Get your US business bank account application right — the first time
A rejected application is a wasted shot — and without fixing what went wrong, the next bank says no for the same reason. We help non-US residents and previously-rejected founders apply right, the first time.
Why most foreign founders get rejected the first time
Almost every rejection comes down to one of these avoidable mistakes.
Outdated guides, fields that changed
Most people apply using advice from a year or two ago — but bank forms keep changing. The guide is stale, the fields are misunderstood, and key answers get filled in wrong. It's the single most common reason applications get rejected.
Documents not adapted into English
Licenses, proof of address and business descriptions submitted in a local language. US banks review everything in English — anything not adapted reads as unverifiable and stalls or sinks the application.
Faked documents get caught
When a required document doesn't exist, some applicants forge one to fill the gap. Bank risk checks and third-party verification flag it — and once forgery is detected, it's an instant rejection, usually for good at that bank.
Applying with an unsupported industry
Every bank serves a different set of industries — crypto, gambling, cross-border trade and other high-risk sectors simply aren't accepted at many of them. Apply with a business type a bank doesn't support and even a flawless file gets declined.
Why founders trust ApplyRight
We do one thing, and we keep it current. No magic — just a method built for how 2026 approvals actually work.
Sequential, not scattershot
We never fire off applications to several banks at once. Finding your strongest match and getting it right beats going scattershot — and it keeps you from repeating the same unresolved problem at bank after bank.
Policies tracked weekly
Relay dropped virtual addresses. Wise tightened KYC after a FinCEN penalty. Mercury raised its bar in 2026. We track these changes as they land, so you apply against today's rules — not a year-old guide.
We pre-screen before charging
We assess your profile against each bank's current eligibility before taking a case. If the odds aren't there, we tell you up front — and point you at what to fix first.
Three ways we help
Pick what fits your situation.
Have a US company and just want one bank done right? We handle the one you pick — most choose Mercury, but Relay, Lili or Slash work too.
- Eligibility pre-check
- We apply to 1 bank (your pick — usually Mercury)
- Document audit & prep
- We handle the bank's follow-ups
- You provide your own company website & domain email
- No approval, no fee
Website, documents, bank follow-ups — everything handled for you.
- Eligibility pre-check
- We apply to 1 bank (your pick — usually Mercury)
- Company website + domain + email, built for you (boosts approval)
- Document audit & preparation
- We handle the bank's follow-up questions
- Daily progress updates
- 30 days of post-approval support
- No approval, no fee
No US company yet? Wyoming LLC, EIN, and two banks (primary + backup) — all handled.
- Wyoming LLC formation (no state income tax, privacy)
- EIN registration
- Company website + domain + email, built for you
- Apply to 2 banks (primary + backup)
- Full document preparation
- Extended post-approval support
- No approval, no fee (on the banking step)
- We handle: pre-check, documents, website, and replies to the bank's follow-ups
- You complete: identity verification (KYC) and the final submission — the bank requires the owner in person
- Any service promising you'll "never have to show up" is impersonating your KYC — gambling with your identity
How it works
From inquiry to approval, the full path.
Free eligibility check
Take our 3-minute quiz to see your likelihood across 7+ banks. No commitment.
Choose your service
Based on your situation, pick the tier that fits. We pre-screen — if your case is hopeless, we tell you upfront.
We apply for you
We prep your documents, file the application, handle follow-up questions from the bank, and keep you updated daily.
Account approved
Average timeline: 7-14 days. We help you set up online banking, cards, and wires. 30 days of free support.
Bank guides for 2026
Plain-English breakdowns of how US bank approvals actually work this year — written from real applications, not last year's Reddit threads.
LLC or C-Corp? Delaware or Wyoming? And a Name That Doesn't Scream “Supplier” (2026)
Three decisions before forming: LLC or C-Corp (one question), Delaware or Wyoming (Delaware is for fundraising, not legitimacy), and a name that doesn't scream 'supplier'.
Read guideGet an EIN Without an SSN: the Fax + 147C Phone Playbook (2026)
No SSN, no online EIN application. The working path: fax Form SS-4, use the faxed-back letter for Stripe and Mercury, and the 147C phone-chase playbook with menu keys.
Read guideMercury vs Relay vs BlueVine: Which Business Bank Account Is Best for Foreign Founders in 2026?
