Home / Resources / How it works
How it works
Four steps, and a person with you at each one.
From the first call to your first sale. You approve every document before it is filed, and you remain the owner of everything.
A first call
We look at your store, where you live and where you sell.
We form your company
We prepare and file the formation paperwork with you. You receive your company documents the next day.
Bank accounts and payments
We guide you through your bank account applications and your Stripe and Shopify Payments setup.
Start selling.
You focus on the store. We keep the company clean behind it.
What you receive
A complete company file, in your name.
Every document is issued in the name of your company and stored in your member area. You remain the owner, the applicant and the account holder.
Real people handle your file.
Forming a company abroad is a matter of trust. Our in-house team works through each step with you, and you always know who is handling your file.
- A dedicated account managerOne named contact from the first call to your annual renewals.
- Step-by-step guidanceWe prepare each form with you and explain what you are signing, in plain words.
- Your documents, kept safeEncrypted transfer, access limited to the people handling your file.
Typical timeline.
| When | Who decides | |
|---|---|---|
| Company formed | Typically 24 hours after a complete file | The state |
| EIN issued | Several days to a few weeks | The IRS |
| Bank account opened | Typically within a week of applying | The bank |
| Stripe and Shopify Payments | Once the bank account is open | The provider |
These are typical timeframes, not guarantees. Government agencies, banks and payment providers make their own decisions in their own time.
Overview
What to expect and who decides
Setting up a company for an online store follows a fixed order. The company is formed first. Its tax identification comes next, because banks ask for it. The bank account follows, and payment providers come last, because they need a company, a tax number, a bank account and a working store to verify. Skipping ahead rarely saves time, since each institution checks what the previous one issued.
Three kinds of participants are involved, and it helps to know who decides what. You decide the structure, the jurisdiction, the ownership and everything about the business itself. Atiko prepares the documents, files them, follows each application and explains what comes back. Government agencies, banks and payment providers decide whether to accept a filing or approve an account, and how long they take.
You remain the owner, the applicant and the account holder at every stage. Where a step needs legal or tax judgment, such as how your own country taxes income from a foreign company, that question goes to an independent licensed professional. The timings given below are typical. They depend on the completeness of your file and on the institution concerned.
In detail
The journey in seven steps
First call
You describe your store, your markets, where you live and what you have already decided. We explain what each structure and jurisdiction involves administratively, which documents are needed and what the process looks like for a founder in your position.
Written quote and intake
You receive a written quote that separates our fee from government fees and third-party costs. Once you accept it, you complete a secure intake with your identity documents, address details and company information.
Document preparation and review
A filing specialist checks your file for completeness and consistency, prepares the formation documents and sends them to you. You review them, ask any questions and sign where required.
Formation filing
We file with the state or the registry. Formation is typically completed within 24 hours of a complete file in the United States, depending on the state, and within 24 hours in the United Kingdom. Hong Kong typically takes a few working days.
Tax identification
We prepare and submit the tax identification application. For a US company whose responsible party has no Social Security number or ITIN, the EIN is requested by fax or mail, and the IRS typically takes from several days to a few weeks.
Bank account and payment providers
We prepare the bank application with you, then the Stripe and Shopify Payments setup, and review your store against the points providers usually check. US business accounts typically open within a week of applying. Each institution decides on its own schedule.
First annual filing
We add every deadline to your calendar on the day the company is formed and remind you in advance. When the first filing falls due, we prepare the routine registry filings and gather what independent licensed professionals need for accounts and tax returns.
Preparation
What to prepare before the first call
None of these items is required to book a call, but having them at hand makes the conversation more useful and the quote more precise.
By jurisdiction
How the journey differs by jurisdiction
| United States | United Kingdom | Hong Kong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the company is filed | With the state you choose | Companies House | Companies Registry |
| Typical formation time | Within 24 hours, depending on the state | Within 24 hours | A few working days |
| Local requirement | Registered agent with an address in the state | Registered office in the UK and a registered email | Local company secretary and registered office |
| Identity checks at formation | Owner details collected for the filing | Identity verification for directors and PSCs | Director and shareholder details filed with the registry |
| Tax identification | EIN from the IRS, by fax or mail without an SSN | Registration with HMRC for Corporation Tax | Business Registration Certificate issued with incorporation |
| First yearly obligations | State report or tax, plus federal filings | Confirmation statement, accounts and Company Tax Return | Annual return, registration renewal, audit and tax return |
Timings are typical and are decided by the agency concerned.
Delays
What can slow things down
Most delays have a small number of causes, and each can usually be avoided with a little preparation.
An incomplete or inconsistent file
A missing document, or a name or address written differently from one form to another, is the most common cause of delay. Send everything in one go and use exactly the same spelling as on your passport.
A company name that is unavailable
States and registries reject names that are taken or too similar to an existing one. Proposing two or three options at the start lets us file the next one without waiting for you.
Tax authority processing times
An EIN requested without a Social Security number is processed manually by the IRS, and the wait varies through the year. Starting the application as soon as the company exists is the only way to shorten it.
A store that is not ready for review
Payment providers look for contact details, refund and returns policy, shipping information, terms and a privacy policy. Finishing these pages before you apply avoids a second round of questions.
Slow replies to verification requests
Banks and providers often ask for one more document and pause the application until it arrives. Answering within a day or two, with exactly what was requested, keeps the file moving.
Questions about the process
How long does the whole process take?
Formation itself is typically quick, from about a day in the United States and the United Kingdom to a few working days in Hong Kong. The tax identification, bank account and payment provider steps follow, and each depends on the institution. For a US company owned by a non-resident, the EIN is usually the longest wait.
Do I need to travel or have a visa?
No. Non-US residents can own a US LLC or C Corporation without a visa or a Social Security number, and neither the United Kingdom nor Hong Kong requires directors or shareholders to live there. Filing is done remotely.
Can I apply for a bank account before the tax number arrives?
In most cases banks ask for the company’s tax identification as part of the application, so the bank step follows it. We use the waiting period to prepare the bank file and review your store, so that the application can go out as soon as the number is issued.
What do I have to do myself?
You make the decisions, provide accurate information and documents, review and sign what we prepare, and complete the identity checks that registries, banks and providers require from you personally. You also apply for and hold your own accounts. We prepare and follow everything else.
What happens if the registry rejects the filing?
A rejection usually concerns a name conflict or a detail that needs correcting. We explain the reason, correct the document with you and file again. The registry decides on each submission.
Does my store need to be live before I start?
It does not need to be live to form the company. It should be complete before you apply to payment providers, because they review the store’s policies, contact details and products as part of verification.
Who is my contact during the process?
Your file is handled by an in-house filing specialist, who prepares your documents and answers your questions. You are told at each stage what has been filed, what is pending and what is needed from you next.
What happens after the company is set up?
The company has obligations every year, which vary by jurisdiction. If you choose the management service, we track the deadlines, prepare routine filings and coordinate documents with independent licensed professionals. If you prefer to manage the company yourself, we give you a summary of what is due and when.
Ready to start your company?
Book a 20-minute call. We tell you exactly what we set up, and how fast.