Is Incfile Legit? Bizee for Non-US Residents Explained

Yes. Incfile, now called Bizee, is a legitimate US LLC formation service, and it accepts customers who live outside the United States. The rename changed the brand, not the business. It’s still the same company, with the same core service of filing your LLC paperwork with the state, plus registered agent coverage.

Non-residents should know one thing upfront: Bizee handles the formation step well, but forming the LLC is only the first of several steps you’ll go through from abroad.

Bottom line

• Bizee is a real, long-running formation company based in Houston, Texas. Incfile customers became Bizee customers when the brand changed.
• It’s one of the lowest-cost ways for a non-resident to get an LLC filed, with a free first year of registered agent service.
• Plan separately for the EIN, the US bank account, and the yearly foreign-owner tax filings. Formation is the easy part.

See Bizee’s current plans

What Changed When Incfile Became Bizee?

The name and branding changed. The company, its ownership, its formation process and its pricing model did not. Existing Incfile accounts, orders and registered agent subscriptions moved over to Bizee.

Some readers worry that a rebrand hides trouble. In this case, the new name was a marketing decision to move away from “file” in the name and present a wider set of business services. The basic product stayed the same: you pay the state filing fee, Bizee prepares and submits your Articles of Organization, and Bizee acts as your registered agent.

What to check if you’re an older Incfile customer:

• Your login. Your old account credentials should work on Bizee’s site.
• Your registered agent renewal. Billing and reminder emails now come from Bizee. Whitelist the new sender so you don’t miss compliance notices.
• Your state records. Your LLC’s registered agent listing may still show the older name in some states. That’s normal and doesn’t affect service of process.

For a deeper look at the product itself, see our full Bizee review.

Is Bizee Safe for Non-US Residents to Use?

Yes. Bizee doesn’t require a US address, US citizenship or a Social Security Number to form an LLC. You can order online from anywhere, pay by card, and receive your formation documents by email.

US law doesn’t require LLC owners to be US residents. Any state lets a foreign national own and manage an LLC. What the state requires is a registered agent with a physical address in that state, and Bizee provides one.

A registered agent is a person or company with a physical address in the state of formation who accepts legal papers and official state mail on your LLC’s behalf. Non-residents need one because they don’t have an in-state address. Read more in what is a registered agent.

Signs that Bizee is a legitimate operation:

• It has been filing LLCs and corporations for well over a decade under the Incfile name.
• It offers registered agent service in all 50 states, and that requires a real in-state presence.
• Pricing is public, and the state fee is shown separately at checkout.
• The company says it has formed more than a million businesses. Treat that as a company claim, not an audited number.

What Does Bizee Include, and What Costs Extra?

Bizee’s entry plan starts at $0 plus the state filing fee and includes one free year of registered agent service. After that year, the registered agent renews at a yearly fee. Prices change, so check Bizee’s current pricing page before you order.

Here’s how Bizee looks from a non-resident’s point of view:

The upsell question

The most common fair criticism of Bizee is checkout upsells. During ordering you’ll be offered operating agreements, EIN service, expedited filing, compliance packages and more.

Most of these are optional. A non-resident usually needs these:

• The formation itself (included).
• A registered agent (included for the first year).
• An EIN, which you can buy from Bizee or get yourself for free.
• An operating agreement, which banks often ask for. You can buy one or draft your own.

Skip anything you don’t understand. You can add services later.

Compare Bizee’s plans side by side

Which State Should a Non-Resident Pick on Bizee?

For most non-residents running an online business, Wyoming or New Mexico is the practical choice. Both have low fees and simple upkeep. Pick Delaware only if you plan to raise venture capital.

Bizee lets you form in any state. The state you choose drives your ongoing costs much more than Bizee’s own fees do:

• Wyoming. The Wyoming Secretary of State charges $100 to file Articles of Organization and requires an annual report, with a minimum license tax of $60 per year. It’s a popular choice for its privacy and its low, predictable costs.
• New Mexico. It’s commonly cited as one of the cheapest states to form in, with a low filing fee and no annual report requirement for LLCs. Confirm current fees with the New Mexico Secretary of State.
• Delaware. Delaware charges LLCs a $300 annual tax, on top of registered agent fees. That makes sense mainly if investors require Delaware.

