Chapter 1: My Initial Steps

After joining Medium, I quickly began crafting stories to meet the eligibility requirements for the Medium Partner Program. Upon reaching 100 followers, I discovered that joining the MPP from Pakistan was impossible due to Stripe being the exclusive payment processor for Medium.

At that point, I had two potential routes to establish a Stripe account:

1. Leverage a friend or relative in a Stripe-supported country to create an account for me.
2. Form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in the US or UK to facilitate the account setup.

Unfortunately, the first option was not feasible since I had no connections in those countries, and even if I did, it felt like an unreasonable request.

This led me to explore the second option of establishing an LLC, as I needed both a company and a Stripe account for my ongoing SaaS projects. After conducting some research, I found Incorpuk, which assisted me in setting up an LLC named SUMAR TECH LTD in the UK.

With my UK-based company established, I followed Incorpuk's guidance to open a bank account with Wise in the UK. Once I had all the necessary components, I successfully created a Stripe account for my business. Success at last!

Meanwhile, my writing on Medium allowed me to meet the minimum criteria for the Partner Program. However, I soon faced another obstacle: I couldn't progress past the location verification page on the MPP application. It consistently displayed an error stating that the Medium Partner Program was unavailable in my country.

After researching the issue, I found advice suggesting the use of a VPN to bypass the restriction, which I attempted, but to no avail.

I felt disheartened and almost stopped writing altogether. Following a rejection email, I decided to apply once more after 30 days, only to receive another denial.

Months passed, and my earlier stories began to attract attention and positive feedback, which reignited my motivation to write on Medium without any financial incentive. I resolved to continue publishing at least one story per month and made peace with the idea of not joining the MPP.

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Chapter 2: A Surprising Turn of Events

Recently, after more than a year, I revisited the Medium Partner Program page and noticed the updated eligibility criteria. I learned that a paid membership was now required to apply.

After some contemplation, I opted to become a Medium member for $4 a month and submitted my application again (this time adjusting my location to the UK). I wasn't expecting much, but to my surprise, once I clicked the apply button…

I was accepted!

Receiving that email from Medium was completely unexpected. To receive payments, I had to complete my tax forms, which was a straightforward process. I indicated my status as a non-US resident individual and provided my tax filing details from Pakistan.

Shortly after, Medium verified my submitted tax form, allowing me to make my stories member-only and earn from them.

I hope this renewed opportunity inspires me to write more frequently on Medium. If not, I will still continue to share my knowledge with the community whenever possible.

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Until next time! ✌️