Delaware C-Corp Setup for Foreign FoundersDelaware C-Corp 外国创始人设立流程 Delaware C-Corp 外国创始人设立流程

Delaware vs Wyoming vs Nevada — reality checkDelaware vs 怀俄明 vs 内华达 — 务实对比

Online "US entity formation" content tends to frame this as a close three-way race. For foreign founders aiming at US VC fundraising, enterprise customers, or an eventual US exit, it is not close: Delaware. Wyoming and Nevada fit narrow use cases (privacy-driven founders who need a US entity but no US fundraising, or specific asset-protection structures). Every US institutional investor's standard documents are drafted for Delaware law; anything else triggers a conversion request before term sheet signing. 在线"美国实体设立"内容通常把三州写得势均力敌。对目标是美国 VC 融资、企业客户或美国退出的外国创始人来说，实际上没有悬念：Delaware。怀俄明与内华达只适合狭窄场景（注重隐私但不在美国融资的创始人，或特定资产保护结构）。美国机构投资人的标准文件都按 Delaware 法律起草；选了别的州，签 term sheet 前通常先要转换。

The Certificate of Incorporation公司设立证书

1. Choose a name that passes Delaware's database check.选一个通过 Delaware 数据库核查的名称。 Must include "Corporation", "Incorporated", "Company", "Limited", or an accepted abbreviation. Name reservation is optional but cheap (24-hour hold); typically skipped by founders filing the COI directly.须包含 "Corporation""Incorporated""Company""Limited" 或其缩写。名称预留可选且便宜（24 小时），通常直接提交 COI 时跳过。
2. Appoint a Delaware registered agent.指定 Delaware 注册代理。 A physical Delaware address is required. Service providers typically charge USD 50–200 per year. The agent receives legal service of process; ensure your provider actually forwards notices promptly.必须有 Delaware 实体地址。服务商一般年费 USD 50–200。代理接收法律文书送达；务必确认服务商能及时转发通知。
3. File the Certificate of Incorporation (COI) with the Delaware Division of Corporations.向 Delaware 公司登记处提交公司设立证书（COI）。 Typical structure: 10,000,000 authorized common shares at USD 0.00001 par value for a VC-track startup. Expedited filing is available (24-hour, same-day, 2-hour, 1-hour) for additional fees. Electronic filing returns within hours when expedited.典型结构：VC 路径创业公司使用 10,000,000 股授权普通股、面值 USD 0.00001。可选择加急（24 小时、当天、2 小时、1 小时）加收费用。电子加急申报数小时内返回。
4. Issue initial shares and adopt bylaws.发行首批股份并通过公司章程（bylaws）。 Founder share issuance, board composition, and 83(b) elections (if any US founder is involved) should all be sequenced in the same week as the COI, not later.创始人股份发行、董事会构成、83(b) 选择（若有美国创始人）应在 COI 同一周内串联完成，不要拖后。

EIN without an SSN — the actual working process没有 SSN 如何申请 EIN — 可用的流程

The IRS online EIN application (EIN Assistant) requires the Responsible Party to have an SSN or ITIN. Foreign founders without either file Form SS-4 manually: IRS 在线 EIN 申请（EIN Assistant）要求责任方有 SSN 或 ITIN。两者都没有的外国创始人须手工提交 SS-4：

1. Complete Form SS-4.填写 SS-4 表。 Name the Responsible Party (the foreign founder). Line 7b requires an SSN/ITIN — write "FOREIGN" if neither exists. Sign under penalty of perjury.指明责任方（外国创始人）。第 7b 行要求 SSN/ITIN — 若都没有则写 "FOREIGN"。在伪证处罚下签字。
2. Fax or mail.传真或邮寄。 Fax to the IRS international number ((855) 641-6935 — reconfirm before sending) returns an EIN in 4–8 weeks. Mail takes longer. Phone application is restricted to US-based applicants.传真到 IRS 国际号码（(855) 641-6935 — 发送前请核实），一般 4–8 周返回 EIN。邮寄更慢。电话申请仅限美国境内申请人。
3. Keep the EIN confirmation (CP 575) safely.妥善保存 EIN 确认函（CP 575）。 Banks, the IRS, payroll providers, and state tax authorities will all ask for it. A lost CP 575 can be replaced with a 147C letter but that is a hassle.银行、IRS、工资服务商、州税务机关都会索取。遗失的 CP 575 可以通过 147C 信件补发，但流程麻烦。

Faster path: if any founder, co-founder, officer, or early US-resident employee holds an ITIN or SSN, naming that person as Responsible Party lets you use the online EIN Assistant and receive the EIN immediately. This frequently shaves 6–8 weeks off timeline. The Responsible Party can be changed later by filing Form 8822-B. 更快路径：若创始人、联合创始人、Officer、或早期在美员工有 ITIN 或 SSN，将其列为责任方即可用在线 EIN Assistant 即时获取 EIN，通常节省 6–8 周。责任方可事后通过 8822-B 变更。

Form 5472 and Form 1120 — the most-missed complianceForm 5472 与 1120 — 最常被忽略的合规

A US corporation that is 25%-or-more foreign-owned and has any "reportable transaction" with a foreign related party in a tax year must file Form 5472 attached to Form 1120. Reportable transactions include: capital contributions, loans, repayments, sales or purchases of goods/services, rent, royalties, and even reimbursable expenses. 外国股东持股 ≥25% 的美国公司，在一个纳税年度内与境外关联方有任何"可报告交易"时，须随 Form 1120 一并提交 Form 5472。可报告交易包括：注资、借款、还款、商品/服务买卖、租金、特许权使用费、甚至代垫费用。

