Vietnam has a fast-growing base of developers, agencies and online sellers serving clients abroad. The recurring obstacle is credibility: American companies prefer to sign with an American counterparty. A US LLC gives you exactly that, a real US entity with its own EIN and business address, registered remotely from anywhere in Vietnam.
Why Vietnamese entrepreneurs open a US LLC
- Contract as a US company, which many American clients require before signing.
- Contract as a US company, which many American clients require before signing.
- Project trust to US and European clients who prefer to contract with a US company.
Vietnamese tax and the US position
Vietnam taxes tax residents on their income, so the LLC does not remove your local reporting; you still declare your earnings at home. One point worth being precise about is that the US-Vietnam tax treaty has been signed but is not in force, so you should not count on treaty relief. The practical argument stays the same: keep clean records, declare locally, and lean on the standard US non-resident rules rather than a treaty.
On the US side, a Vietnam-based owner whose US LLC has no US office, staff or dependent agent is generally not engaged in a US trade or business, so the LLC pays 0% US federal income tax on its profits. On the US side, the only recurring obligation is a set of annual IRS filings, which we handle for you.
The first thing to look at from Vietnam is how the United States taxes an LLC. The default is pass-through treatment, meaning profits go to the members and the company pays no corporate income tax. Corporate taxation remains available as an election, so you keep the choice.
How to start your US LLC from Vietnam in four steps
- Decide on the state, with Wyoming or New Mexico covering most online businesses.
- We take care of the formation and get your EIN without an SSN.
- Receive your US business address and your formation documents, entirely remotely.
- Stay in good standing, with the IRS filings and the annual report taken care of.
Form your US LLC from Vietnam with everything included from the first payment: formation, EIN, US business address and annual compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a US-Vietnam tax treaty I can use?
A treaty has been signed but is not yet in force, so do not rely on treaty relief. The LLC's 0% US position rests on the standard non-resident rules instead.
Do I still report income in Vietnam?
Yes. Vietnam taxes residents on their income, so you keep declaring locally. The LLC handles how you get paid, not your Vietnamese tax residency.
How long does it take to register a US LLC from Vietnam?
The state filing goes through in one to three business days in most states. The EIN follows, usually within five to twenty-one business days, and we track it for you until it lands.
Should I create a US LLC or set up a local company in Vietnam?
It depends on where your clients are. When most of them are American or European, a US LLC gives you the counterparty they expect. When your revenue is domestic, a local company usually stays simpler.
