We help US LLC owners - including NRPs and remote founders - avoid the KYC mistakes that kill applications, prepare the right documentation, and get their US business banking activated with confidence.
Already know if you're eligible? Let's get started. Not sure? We'll tell you in under 60 seconds.
Let us confirm your eligibility in under 60 seconds - no guesswork, no wasted applications.
Most guides bury this at the bottom. We're putting it first because wasting your time on an application you were never going to pass isn't useful to anyone. You need to know if you actually qualify before touching the form. Relay has specific requirements - and your situation as the individual owner matters just as much as the business itself. A lot of people miss that part.
Important: Having a US LLC does not automatically qualify you for Relay. The individual owner's residency and tax identification are the primary KYC factors. This is the detail most guides miss.
We're going to be straight with you here, because most services aren't.
Relay lists Pakistan as a restricted country. Applications from Pakistani residents won't be approved. We won't help you attempt it because it won't work.
You may qualify. You'll still need a valid SSN or ITIN and a legitimate US operational address - but the path is open.
That's exactly what our free eligibility check is for. Get a clear answer before you touch any application.
Our free eligibility check gives you a clear answer - no commitment required.
You registered your LLC. Did the research. Found Relay and it looked like a good fit - no fees, multiple accounts, everything online. Then something stopped you.
We built this service because we kept seeing the same founders stuck at the same point.
Maybe the application hit a wall with no explanation. Maybe you found out your country of residence is restricted and no blog post told you what that actually means for your specific situation. Or maybe Relay keeps asking for an "operational address" and all you have is a registered agent address and nobody has explained what the difference actually is.
Here is what founders in your position keep running into:
A rejected KYC application isn't a start-fresh-tomorrow situation. It can leave a footprint that complicates future applications at Mercury or other US banks. Getting it right the first time isn't just more convenient - it protects your LLC's standing with US financial institutions going forward.
Our assisted setup service stops every one of these failure points before they happen. Start with a free eligibility check - no commitment required.
For founders who do qualify, Relay is genuinely one of the most useful banking tools you can set up for a US LLC. It's not just an account - it's a structure that helps you run the financial side of your business cleanly from day one.
Here is what you get:
Physical and virtual Visa debit cards per sub-account - giving you full control over spending by category, department, or project.
International wire transfers supported - send and receive payments globally without the restrictions common to challenger banking alternatives.
Automated savings and transfer rules between accounts - set rules to automatically move funds to tax or profit buckets as money arrives.
100% online - no branch visits, no in-person requirements. Manage everything from anywhere in the world through Relay's web and mobile apps.
For remote agency owners managing US client income alongside international team payments, Relay's sub-account structure is one of the only ways to automate tax set-asides for US obligations while keeping operating and payroll funds cleanly separated. Generic banks don't offer this level of built-in financial structure.
Worth saying before we get into the setup process: Relay is excellent, but it's also one of the strictest options for non-resident founders. The features are worth it if you qualify. But qualifying takes more than an LLC and good intentions. This is why assisted setup makes sense. The goal isn't just filling out a form. It's making sure everything lines up before you submit, so the application doesn't come back with problems that are harder to fix the second time around.
Here is how it works when you engage us - a clear, five-step process from eligibility to post-approval orientation.
Here is exactly what you get when you work with us:
This service does not include legal advice, tax filing, or LLC formation. It is a banking activation and compliance navigation service.
From eligibility to post-approval
If you've been comparing options, here's a straightforward breakdown of how Relay stacks up against the most common alternatives for international LLC owners:
| Relay Recommended | Mercury | Wise Business | Traditional US Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | None | None | Low fee | Often $15-$25 |
| Sub-Accounts | Up to 20 | Limited | No | No |
| Pakistan Resident Eligible | No | Restricted | Partially | No |
| SSN Required | Yes (ITIN OK) | Yes | No (ITIN OK) | Yes |
| KYC Difficulty |
|
|
|
|
| Best For | NRPs with US presence | Tech startups | International transfers | US-based businesses |
The KYC difficulty row matters. Relay's strictness is part of what makes it credible - it's a real bank account that US clients and payment platforms take seriously. But that same strictness means the setup process needs to be done properly.
