must still file Form 5472 and 5476 annually.
More profiles for US LLC (Wyoming)
Portuguese Remote Developers — other jurisdictions
Next step

Start filing with Mercury (banking-only)

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