Key Takeaways
- E-1 trade consulting revenue is fully qualifying for Bankable funding
- SBA loans closed to E-1 holders in 2026 — Bankable provides direct capital up to $5M
- Retainer-based consulting firms qualify more easily than project-based firms
- Working capital lines bridge the gap between contract wins and payment receipt
- Expansion capital available for office buildout, acquisitions, and new practice areas
International trade consulting is one of the clearest E-1 visa qualifying activities. E-1 holders who advise US companies on sourcing from their treaty country, help treaty-country businesses enter the US market, manage customs compliance for import operations, or facilitate cross-border supply chain agreements are doing exactly what the E-1 visa was designed to support. And these consulting practices generate substantial US revenue — retainer fees from US corporate clients, project fees from treaty-country governments and corporations, and training revenue from US companies learning to navigate international trade.
The funding challenge for E-1 consulting firms is that US banks apply a "professional services" risk category that already carries skepticism, then compound it with visa status uncertainty. The result is that a consulting firm generating $200K/month in Fortune 500 retainer fees gets declined by a bank that would happily lend to a less-profitable business owned by a US citizen. Bankable applies one standard: revenue. If your US business generates $20K+ monthly, you qualify to be evaluated.
E-1 Consulting Firm Profiles
- International Trade Compliance: Advising US importers on customs compliance, HTS code classification, free trade agreement utilization, and import duty minimization. These firms charge $5K–$25K monthly retainers from established US importers.
- Supply Chain Advisory: E-1 holders with manufacturing or sourcing backgrounds advising US companies on supply chain restructuring, supplier qualification in the treaty country, and logistics optimization.
- Market Entry Consulting: Helping treaty-country companies enter the US market — registration, distribution channel development, regulatory compliance. E-1 holders with both-country knowledge are uniquely positioned for this work.
- Trade Finance Consulting: Advising on letters of credit, trade credit insurance, export financing, and cross-border payment structuring. High-value advisory with sophisticated client bases.
- Management Consulting with International Specialization: E-1 holders with corporate backgrounds who advise US companies on international expansion, cross-border M&A, or operations in their treaty country.
Growth Capital Needs for E-1 Consulting Firms
Consulting firms have a deceptively simple financial profile: low overhead, high margins, but lumpy revenue. The time between winning a new contract and receiving the first payment can be 30–90 days. During that window, the firm needs capital for hiring, travel, research tools, and the working capital to carry existing overhead. Bankable's working capital line is specifically designed for this gap — available when needed, repaid when the retainer revenue arrives.
Larger consulting firm expansions — opening a second office, acquiring a smaller competitor, building out a practice area — require capital that traditional banks won't provide to E-1 holders regardless of the firm's revenue history. Bankable can structure $500K–$5M for these expansion transactions, with repayment tied to the combined revenue of the expanded operation.
Related Funding Options
Working Capital Line
Revolving credit for payroll, travel, and operating costs between contract payments.
Explore →Hiring Capital
Fund your first or next employee hire with working capital that repays as revenue grows.
Explore →Second Location Capital
Open a second office or expand into a new market with structured growth capital.
Explore →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. International trade consulting, supply chain advisory, customs brokerage consulting, and cross-border business advisory are core E-1 qualifying activities. General management consulting, HR consulting, and financial advisory also qualify as secondary businesses with US revenue.
$20,000 per month in US-deposited consulting revenue — retainer payments, project fees, advisory contracts, and training revenue all count. E-1 consulting firms with Fortune 500 clients often qualify for $500K–$5M based on contract backlog.
We review 6 months of business bank statements to verify consistent revenue. Consulting firms with recurring retainer clients demonstrate more stable cash flow than project-based firms, which qualifies for better terms. Client concentration (one client = 80%+ revenue) may require additional documentation.
Yes. Payroll capital for hiring associate consultants, project managers, and subject matter experts is a qualifying use of funds. E-1 consulting firms scaling headcount to serve new contracts frequently use Bankable capital for talent acquisition.
Yes. Consulting fees paid by US companies for trade consulting services — customs compliance, import/export documentation, tariff classification, trade agreement analysis — are the core E-1 qualifying activity and are fully eligible as Bankable revenue.
SBA loans required US citizenship as of March 2026. E-1 consulting firm owners are entirely excluded. Bankable provides equivalent capital — up to $5M — without any citizenship or residency requirement.
Yes. Leasehold improvements, office deposits, furniture, technology infrastructure, and professional services (legal, accounting) are all eligible uses of Bankable capital.
Most consulting firms with clean bank statements receive decisions within 48 hours. Firms with consistent monthly retainer income often qualify for same-day pre-approval through our online application.