International founder stack: US LLC + EOR + immigration

Pursuing O-1, EB-1A, or E-2 from outside the US? You need a US LLC first, banking + EOR for any employees, and immigration counsel for the visa filing itself. Match your most urgent need.

1. What's your most urgent need right now?

Form a US LLC (or C-corp) - first step before everything else EOR / payroll / hire international employees File the actual visa (O-1, EB-1A, E-2) All of the above - I haven't started yet

2. Are you currently in the US or abroad?

In the US on another visa (F-1, H-1B, etc.) Abroad, planning to come

3. Country of birth treaty status (for E-2)?

Treaty country (UK, Canada, Germany, EU, Australia, Japan, etc.) Non-treaty country (India, China, Brazil, many others) Not sure

4. Strongest evidence you have right now?

Major press / awards / academic recognition Brand-name VC / accelerator backing (YC, a16z, etc.) Real revenue + paying customers Patents or published research None of these yet

5. Capital available for incorporation + legal?

Under $5k (lean as possible) $5-20k $20k+ (willing to invest in the right stack)

Name (for the match): Email:

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Stack-fit by need

Need	Best fit	Why
Form a US LLC fast (lean / under $5k)	Doola	$297 base price, Wyoming option saves $240/yr, includes EIN. PartnerStack affiliate.
Form a US LLC with strongest banking integration	Firstbase	$399, integrates with Mercury, no EIN needed for banking. 10% lifetime referral commission.
EOR + payroll + immigration filings in one	Deel	Covers EOR for global hires AND has internal immigration team. Up to $1,500 per signup.
Actual O-1 / EB-1A visa filing	Boundless (manual flagship)	Vetted immigration counsel for the visa filing itself. Manual partner-manager referral.

Why this is a stack, not a competition: a typical international founder pursuing O-1 or EB-1A goes through ALL FOUR of these in sequence. Doola or Firstbase first (LLC), then Deel (EOR for any hires), then Boundless (visa filing). The page routes you to your most urgent step.

Path comparison

Path	Best when	Typical timeline
O-1A	Awards, major press, or brand-name VC backing	2-4 months (premium processing)
EB-1A	Stronger evidence than O-1; goal is green card directly	8-18 months
E-2	Treaty-country founder investing $50k+ into a US entity	2-3 months at consulate

FAQ

Doola vs Firstbase for non-US founder?: Doola is cheaper ($297 vs $399), Wyoming-friendly, simpler. Firstbase has stronger banking integration (works with Mercury without EIN). Both have legitimate affiliate programs. Pick by price sensitivity vs banking ease.
Why does Deel show up here?: Deel runs both an EOR product (for hiring international employees) AND an immigration team (for filing visas like O-1, EB-1A). One Deel relationship covers both needs.
Why is Boundless "manual flagship"?: Boundless's Partnership Hub requires applicants to demonstrate proven immigration expertise + a meeting + role definition before approval. It's a channel partnership for established immigration consultants, not a content-site affiliate. We refer prospects manually.

middot; Affiliate disclosure