TL;DR: Opening a Walmart US store with a UK limited company is fully possible and has gotten significantly easier in recent years. There are however a few extra steps compared to a US-based LLC.
Key documents required
- Companies House Certificate of Incorporation
- HMRC UTR and VAT registration (if applicable)
- A valid US EIN — for foreign entities obtained via Form SS-4 by fax/mail
- A US business bank — Mercury or Wise Business are the fastest paths for non-residents
- Operational address and phone
Process difference
Compared to US-based applications it takes on average 2–3 weeks longer. Because:
- EIN is obtained via Form SS-4 by fax/mail (4–6 business days on average).
- The W-8BEN-E must be IRS-compliant in every field.
- Remote US bank account opening (Mercury) may request additional verification.
Most common mistake
Entering the UK address into the Walmart form as if it were a US address. Use separate fields: the UK address as the company address, and the US address as the registered agent / operations address.
Done in the right order, single-shot approvals are entirely realistic.
Sources & Further Reading
- IRS — About Form W-8BEN-E — Official definition of the W-8BEN-E for foreign entities.
- IRS — Instructions for Form W-8BEN-E — Field-by-field guidance, including the FATCA sections.
- Walmart Marketplace Learn — Tax classifications & documentation — Walmart's accepted tax classifications for international sellers.
- GOV.UK — Get information about a company — Certificate of Incorporation and company filings via Companies House.
- Wise Business (UK) — Multi-currency USD account option for UK Ltd companies.
