If you live outside the U.S. you may encounter quite a few problems getting a merchant account. The cost of getting a real merchant account is quite expensive. You have three options: Go with a 3rd party processing company (can be found here), establish a U.S. presence or use a company that specifically deals with foreign firms.
To establish a U.S. presence, you’ll need to incorporate your company in one of the 50 states. Nevada and Delaware are both popular choices with over 50% of the Fortune 500 companies being incorporated in one or the other due to their low fees and business-friendly regulations. The best way to go about incorporating in the U.S. is to seek out a firm that can set up a mailing address with mail forwarding, a telephone number and fill out all the incorporation papers on your behalf – this might cost up to $1000.
Another good option is working with a company that specializes in foreign firms. This is a very good way of going if you intend on doing a large volume of credit card transactions. Complete the form below to receive a quote that allows you to accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express payments. Don’t be surprised to encounter extra fees, though, if you are a foreign corporation.
Higher Risk
Some businesses are inherently seen as higher risk enterprises by merchant service account providers. This may be because the business model can be subject to fraud, to a high turnover rate, or to an unusual level of chargebacks. Regardless, these merchants wind up paying a higher discount rate and higher transaction fees. One possible solution to his dilemma is to work with an offshore merchant account.
These accounts can be a good option for some retail businesses, online pharmacies, travel booking services, ticketing agencies, and entertainment services among others. We have assembled a slate of featured providers that specialize in payment solutions for high risk merchants. Their account offerings represent:
- The most competitive rates on offshore processing costs to be found in this market.
- The ability to accept all major credit cards, debit cards, and checks.
- Sophisticated solutions for back-end reporting queries, and data downloads.
- Processing and settlement across multiple currency platforms.
- A high level of technical support.
- Simple integration into existing payment systems.
- Recurring billing.
- Advanced solutions that are constantly upgraded to prevent fraudulent activity.
- Support for 3D Secure.
Offshore Merchant Account Inquiry/Pre-Application
If you would like to learn more about acquiring an offshore merchant account to better manage your processing fees, please fill out the form below. One of our representatives will contact you with additional information, a rate quote, and will be happy to answer your questions and address your concerns.