What many foreign founders miss: funding the entity from the foreign parent's account is itself a reportable transaction. So is the parent paying the Delaware registered-agent fee on behalf of the US entity. You effectively have a filing obligation from day one. 很多外国创始人错过的点：外国母公司账户注资本身就是可报告交易；母公司代美国实体支付 Delaware 注册代理费也是。实务上从第一天起就有申报义务。

Form 1120 is due by the 15th day of the 4th month after year-end (typically April 15 for calendar-year filers). A 6-month extension is available via Form 7004. File on time even if zero revenue. Form 1120 截止日为纳税年度结束后第 4 个月 15 日（日历年度通常为 4 月 15 日）。可通过 Form 7004 申请 6 个月延期。即使零收入也须按时申报。

Delaware franchise tax and annual reportDelaware 特许权税与年度申报

Every Delaware C-Corp owes franchise tax annually, due March 1 for the prior calendar year, regardless of revenue. Two calculation methods exist: 所有 Delaware C-Corp 每年 3 月 1 日前缴纳上一日历年度的特许权税，与收入无关。两种计算方法：

• Authorized shares method (default): Flat bands based on authorized share count. A 10,000,000-share VC-style COI produces a headline tax of over USD 85,000 under this method — alarming the first time a founder sees it.授权股份法（默认）：按授权股份数阶梯式固定额。VC 风格的 10,000,000 股 COI 按此法标称税额超过 USD 85,000 — 创始人第一次看到会被吓到。
• Assumed par value capital method (election): Calculated from issued shares, gross assets, and par value. For early-stage companies with modest assets, this method typically drops the tax to the USD 400–2,500 range. Always elect this method on the annual report unless you have specifically modeled otherwise.假定面值资本法（可选）：按已发行股份、总资产、面值计算。早期公司资产较少时，此法通常将税额降到 USD 400–2,500。除非特别建模否则在年度申报时总是选此法。

The annual report filing itself is USD 50 plus franchise tax. A foreign founder who ignores the Delaware Division of Corporations email in February will get a late penalty plus 1.5% monthly interest on the tax. 年度申报费用为 USD 50 加特许权税。外国创始人忽略 Delaware 公司登记处 2 月的邮件，将被加收滞纳罚款与每月 1.5% 利息。

State income tax and sales-tax nexus州所得税与销售税 nexus

A Delaware C-Corp with no employees, property, or customers in Delaware pays no Delaware state income tax. But state tax liability follows economic nexus, not state of incorporation: 没有 Delaware 雇员、资产、客户的 Delaware C-Corp 不缴 Delaware 州所得税。但州税负担跟"经济 nexus"走，不看注册州：

• State income tax nexus: Triggered by physical presence (office, inventory, employee) or economic presence (revenue thresholds vary by state, commonly USD 250k–500k in-state revenue). Once triggered, file a state corporate income tax return in each nexus state.州所得税 nexus：物理存在（办公、存货、员工）或经济存在（各州阈值不同，常见 USD 25–50 万州内收入）触发。触发后须在每个 nexus 州提交州企业所得税申报。
• Sales-tax economic nexus (post-Wayfair 2018): Most states impose sales-tax collection once revenue into the state exceeds USD 100,000 (or 200 transactions). Applies to SaaS in many states. Triggers required registration with each state's tax authority within 30–60 days of crossing threshold.销售税经济 nexus（Wayfair 2018 后）：多数州在州内收入超过 USD 100,000（或 200 笔交易）时要求代收销售税。很多州把 SaaS 纳入。触发后须在 30–60 天内向各州税务机关登记。
• Payroll tax nexus: Triggered by a single remote employee residing in a state. Registration with the state's unemployment and withholding tax agencies is required.工资税 nexus：即使只有一位远程员工居住在某州也会触发。须在该州失业保险与工资预扣税机关登记。

Banking for a foreign-owned Delaware C-Corp外资持有的 Delaware C-Corp 如何开户

Major US banks (Chase, BofA, Wells Fargo, Citi) typically require the Responsible Party / signing officer to appear in-person at a US branch with passport + COI + EIN confirmation. Some relationship banks accept remote onboarding for existing private-banking clients. 美国大行（Chase、BofA、Wells Fargo、Citi）一般要求责任方/签字官本人持护照 + COI + EIN 确认函到美国分行面签。部分关系型银行对现有私行客户可远程开户。

Remote-friendly options have improved materially: Mercury, Brex, Relay, Rho, and Wise Business accept foreign founders without a US visit once the C-Corp has an EIN and the founder can prove identity through an accepted KYC flow. These are fine for operations and payroll; they are not fine for large wire flows from a foreign parent without careful documentation. 远程友好的选择明显改善：Mercury、Brex、Relay、Rho、Wise Business 在 C-Corp 已有 EIN 且创始人可通过认可的 KYC 流程证明身份时，接受外国创始人免美国到访开户。适合日常经营与工资；不适合从外国母公司大额电汇而没有完整文件支持的情形。

For end-to-end sequencing that coordinates Delaware setup with the upstream SG/HK holding and ODI, see our cross-border corporate structuring service for SG and HK founders. 将 Delaware 设立与上游 SG/HK 控股及 ODI 串成一个工作流，见 跨境企业架构服务。