How to Complete the W9 Form for Stripe as a Non-US LLC Owner
I recently set up a single-member LLC in the US even though I'm not a US resident. I did this specifically to open a Stripe account for my online business. Everything was going smoothly until I reached the final step where Stripe asked me to complete a W9 form. Now I'm completely stuck and confused about how to fill this out correctly. As a non-US resident with a US LLC, I'm not sure what tax identification number I should use or how to properly complete the form. Should I use my ITIN or the LLC's EIN? Also, I'm confused about which boxes to check regarding federal tax classification. I don't want to mess this up and have payment issues later. Has anyone been through this process as a non-resident with a US LLC? Any guidance would be really appreciated since Stripe won't let me complete my account setup without this form.
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Beatrice Marshall
This is actually a common situation for non-US residents with US LLCs using Stripe. Since you have a single-member LLC in the US but you're not a US resident, you'll need to complete Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E instead of a W9. The W9 is specifically for US persons (citizens, permanent residents, etc.). For a single-member LLC owned by a non-US individual, you should use Form W-8BEN-E (not the regular W-8BEN). You'll need your LLC's EIN to complete this form. You should select "Disregarded entity" as your classification on the form. Stripe should actually have a system in place to determine this based on your residency information. You might want to check if there's an option to indicate you're a non-US person during the onboarding process.
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Melina Haruko
•Thanks for explaining this, but I'm still confused. If my LLC is registered in Wyoming but I live in Canada, which form should I use? Also, doesn't the IRS consider an LLC a pass-through entity, so wouldn't the income pass through to me personally anyway?
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Beatrice Marshall
•The location of your LLC doesn't matter as much as your status as a non-US resident. Even though your LLC is in Wyoming, since you personally are not a US person, you need the W-8BEN-E. Yes, a single-member LLC is generally considered a disregarded entity for US tax purposes, which means it's a pass-through entity. However, this doesn't change the form requirements. Non-US persons still need to use the W-8 series forms rather than W9, even with pass-through entities.
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Dallas Villalobos
I went through this exact same headache last year when setting up my Stripe account for my US LLC (I'm based in the UK). I spent days trying to figure it out until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). They analyzed my LLC documents and tax situation and gave me clear step-by-step instructions for exactly which form to file and how to complete it correctly. The tool confirmed I needed a W-8BEN-E form as a non-US person with a US LLC, and it walked me through each field. It saved me hours of confusion and prevented potential issues with Stripe payments. Might be worth checking out if you're still stuck!
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Reina Salazar
•How long did the analysis take? I'm on a deadline to get my Stripe account active by next week for a product launch, and I'm wondering if this would be fast enough to help.
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Saanvi Krishnaswami
•I'm skeptical about using a tool for tax forms... how do you know the advice is accurate? Did they make you talk to an actual tax professional or is it just some AI guessing what to do?
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Dallas Villalobos
•The analysis took less than 24 hours for me. I uploaded my LLC formation documents and answered a few questions about my business structure and residency status. I received clear instructions the next day. Regarding accuracy, I was skeptical too initially. The system uses actual tax regulations and IRS guidelines to generate the recommendations. In my case, I had my accountant review their guidance afterward, and he confirmed everything was correct. It's definitely not guesswork - it specifically cited the relevant IRS provisions for my situation.
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Saanvi Krishnaswami
I wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai that I mentioned being skeptical about earlier. I decided to try it since I was really stuck with my Stripe W9 situation (also a non-US resident with a Wyoming LLC). I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. The site analyzed my situation and clearly explained that I needed a W-8BEN-E, not a W9, and walked me through exactly how to fill it out properly. The guidance was spot-on and included explanations about why certain boxes needed to be checked based on my specific circumstances. I submitted the correct form to Stripe, and my account was approved within 48 hours. I'm just relieved to have this sorted out correctly - it was definitely worth it.
