RIVEROS CORP NETWORK | Apostille de la Haya · Notary Public Center · Compliance Officers · USJurisdiction
RIVEROS CORP NETWORK | Apostille de la Haya · Notary Public Center · Compliance Officers · USJurisdiction
Which legal entity fits you, how the Florida registration process works step by step, and what your company needs afterward to stay active. Written for people deciding from abroad: you can complete the entire process without traveling to the United States.
If you have a business or a project and want to run it through a US company — to invoice in US currency, put your contracts on a more formal footing or enter the US market — this guide walks you through the two decisions that shape everything else: which legal entity to use and what steps follow once you choose it.
You do not need to be a resident or a citizen: Florida law allows anyone to form a company, wherever they live. What it does require is doing things in order — an available name, properly filed documents, a registered agent with a physical address in the state and annual obligations kept current.
Each has its own page with full details and how to work with us on it. Here are the essentials to get you oriented.
Limited liability with simple management: its owners are members, and the internal rules are set out in an Operating Agreement. It is the usual starting point for family businesses and service businesses.
It issues shares, has directors and officers, and is the structure investors expect. If you are not yet clear on exactly what a corporation is, start with the guide and come back here.
The entity for foundations, NGOs and churches under Chapter 617 of the Florida Statutes. It is the first step before applying to the IRS for federal 501(c)(3) tax exemption.
Physicians, accountants, architects and other regulated professionals practice through a Professional Association or a PLLC, with their own rules on who can be an owner.
Torn between an LLC and a corporation? Our guide What is a corporation? explains that entity from the ground up, and the S tax election — with its limits for foreign shareholders — is covered separately in What is an S corporation?.
Steps 4 through 7 each have their own service page: registered agent · EIN application · business bank account · Annual Report. If the company already exists in another country or state and only needs to operate in Florida, what you need is a Certificate of Authority. And if you are about to do business with a US company that already exists, you can verify that it is registered and active before you sign.
Formation, the EIN and the bank file are all handled remotely: you sign and send your documents, we handle the filings and send you every record issued. The physical address Florida law requires is provided by our registered agent service in Brickell, Miami.
We work in English and Spanish, and every engagement ends in a verifiable document — a state record, an IRS number, a complete file — never a verbal promise.
No residency or physical presence is required to form a company.
We walk you through your case in English or Spanish; the filings themselves are in English.
175 SW 7th St, Suite 1905, Miami — our registered agent office.
Yes. Florida law allows anyone to form an LLC or a corporation without being a resident or a citizen, and the entire process is handled remotely. What the company does need is a registered agent with a physical address in the state and its annual obligations kept current. With that covered, being a foreign national is no obstacle to forming or owning a company.
It depends on who the owners are and what the business will do. Broadly speaking: an LLC for simple management; a corporation when there will be investors or shares; a nonprofit for not-for-profit purposes; and a PA or PLLC if you practice a licensed profession. In our first conversation we review your specific case before filing anything.
We focus on Florida: we know the state registry, registered agent service in Miami and the annual deadlines inside out. If your business will have physical operations in another state, the right move is usually to form the company there — or to register your Florida company as a foreign entity with a Certificate of Authority. It is a case-by-case decision, not a fixed rule.
To form the company, no. The EIN — the company’s tax number — can be obtained from the IRS even if the owner has no Social Security number. The ITIN is something else: it identifies a foreign individual who must file taxes in the United States, and it is usually needed later, when the company generates income that is taxed at the owner level.
No. Forming a company does not grant a visa, residency or work authorization, and you should be wary of anyone who promises otherwise. If your business plan has an immigration component, that analysis belongs to a licensed immigration attorney — we make sure the corporate side is in perfect order, which that process will need in any case.
As a general rule, no: an S corporation requires its shareholders to be individuals who are US citizens or residents — nonresident aliens do not qualify. For international clients, the tax conversation usually comes down to the LLC versus the C corporation. The details are in our S corporation guide.
In Florida, it must maintain its registered agent and file the Annual Report between January 1 and May 1. If the report is not filed, the state administratively dissolves the company in September — and a dissolved company cannot operate or sue. If that has already happened to you, it can be fixed through company reinstatement.
Tell us what business you want to set up and we’ll explain which entities are open to you and what each involves, what documents you need and where to start — no obligation.
or call us at +1 (305) 647-3000 · Monday through Friday
175 SW 7th St, Suite 1905 · Miami, Florida 33130
