Thread: living overseas but want to start U.S. based online bussiness

I am living overseas, but planning to start a simple U.S. based online business. The website I will create is mainly use for accepting credit card payment and accepting file upload from customer for me to edit. Then I email them back the finished file.
This is my first ecommerce venture. So I don't know if this is doable. I have a U.S. physical street address, and already have a incorporated bussiness entity and a business checking account in the U.S. The only missing piece is the merchant account.
I suppose merchant accounts require some paper work through snail mail when signature is required. Also, I believe many of these documents from merchant accounts are to be respond within a few days. For exmaple, if a "Charge Back" is initiated, the merchant account house sends you a letter through snail mail and demand response within 10 days.
Can anyone tell me if someone living overseas will have problem handling issues with the merchant account house in the U.S.? or can everything be handled via e-mail and fax?
Thanks.

You will need an EIN. Do you have one?

You should also investigate mail forwarding options.

Originally Posted by MattR

You will need an EIN. Do you have one?

You should also investigate mail forwarding options.

yes I do have a EIN.
"mail forwarding" is not feasible since I live in asia for now, it will take too long for any mail to be forwarded to me and I would not be able to respond in time, given the tight time frame that merchant account house demands.
In fact, I can certainly make a trip back to the U.S. for the initial account setup process. What I am concerned about is the on going maintance of the merchant account. If important correspondence with merchant account must be done through snail mail, it is not likely to happen.

I guess your answer to my question is "No, you can not do online business if you live overseas". Correct?

Does anyone have other opinion?

No, I disagree. I am a resident in the UK and although I travel to the US frequently, I am a non-resident. I have a couple of LLCs with bank/merchant accounts. I do use mail forwarding.

I have heard that 2Checkout has certain tax advantages due to how it is set up. Meaning, that you may not have to worry about US taxes. This is all second hand information. I would contact 2Checkout to get more information. I am pretty sure that what they are doing is 100% legal.

I hope that helps you out.

correct. According to 2checkout, there is no need to pay sales tax.
[url=http://www.2checkout.com/community/blog/tag/tax/]2Checkout.com - Merchant Account / Credit Card Processing Alternative » tax[/url]

But, income tax is a different story. All U.S. citizens are supposed to pay income tax to the U.S. IRS, no matter where you are in the world.

Yes, correct. The person I got the information from said that they still had to pay sales tax in their country.

I think you will need PTIN number. And you should follow the local tax system.

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