Country dossier · 5 facts on file · audited 2026-08-27
Form FS-04 · Country dossier: PKPakistan · Not a government filing
Pakistan-based founders face the full stack of gaps at once: no Stripe, restricted access to US fintech banks, and business payouts to PKR that mainstream transfer services will not make. A US LLC solves the front end — accepting payment from global customers — while the money-home leg takes planning and, above a point, State Bank of Pakistan paperwork.
Pakistan has a US income tax treaty dating to 1957, one of the oldest still in force. Its practical benefit for a services founder is limited — treat it as a detail for your tax adviser, not a selling point.
Source: IRS — Pakistan tax treaty documents page
Pakistan does not appear on Stripe's supported-country list at all — no direct onboarding, no extended network. A US entity is the standard route to Stripe for Pakistani founders.
Source: Stripe — global availability page
Mercury's published policy prohibits accounts for founders living in Pakistan, and Wise does not let Pakistan-resident users hold balances. Research current provider eligibility before you form.
Source: Mercury prohibited-countries policy; Wise eligibility list
Wise can send to personal bank accounts in Pakistan but states it is "unable to send business payments to PKR" — plan the company-to-you leg (e.g., owner distributions to your personal account) accordingly.
Source: Wise supported-currencies list
A Pakistan resident acquiring equity in a foreign company sits inside the State Bank of Pakistan's regulated investment-abroad framework (Foreign Exchange Manual, Ch. 20). The rules have startup-friendly categories, but this is a consult-before-you-file item, not a formality.
Source: SBP Foreign Exchange Manual Ch. 20 (framework corroborated)
Filed under: PK · not legal or tax advice
Yes. Forming and owning a US LLC requires no US citizenship, residency, visa, or visit — you file online from Pakistan and appoint a registered agent in your chosen state. The wizard walks the exact steps for non-US founders.
Pakistan has a US income tax treaty dating to 1957, one of the oldest still in force. Its practical benefit for a services founder is limited — treat it as a detail for your tax adviser, not a selling point.
State fees differ by hundreds of dollars across the 51 US jurisdictions and change often — so we never quote them in prose. The True Cost Calculator shows every state's filing fee, recurring fees, and a 3-year total, each figure dated and checked against the state's official schedule.
No US entity removes your home-country obligations: you remain a Pakistan tax resident, and local rules on foreign companies apply on top of the US side. Treat the dossier above as a map of what to ask a licensed adviser in Pakistan — not as advice.