Onboarding as an International Company
StretchDollar works with companies whose owners or administrators live outside the United States. To set up your account, your business needs a U.S. presence, and we’ll need a few documents to verify it. This article covers what to have ready before you start.
What you’ll need
1. An Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Your company must have a U.S. EIN issued by the IRS. This is how we identify your business for payments and compliance. If you don’t have one yet, you can apply through the IRS website before starting onboarding.
2. A U.S. business address
Your company’s address on file must be a physical location in the United States, where your business is registered or operates in the state. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
- Registered agent addresses: If the address you provided is a registered agent address, you’ll need to update it to a physical business address.
- Remote businesses: If your business operates remotely, you can use the residential address of the controller or a beneficial owner, as long as it’s in the U.S.
- Co-working spaces: If your address is a co-working location, either upload proof of address for that location or, if you operate remotely, update it to a U.S. residential address of the controller or a beneficial owner.
3. Proof of business in the state
To confirm your U.S. address, upload one of the following, showing your business name and the same address you entered during onboarding:
- A utility bill for the business location
- A lease agreement for the business location
- A bank statement for the business
Note: Documents must be dated within the last 30 days.
4. U.S.-based employees
Employees participating in your ICHRA must live in the U.S., since reimbursements are tied to individual health coverage purchased in the U.S.
5. Passport information for international owners and admins
Your account administrator, account controller, and beneficial owners (individuals who own 25% or more of the company) don’t need to live in the U.S. If they don’t have a U.S. Social Security Number, they can verify their identity with a foreign passport instead.
Identity verification
What happens after you submit?
Each beneficial owner goes through a verification process. Their status must reach Verified before your business can send funds, so we recommend completing this step as early as possible.
If a document upload is required
If a beneficial owner’s identity can’t be verified automatically, they’ll be asked to upload a non-expired foreign passport. To avoid delays:
- Country: Enter the two-letter country code (for example, CA for Canada).
- Postal code: Optional for non-U.S. residents, but include it if your address has one.
- Passport image: Make sure the photo is clear, shows all four corners, and the name and date of birth match exactly what was entered during onboarding.
Quick summary
| Requirement | Must be U.S.-based? |
|---|---|
| EIN | Yes |
| Company address | Yes, physical location (no P.O. boxes) |
| Proof of business (utility bill, lease, or bank statement) | Yes, must match the U.S. address |
| Account administrator, controller, and beneficial owners | No, can live abroad and verify with a passport |
| Employees | Yes, must live in the U.S. |
Common questions
Can our admin or owners live outside the U.S.?
Yes. They can be located anywhere, as long as they provide valid passport information for verification.
Do our employees need to be in the U.S.?
Yes. Employees enrolled in your ICHRA must live in the U.S.
Can we use our international headquarters address?
No. The company address must be in the U.S., and your proof of business document needs to match it.
Can we use a P.O. box as our business address?
No. Your company address must be a physical U.S. location that matches your proof of business document.
Why can’t we send funds yet?
All beneficial owners must reach Verified status before your business can send funds. If someone is still pending, check whether they’ve been asked to upload a passport.
What if our documents don’t match the information we entered?
Verification may be delayed. Double-check that business names, addresses, legal names, and dates of birth match your documents exactly.
Need help?
If you have questions about your documents or run into issues during onboarding, reach out to our support team at support@stretchdollar.com and we’ll help you get set up.