If you're based in Pakistan without a US SSN or operational address, none of the options above are likely to approve your application. That's not a gap in this table - that's the reality most guides avoid saying out loud. Our dedicated banking service for US LLCs exists for exactly this situation.
We'll tell you exactly which banking path works for your situation.
This service was built around a specific type of founder. If any of these sound like you, you're in the right place:
If your situation isn't listed here but you have a US LLC and need banking clarity, the eligibility check will tell you what you need to know.
"As an NRP in Dubai with a Delaware LLC, I had no idea Relay would require an operational address. They flagged this before I even applied and helped me sort out the right setup. Account approved in 6 days."
"I had tried to set this up myself twice and got stuck at the KYC stage both times. Turns out my documents were formatted incorrectly and my address type was wrong. One session fixed everything."
"They told me upfront I would not qualify for Relay because of my residency. Instead of wasting my time, they pointed me to the right NRP banking option. That honesty alone made the difference."
The questions founders ask most before getting started - answered directly.
Still have questions? Our free eligibility check covers your specific situation - not generic scenarios.
No. Pakistan is on Relay's restricted country list, which means if you're currently living there, your application won't go through - no matter how solid your LLC is or how clean your documents look. If you're an NRP living in the UAE, UK, or USA, and you have a valid SSN or ITIN plus a US operational address, you might qualify. We offer a free eligibility check to figure out exactly where you stand.
Your LLC formation documents, your EIN confirmation letter from the IRS, a government-issued photo ID, your SSN or ITIN, and proof of a US operational address. Just having a registered agent address usually isn't enough for Relay's KYC requirements.
A registered agent address is a legal service address - it's where official state correspondence goes, not where your business actually runs. A US operational address is a location where real business activity happens: a physical office, a coworking space, or a virtual office with a verifiable physical presence. Relay wants the latter. Widely shared mailbox or shipping store addresses are increasingly getting flagged during review. For more detail, see our guide on how to get a Relay-compliant US address for banking.
When everything is complete and consistent, most applications get reviewed within 3 to 7 business days. Incomplete or mismatched submissions can drag that out by quite a bit - which is one of the main reasons founders use an assisted setup service.
Not at all. Relay works with US LLCs registered in any state. Delaware is popular for structural reasons, but Wyoming and New Mexico LLCs are equally eligible.
We offer a dedicated banking service for NRPs and international founders who don't meet Relay's residency requirements. We'll point you toward banking solutions built for remote founders in your situation rather than leaving you without a path forward.
Relay requires either an SSN or ITIN for the account holder. An ITIN is accepted as an alternative. If you have neither, Relay isn't the right solution for where you are right now.
Honest answers to the things founders usually ask - or think - before deciding whether to use an assisted setup service.
A lot of founders think that, right up until they hit the KYC review stage. The most common failure points - the operational address type, document formatting, the restricted-countries check - none of these are explained in Relay's onboarding. And a declined application isn't always a clean slate. It can affect how other US banks look at your LLC later. Our service exists to stop those failure points before they happen.
If our eligibility assessment determines you don't qualify for Relay, we tell you upfront and redirect you to a banking solution that actually works for your situation. We don't walk clients through a process we already know will fail.
Yes. We don't assist with KYC workarounds, fake addresses, or any attempts to get around Relay's restricted-country list. Every step sits within Relay's compliance framework and US banking regulations.
You can, and we can help with that too. But for LLC owners who do qualify, Relay's fee-free multi-account structure is one of the most operationally useful tools available. If Relay is the right fit, it's worth setting up correctly the first time.
If our eligibility assessment determines that you don't qualify for Relay, we won't charge you for a setup service you can't use. We'll redirect you to the right solution at no additional cost.
We don't promise Relay approval - nobody can guarantee a bank's decision. What we do promise is that if you're eligible, your application will be submitted correctly, completely, and compliantly.
Whether you qualify for Relay or need a different path, we'll tell you exactly where you stand - for free.
No commitment required. No generic advice. Just clarity.
We offer dedicated banking solutions built for NRPs and international founders who don't meet Relay's residency requirements.
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