Day 18: I helped 10+ non-US founders register US companies

After helping over a dozen non-US founders set up their US companies and Stripe accounts, one pattern became painfully obvious:

Most Stripe rejections aren't about you. They're about three fixable mistakes.

Here's what I learned 👇

Mistake #1: Your industry is on Stripe's naughty list

Stripe maintains a restricted business list, and they won't always tell you upfront. Prohibited categories include CBD, crypto exchanges, adult content, gambling, debt collection, and multi-level marketing.

Gray zones: dropshipping with counterfeit risk, high-refund-rate courses, social media SMM panels.

✅ Before you even register a company, search "Stripe Restricted Businesses" and read the full list. If your business touches any of them, think hard about alternatives.

Mistake #2: Your address combo got flagged

Stripe cross-checks three addresses: business address, physical location, and your website.

The biggest trap? Using your Registered Agent's address as your business address. If that same address is shared by 50 other companies in Stripe's system, their risk engine flags it as a "virtual address cluster" — instant rejection.

✅ Spend $30-80/month on a real virtual office address. Don't cheap out here.

Also: Stripe reviewers will open your website. If there's no contact info, no Privacy Policy, and no Terms of Service — what signal does that send?

Mistake #3: You don't actually need an ITIN (probably)

If you're a single-member LLC, EIN + passport is usually enough. ITIN is only needed for C-Corps, multi-member LLCs without SSNs, or if you trigger additional verification.

If you do get asked for one and don't have it: file Form W-7 (takes 7-14 weeks), or use a US bank verification letter as an alternative, then resubmit with a cleaner application.

The checklist that works:

✅ Delaware or Wyoming LLC
✅ Real business address (not a shared RA address)
✅ Website with contact info + Privacy Policy + Terms of Service
✅ Industry on Stripe's whitelist
✅ EIN ready + clear passport scan
✅ US bank account (Mercury, Relay, Novo)

Hit all six, and it'll go through 99% of the time on the first try.

I built TopStartNow after going through this exact process myself as a non-US founder. The goal is to make US company formation + Stripe setup feel less like paperwork archaeology and more like a guided checkout flow.

If you've been through the Stripe KYC gauntlet — what tripped you up? Curious to hear what other founders ran into 👇