Getting paid from Chile
Stripe's list of supported countries does not include Chile, and Shopify Payments is not offered there. PayPal accounts in Chile can link a local bank account and withdraw in dollars or Chilean pesos through PayPal's local partners.
With a US LLC, its EIN and a US business bank account, you can apply for a US Stripe account with payouts in dollars. Stripe reviews every account and decides; no one can promise approval.
At home
Chilean tax
Chile taxes residents on worldwide income. Article 41 G of the Income Tax Law covers passive income, such as interest, dividends and royalties, of foreign entities controlled by Chilean residents: that income is taxed in Chile as it accrues, not only when it is paid out. The SII applies it only when passive income is more than 10% of the entity's total income, and there is a minimum amount below which it does not apply.
The US-Chile treaty applies to taxes from 2024. How the LLC is treated under Chilean law and the treaty is a question for a contador.
Reporting to the SII
Taxpayers with investments in controlled foreign entities report them each year in sworn statement 1929 (operations abroad), whether or not the entity had passive income. In 2026 it was due on 30 June.
Money in and out
Chile has a free exchange market. The Banco Central's foreign exchange rules (Chapter XII of its Compendium) cover deposits and investments abroad by residents and require certain operations to be reported, usually through the bank that makes the transfer. Ask your bank which applies before the first transfer.
The US side is the same for everyone
Where you live does not change the US part. It is done online, without travelling, without a US address and without an SSN.
- Choose a state: Wyoming or New Mexico for low running costs, Delaware if you plan to raise money from investors.
- The formation document is filed with a registered agent in that state, within 48 hours.
- The EIN is requested from the IRS as soon as the state approves. No SSN or ITIN is needed.
- You get the operating agreement that banks and payment providers ask for.
- With those documents you apply for a US business bank account, for example at Mercury.
- Every year: the registered agent, the state's annual report where there is one, and Form 5472 for a single-member LLC owned by a foreign person.
Which state?
With no people or premises in the US you can choose any state. Most founders abroad choose on yearly cost and speed.
Sources checked on November 2, 2026
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change; check your own situation with a contador in Chile before you form the LLC.
