Legal/Government

Establishing your business in the United States will have legal and governmental requirements not unlike your own country.

Business Entity Formation

Businesses in New York State (and the United States in general) are categorized by the type of entity they are: sole proprietorship, partnership, limited corporation or corporation. Each type of entity has differing tax requirements, reporting requirements and other financial considerations.

When you begin to consider how you will establish your presence in the United States, and in New York State specifically, you will want to work with an attorney to decide which entity is the correct choice for your business. A list of Syracuse area attorneys who specialize in working with international businesses is listed at the end of this section.

Permits

In most cases, you will need a Business Certificate to do business in Onondaga County. Learn more about this permit.

Any other permits will be associated with your business entity, as described above.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Once you have formed your entity and have your business permit, you will need to request an Employer Identification Number from the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The requirements and results of obtaining an EIN are described on the IRS website.

Your attorney can handle this for you (see list of Syracuse area attorneys below.)

Intellectual Property

Patent, Trademark Copyright and other intellectual property laws differ from country to country. Any intellectual property rights you own in your home country may, or may not, be recognized in the United States. Further, use of the internet provides opportunities for unintentional violations of these laws. It is important to make sure your company's most valuable intellectual property assets are protected in the United States.

If your business owns intellectual property in your home country, you are advised to have it reviewed by an attorney in the United States. Intellectual Property attorneys are listed below.

Governmental Regulations

As in most countries, there are a number of government regulations which any business must attend to. In the Syracuse area, companies must comply with federal, state and local regulations that range from employee concerns (health and safety, financial) to fiduciary concerns (tax and banking laws) to environmental concerns (use of natural resources.)

There are a number of resources that may help you understand what regulations your organization will be governed by.

To learn about federal regulations, review this web site put together by the United States government.

To learn about New York State regulations, link to the New York Department of State.

In addition, your company's attorney will be able to help sort out which regulations apply to your business, and what steps must be taken to comply with those regulations.

Immigration

Workers coming to the United States, temporarily or for an extended period of time, will be governed by federal law through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS.) Visas, passports, green cards and other documentation will need to be established for individuals and, if appropriate, their families.

Learn more about the USCIS at their website: www.uscis.gov

Immigration and Naturalization attorneys specialize in this area of regulation and law. Please refer to the list of attorneys below.

Attorneys and Law Firms Specializing in International / Business Law

For attorney referrals, please contact the Onondaga County Bar Association at: www.onbar.org

Business Organization / Corporate Law

Intellectual Property / Patent / Copyright / Trademark

Immigration and Naturalization

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