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Can a foreign owner have an S-Corp?

Incorporation & entity structure

No. Non-resident alien shareholders disqualify a company from S status, which rules it out for most cross-border founding teams.

If a non-resident acquires shares in an existing S-Corp, the election terminates. That is a real risk when foreign investors come onto the cap table.

We handle this for founders running US companies.

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Check your EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) first. If that is gone, look at a previously filed tax return, a business bank account application, or any 1099 you have issued. Your bank or your payroll provider will also have it on file.

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