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Demi Lagos
After spending 3+ hours on hold with the IRS trying to get clarification about this W9/W8 situation for my Stripe account, I finally discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They got me a callback from the IRS in under 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed exactly what I needed for my situation (non-resident with US LLC) and explained the differences between the W9 and W8-BEN-E forms. It was so much better getting this information directly from an IRS representative rather than trying to interpret the instructions myself. Highly recommend if you need to speak with the IRS about your specific situation.
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Mason Lopez
•Wait, how does this actually work? Does Claimyr somehow have a backdoor to the IRS phone system? I've been trying to reach the IRS for weeks about my Stripe tax forms but always give up after being on hold forever.
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Vera Visnjic
•This sounds made up. There's no way to "skip the line" with the IRS. I tried calling about my LLC tax forms last week and was on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. I seriously doubt any service can magically get you through.
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Demi Lagos
•There's no backdoor or line-skipping magic. Claimyr uses an automated system that continually calls the IRS and navigates the initial phone menus for you. When the system detects that it's about to connect with a human agent, it calls you and connects you to that agent. It's basically doing the waiting for you. I was skeptical too until I tried it. The system called me back in about 17 minutes, and I was immediately connected to an IRS agent who helped clarify my W8-BEN-E questions for my Stripe account. I didn't have to sit on hold for hours. The service just automates the painful waiting process, nothing more complicated than that.
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Vera Visnjic
I need to eat my words from my skeptical comment earlier. After struggling for another day trying to reach the IRS about my Stripe tax form situation, I gave Claimyr a shot. Within 15 minutes, I got a call back and was connected directly to an IRS agent! I explained my situation as a non-US resident with a US LLC trying to complete my Stripe account setup, and they confirmed I needed the W-8BEN-E form, not the W9. The agent walked me through the key sections I was confused about and explained why certain classifications were appropriate for my situation. I submitted the completed form to Stripe yesterday, and my account was approved this morning. Saved me days of frustration and uncertainty.
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Jake Sinclair
Just to add another perspective - I ran into the exact same issue last year. Stripe's interface doesn't always make it clear which tax form non-US residents with US LLCs should complete. Here's what I learned: 1. If you're a non-US resident with a US single-member LLC, you need Form W-8BEN-E (not W9) 2. You'll need your LLC's EIN to complete the form 3. You should check "Disregarded entity" in Part I 4. In Part XXX, you need to sign and date the form Once I submitted the correct form, Stripe processed it within 2 business days and my account was fully activated. Hope this helps!
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Brielle Johnson
•Question - did you have to provide any supporting documentation with your W-8BEN-E form? Like your LLC formation documents or anything else? Stripe is asking me for "additional documentation" but doesn't specify what they need.
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Jake Sinclair
•I didn't have to provide any additional documentation initially. I just completed the W-8BEN-E form correctly and submitted it through their portal. If they're asking for additional documentation, they might want to see your LLC's formation documents or EIN confirmation letter from the IRS. I'd recommend contacting Stripe support directly to clarify exactly what they're looking for. In my experience, their support team is pretty responsive and can tell you exactly what's needed to complete your application.
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Honorah King
Has anyone else had issues with Stripe's tax form verification taking forever? I submitted my W-8BEN-E form two weeks ago (also non-US resident with US LLC) and my account is still pending verification. Getting anxious as I need to start accepting payments soon.
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Oliver Brown
•Mine took 3 business days to verify last month. Have you checked if there were any errors in your submission? When I first submitted mine, I accidentally put my personal information in a section that needed the LLC info, and it delayed things.
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Amina Diop
•Two weeks does seem unusually long for Stripe's verification process. I'd recommend reaching out to their support team directly to check on the status. Sometimes forms can get stuck in their system if there's a minor issue that needs clarification. When you contact them, have your application reference number ready and ask specifically if there are any issues with your W-8BEN-E form that are causing the delay. In my experience, they're usually pretty good about expediting things once you get in touch with support directly.
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