U.S. citizen can only participate in an S Corp if they are an emigre, meaning they have passed the IRS's substantial presence test or hold a green card.
To start a business in the USA, you do not need legal residency or citizenship. However, if you plan to live and work in the United States (and receive wages from your business while living in the U.S.), you will require a Green Card or visa. The particular visa you need depends on your situation.
Resident Alien: Resident aliens, also referred to as US residents, can own shares in an S corporation. Non-resident alien: Before 2018, there was no way for non-residents to own shares of an S corporation. However, non-resident aliens can now invest in these companies through an Electing Small Business Trust (ESBT).
Any foreign individual or company can own a C-corp in the US. It is not exclusively for US residents. Ownership in a C-corp is given out by offering company's stock. Ones who own this stock are the called the shareholders of the corporation.
How to Start an S Corp in California: Key Takeaways Check name availability, choose a business name, and obtain an EIN. File articles of incorporation, registered agent, and corporate bylaws. S corp director election, meeting requirements, and issuing stock. Statement information, Form 2553, and Form 100S.
Only a green card or meeting the IRS' “substantial presence test” enables an alien to be eligible to be an S Corporation shareholder.
Generally, there are no restrictions on foreign ownership of a company formed in the United States. The procedure for a foreign citizen to form a company in the US is the same as for a US resident. It is not necessary to be a US citizen or to have a green card to own a corporation or LLC.
Shareholders must be US citizens or residents. The business may have no more than 100 shareholders.
A small business corporation elects federal S corporation status by filing federal Form 2553 (Election By a Small Business Corporation) with the Internal Revenue Service. When a corporation elects federal S corporation status it automatically becomes an S corporation for California.