Our breakdowns of Wyoming vs New Mexico and the best state to form an LLC for non-residents go deeper.

What Bizee Does Not Solve for Non-Residents

Bizee gets your LLC legally formed. It doesn’t open a US bank account for you, and it doesn’t file your yearly foreign-owner tax forms. Plan for both before you order.

The EIN

An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is the federal tax ID the IRS issues to your LLC. You need it to open a bank account and use most payment processors.

Non-residents without an SSN can’t use the IRS online EIN application. Instead, you file Form SS-4 by fax or mail, or you pay a formation service to file it for you. If you buy EIN service from Bizee, confirm before checkout that it covers applicants without an SSN, and expect it to take longer than it would for a US applicant.

If you’d rather do it yourself, see how to get an EIN without an SSN and how to fax Form SS-4 from abroad.

Banking

Bizee isn’t a bank and doesn’t guarantee you a bank account. Non-residents usually open accounts with online-first banks or fintech providers that accept foreign-owned LLCs. Our guide to a US business bank account for non-residents covers your options.

Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120

A foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, even if it had no income. This is the filing non-residents most often miss, and the IRS penalty for not filing is steep.

Bizee’s formation package doesn’t file this for you. Work with a CPA who handles foreign-owned LLCs, or read our Form 5472 guide to understand what’s involved.

A US mailing address

The registered agent address is for legal and state mail. It isn’t a general business address for customers, banks or payment platforms. Many non-residents add a separate virtual mailbox. See getting a US address for your LLC.

How Does Bizee Compare to Other Formation Services?

Bizee is usually the cheapest upfront. Northwest Registered Agent is known for privacy and fewer upsells. Doola and Firstbase bundle banking help and tax filings that non-residents specifically need, at a higher price.

There’s no single best service. The right one depends on how much you want handled for you:

• You want the lowest cost and can handle the EIN, banking and taxes yourself: Bizee fits.
• You want a quieter checkout and strong privacy: see Bizee vs Northwest Registered Agent.
• You want formation, EIN, banking introductions and yearly filings in one package: look at the Doola review or Firstbase review.
• You’re weighing the big mainstream brands: read Bizee vs ZenBusiness vs LegalZoom.

Who Should Pick Bizee

Bizee is a good fit if you:

• Want your LLC filed for close to the state fee alone.
• Are comfortable getting your EIN by fax or mail, or paying for it as an add-on.
• Already have a banking plan and a CPA, or plan to arrange them.
• Want a well-known company to serve as your registered agent in Wyoming, New Mexico or another low-cost state.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

Consider a different service if you:

• Want one company to handle formation, EIN, bank account setup and Form 5472 every year.
• Find checkout upsells stressful and would rather pay a flat price upfront.
• Need guaranteed help opening a US bank account.

For a full cost picture beyond formation, see what a US LLC costs non-residents and the annual compliance checklist.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your situation with a CPA or attorney who works with foreign-owned US LLCs.

FAQ

Is Incfile the same company as Bizee?

Yes. Incfile rebranded as Bizee, and existing Incfile accounts and registered agent subscriptions carried over. The formation service and company stayed the same.

Can I use Bizee if I don’t have an SSN or live in the US?

Yes. Bizee doesn’t require an SSN, a US address or US residency to form an LLC. You’ll need an EIN later, which non-residents get through Form SS-4 by fax or mail, or through a paid service.

Is Bizee’s free plan actually free?

The service fee on the entry plan is $0, but you still pay the state filing fee. The Wyoming Secretary of State, for example, charges $100. Registered agent service is free for the first year and then renews for a yearly fee, so check the current renewal price.

Does Bizee file Form 5472 for foreign-owned LLCs?

Not as part of its standard formation plans. Foreign-owned single-member LLCs must file Form 5472 with a pro forma 1120 every year, so line up a CPA or a service that handles it.

Ready to Form Your LLC?

If low upfront cost and a simple filing matter most to you, Bizee is a legitimate, established way to get your US LLC on record from anywhere in the world. Pick your state, decline the add-ons you don’t need, and plan your EIN, bank account and yearly Form 5472 before you order.

Start your LLC with Bizee