Do I need a US address to open a Shopify store as a non-resident?

[lipa222]

I want to sell to the US as a non-resident, so I don't have a US physical address. Do I need one to open a Shopify store that sells in the US or can I use a virtual business address? 

[bitolga]

Hello
You do not need any address to sell products.
If the country you are in is suitable for receiving payments and installing the applications you want, you do not need an address.

Example: Last week, since a friend of mine lives in Turkey, we set up an official firm in the United States for payment systems problems and to use social media applications. In this way, his real address became his bank account. It can sell without any problem.

[lipa222]

Thank u for your reply.
But isn't Shopify going to verify if my store is legit before allowing me to receive the payments for the products that I sold?

[Victor]

Hi @lipa222,

Can you tell me where you are based? You don't need a US address to sell your products to customers in the US, no. You will want to find a payment gateway available in your country that allows for international payments and look into how you could ship your products to the United States.

However, please bear in mind that you do need to be in the United States to us US-specific Shopify products, such as Shopify Payments US. 

[lipa222]

Thank you for your reply.

I live in Portugal, but I only want to sell to the US. I'm also in the process of creating an LLC but, since I live in Portugal I don't have a physical address in US, only a virtual business address.

Can I use that virtual address in all steps that Shopify asks me for my business address?

[Victor]

Hi @lipa222,

Right, thank you. You can add this address if you wish and this will allow you to select US-specific payment gateway options, however you likely will not be able to create a US merchant account with these payment providers (including Shopify Payments). We would require proof of residency and a Social Security Number, for example, as well as a bank account from a US-based financial institution.

My recommendation would be to provide your Portuguese address and use the tools we offer to merchants in your country. You can use Shopify Payments for Portugal to accept payments from customers, including those in the United States. Our Shopify Markets tool also offers a variety of features that help you sell to international markets, such as offering pricing in local currencies. This means your US customers could view your products in USD while you would receive your payouts in EUR. 

[lipa222]

Thank you for the fast reply.

Two questions:
1- I will have a US bank account, is that proof enough, since to open that I needed a US address (virtual address in my case)?

2- What would be the difference between using Shopify payments for Portugal and Shopify payments for the US, since I only want to sell to the US?

Thank you.

[Victor]

Hi @lipa222,

In order to use Shopify Payments US, you'll need to provide documentation such as a valid Social Security Number and proof of residency in the United States. The long and short of it is that if you don't live in the United States you will not be permitted to use a Shopify Payments US account.

Even if you're planning on selling to the US, you'd be best served opening a Shopify Payments for Portugal account. You can provide your Portuguese address and a local bank account through which you can receive payouts.

The key difference between these two types of Shopify Payments accounts is that you'll be receiving your payouts in EUR rather than USD. However, you can use Shopify Markets to allow your customers to pay in their local currency, as mentioned. This means your products can still be priced in USD for your American customers.

Please let me know if you have further questions.

[tkpthalayck]

Hi Victor,

my payment gateway has been locked. So how can I change my address to my Indian Shopify payment gateway address and use that address for payout?