How to open a Mercury account from outside the US

Mercury is the favorite bank for non-resident LLC owners. Fully online account, no monthly fees, free ACH transfers and an interface that puts most European banks to shame. But getting one is not automatic.

Application requirements

• EIN for your LLC (the IRS CP 575 letter)
• Articles of Organization stamped by the state
• Valid passport for the member/manager
• Registered address of the LLC in the US

You don't need an SSN or ITIN. Mercury accepts non-residents with EIN only.

Step-by-step process

1. Go to mercury.com and click "Open an Account"
2. Select LLC as the entity type
3. Fill in the LLC details (name, EIN, state, address)
4. Upload documents: Articles of Organization, EIN Letter (CP 575)
5. Identity verification with passport + selfie
6. Approval wait: 1 to 5 business days

Mistakes that cause rejection

• Inconsistent name: the name on Mercury must match the Articles exactly
• PO Box address: Mercury does not accept PO Boxes as the primary address
• Vague business description: "digital services" is not enough — be specific: "software development consulting" or "graphic design services"
• Empty website: if you provide a website and it has no content, it's an automatic rejection

Pro tip: if they reject you, you can reapply after 30 days with the corrected info. It is not a permanent ban.

What to do during the first 7 days with the account active

An approved Mercury account does not mean "all set". The first 7 days decide whether the account survives the first year or gets blocked at the first slightly weird international transfer. Minimum checklist:

1. Enable 2FA with an authenticator app (not SMS). Mercury supports Google Authenticator, Authy or 1Password.
2. Configure a clear description for every outgoing transfer. Mercury cross-checks memos with the company profile — a vague memo like "services" can trigger a compliance review.
3. Add your tax profile in Settings → Tax: W-9 if you have an ITIN/SSN, W-8BEN-E if you are a non-resident. Without this, Mercury withholds 24% on certain payments.
4. Connect bookkeeping from day one (Devil Club does it automatically; otherwise at minimum export CSV monthly). The IRS expects retroactive traceability for at least 3 years.
5. Don't receive more than $10k at once in the first week — it triggers manual review and holds funds for 3-5 business days.

Signs the account is "at risk"

Mercury closes non-resident LLC accounts more often than people think. These are the signs that show up days before a closure:

• Emails asking for "updated KYC documentation"
• Outgoing transfers to high-risk countries (Russia, Venezuela, Iran) blocked or reversed
• Deposits rejected for no clear reason
• Login from 4+ different countries in a single week (erratic VPN)

If any of these appear, respond within 48h. 80% of closures are due to "no response to compliance review", not the underlying reason.

Alternatives to Mercury

If Mercury does not approve you, you have options. Mercury remains the first option for non-resident LLCs, but these alternatives cover cases Mercury does not accept:

Relay

Similar to Mercury in functionality. Accepts non-residents and lets you create multiple accounts under the same profile, useful if you operate several LLCs. The application process is similar to Mercury's.

Wise Business

Technically not a US bank, but it gives you a USD ACH account number and lets you receive and send in 40+ currencies. Ideal if you bill in euros or pounds and want to minimize conversions. Onboarding is usually faster than Mercury.

Brex

Aimed at startups and companies with higher transaction volume. Offers corporate cards with high limits and SaaS perks. Harder to get approved than Mercury if you are a brand-new single-member LLC.

Once you have an active account, the next step is to start invoicing through your LLC properly so you keep the account separation and clean accounting record.