Mercury, Relay and BlueVine serve very different founders. Compared across eight dimensions that decide approval — with experience-based likelihood ranges and a decision tree.
Read guideCan You Open a Mercury Bank Account Without an SSN? (2026 Complete Guide)
Yes, Mercury works without an SSN. What it actually requires, what auto-rejects non-residents, and the step-by-step playbook to get approved in 2026.
Read guideUS Addresses & Proof of Address for Non-US Founders: What Banks Actually Accept (2026)
Registered agent, operating address, PO Box, virtual address — which goes where, what counts as proof in 2026, and why 'residential' virtual addresses fail real KYC.
Read guideProof of US Nexus: What Banks Want, the 4 Ways to Pass, and the $25k Countdown (2026)
Banks now ask foreign-owned US companies to prove a real US connection. The four qualifying options, the exact documents for each, and how to survive the pre-nexus $25k / 60-day countdown.
Read guideMercury Application Rejected? The Real Reasons — and How to Reapply Safely (2026)
Rejected by Mercury? Red lines vs. fixable mistakes, why the email tells you nothing, the channels that actually get replies, and the reapply rules that avoid a permanent ban.
Read guide13 Moves That Get US Business Bank Accounts Rejected or Closed (2026)
Rejections and closures are pattern matches, not bad luck. The 13 operations that trigger them — 6 at application, 7 in daily use — and the three habits that keep an account stable.
Read guideYour US Business Account Is Open. The First 90 Days Decide Whether It Stays Open (2026)
Approval isn't the finish line — the first 90 days are when the bank decides whether to trust the account. The week-1 activation list, what a healthy money flow looks like, how to pay yourself, and a 90-day cadence.
Read guideMercury Closed My Account: How to Get Your Money Back (2026)
Mercury closed your account? Save the money, not the account: the 72-hour checklist, the US-account refund trap, and a real 14-day full-recovery timeline.
Read guideWhat Is a Merchant of Record? MoR vs PSP vs Seller of Record, Explained (2026)
The MoR is the legal seller of the transaction — statement name, taxes, chargebacks, all theirs. How that differs from a PSP like Stripe and a seller of record, and what the ~5% fee buys.
Read guideSaaS Payment Stack (2026): Bank Transfer vs Stripe vs MoR — and Which MoR to Pick
B2B wants invoices and bank transfers; B2C wants cards. Exact 2026 fees across the three rails, the six-MoR comparison (Creem to FastSpring), and the redundancy rule.
Read guideCreem Review (2026): Fees, Store Verification, and What It Refuses to Sell
Creem is the cheapest MoR (3.9% + 40¢) with the strictest store review. The pass-first-time checklist, 6 common rejection causes, the prohibited list, and who should pick it.
Read guideGetting Paid from the US: Stripe vs. Merchant of Record vs. Bank Transfer (2026)
65% of US payments are cards — checkout is a conversion problem. MoR vs PSP, real 2026 rates, platform picks by stage, Stripe's risk mechanics, and the 1+1+1 redundancy rule.
Read guidePassing Stripe Review: the 5 Things It Checks + the Two Checklists (2026)
Stripe's KYB checks five things: entity, website, products, transaction risk, consistency. The document and website checklists to run before submitting — plus domain-ownership proof.
Read guideStripe Banned You? The Disaster Plan — and Migrating Subscriptions While You Still Can (2026)
A full Stripe ban locks you out completely. The redundancy to build before it happens, the plan-B re-subscribe campaign, and the official subscription-migration toolkit.
Read guideGood Standing, Neglect, and Reinstatement: Keeping Your US Company Alive (2026)
What Good Standing is, the chain reaction when a company goes unmaintained (frozen accounts, $25k IRS penalties, suspended stores), and the five-step reinstatement with its seven traps.
Read guideITIN Explained: US Credit Without an SSN — and Whether You Now Owe US Tax (2026)
ITIN vs SSN vs EIN, building US credit without an SSN via secured cards, the CPN red line — and why ITIN + a US card usually doesn't make you a US taxpayer.
Read guide14 US banks, compared head-to-head
Eligibility, required documents, restricted countries & industries, virtual cards — plus our hands-on reviews from real applications.
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