Buying US Real Estate as a Russian Citizen: Closing Checks, Financing and FIRPTA
No federal law stops a Russian citizen from buying a house or an apartment in the United States. A few states restrict such purchases, and those statutes turn on domicile more than on the passport.
Everywhere else, buying US real estate as a Russian citizen comes down to four practical questions: who screens the buyer on the way to closing, whether the money can be traced, whether anyone...
State Property Bans for Russian Citizens: Where They Apply in 2026
This is not a sanctions question, and the difference matters
Can a Russian citizen buy a house, a condominium, or commercial property in the United States? A few years ago the answer usually began and ended with a sanctions check. That is no longer sufficient. It is now also necessary to establish where the property is located, where the buyer lives, what his immigration status is, and, if...
A US Company for Russian Citizens: What OFAC Checks and What the Bank Checks
Where the confusion usually starts
A client walks in with a Russian passport and asks whether he can own a Delaware limited liability company (LLC). Most advisers instinctively reach for the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), run the name, find nothing, and say yes. That answer is right about a quarter of the time.
No US sanctions program prohibits a...
Delaware Corporation Registration: Who Needs It and Who Does Not
Why Delaware became the default
Roughly two-thirds of the Fortune 500 are incorporated in Delaware. That concentration is not an accident of history, and it is worth understanding what the state actually delivers before deciding whether you need any of it.
The statute comes first. The Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) is amended almost every year and tracks commercial practice more...
Source of Funds for a US Business: What US Banks Check for Russian Clients
Source of funds vs. source of wealth: two different questions
Bank compliance teams work with two related but distinct concepts. Source of funds is the origin of a specific sum moving through a specific transaction, say, a $200,000 wire into a new company's account. Source of wealth is the origin of a client's entire net worth: how the person built the fortune of which this transaction is...
US Bank Account for Foreigners: What Banks Really Ask
Why a foreigner needs a US bank account
For a foreigner who is building a business in the US, incorporating a Delaware C-Corp or an LLC, receiving payments from American counterparties, or paying expenses in dollars, a US bank account for foreigners often becomes a practical necessity. At the same time, the account-opening process is frequently described either too optimistically (“just show...
LLC vs C-Corp: Which Structure Fits a Non-U.S. Founder
What Actually Separates an LLC From a C-Corp
For a non-U.S. founder, the first real decision when starting a business in the U.S. isn't where to register; it's what to register. In practice, that choice comes down to two options: LLC vs C-Corp. Both shield the owner's personal assets from the company's debts, and both are open to a non-resident with no visa or citizenship requirement. The...
Startup Development in the USA
The Startup is Always Something New
What is a "startup"? It is not an idle question, especially for those involved in advanced technologies and planning to enter the market to attract investors. From a business point of view, "startup" has well-defined content. First, it is always something new: whether it's new software, application, or even a new way to do something faster and more...
What’s the Difference Between a Startup and Other Companies?
What is the Idea of a Startup?
It’s fair to say that the difference between a startup and other companies is not apparent to everyone. Usually, the word “startup” is associated with a super-successful project developed from scratch into a multi-million-dollar business. What’s missing from this picture is that at the heart of every startup, whether successful or not, is the business idea...
Forming a US LLC for Non-residents
Benefits of Forming a US LLC for Non-residents
The Limited Liability Company (LLC) is one of the most popular forms of doing business in the United States, both for residents and non-residents. At the same time, it offers some additional perks for non-resident owners. Starting a company in America as an LLC has a lot of advantages, including the following:
The USA has one of the most...