Key Takeaways
- Bankable does NOT require a green card, citizenship, or permanent residence
- F-1 OPT, STEM OPT, H-1B, L-1, O-1, and TN visa holders all qualify
- The business entity (LLC/Corporation) is the borrower—not the individual founder
- Revenue, business history, and capital purpose are the only qualification factors
- SBA requires a green card or citizenship—Bankable operates entirely outside SBA
The most direct answer to one of the most common questions from international student founders: No, Bankable does not require a green card. Not a green card application. Not permanent residence. Not citizenship. Not even a work visa in your own name. Bankable funds the business entity—your LLC or corporation—based on the entity's revenue performance. Your personal immigration status is not part of our underwriting criteria.
Why Green Card Requirements Exist at Traditional Lenders
Traditional banks and SBA-backed lenders require green cards (or citizenship) for two reasons. First, they use personal creditworthiness as a proxy for business creditworthiness—which means they need long-term US residency to have a meaningful credit history to evaluate. Second, SBA regulations explicitly require 100% US citizen/national ownership as of March 2026, which forces every SBA-affiliated lender to enforce this requirement.
Bankable operates outside both of these constraints. We evaluate business revenue directly—not personal credit as a proxy. And we are not affiliated with the SBA, so SBA's citizenship regulations don't apply to our products.
What Bankable Evaluates Instead
Here's the complete list of what Bankable uses to evaluate your business's fundability:
- Monthly business revenue: What does your business earn? Is it consistent? Is it trending up?
- Business bank statements: 3 months of business bank account history showing deposits and cash flow
- Time in business: How long has the entity been operating? (6 months minimum for most products)
- Business entity type: US-registered LLC or Corporation with active EIN
- Capital purpose: What will the funding be used for? Is it revenue-generating?
That's it. No green card. No citizenship documentation. No immigration status verification. No Social Security Number (though you can provide your ITIN if you have one).
Visa Types Bankable Has Funded
Bankable has funded businesses owned by founders across the full spectrum of non-immigrant and immigrant status:
F-1 OPT / STEM OPT
International student entrepreneurs building businesses in the US. Our most common applicant profile in 2025-2026.
Apply Now →H-1B / H-4 EAD
Specialty occupation workers who start side businesses or full ventures while maintaining their primary visa status.
Apply Now →O-1 / EB-1A
Extraordinary ability founders who build businesses aligned with their recognized field of achievement.
Apply Now →The EIN Is What Matters
The most important document in Bankable's process is your business EIN—the Employer Identification Number assigned to your LLC or corporation by the IRS. This is your business's tax identity, entirely separate from your personal immigration status. A business with a valid EIN, consistent revenue, and 6+ months of operation is a qualified applicant—regardless of who owns it or what visa they hold.
Common Misconceptions About Green Card Requirements
Many OPT founders arrive at Bankable after being told by banks that a green card is "standard" or "required" for any business loan. This is accurate for SBA-backed bank loans but not for Bankable's products. Some banks also imply that a VISA-issued credit card or temporary credit product is all that's available to non-citizens—this is also inaccurate. Revenue-based business funding from Bankable offers amounts from $10K to $5M, not the $10K-$25K limits of a personal credit card.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Bankable has no green card, permanent residence, or citizenship requirement. We fund business entities based on revenue.
Your business EIN is the primary identifier. You'll also provide business bank statements. A government-issued ID (including your F-1 student visa document or passport) may be requested for identity verification, but immigration status is not evaluated.
Your immigration status is not an application factor. OPT founders with F-1/F-1 OPT documentation who operate registered US businesses have successfully received Bankable funding.
An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is not required. Your business EIN is sufficient. If you have an ITIN, it can be provided but is not mandatory.
An SSN is not required for Bankable's business funding. Some personal credit check processes may use an SSN, but Bankable's primary evaluation is business-entity-based.
A soft credit inquiry may be performed during pre-qualification. This doesn't affect your credit score. Hard inquiries, if any, occur only at final commitment stage.
Yes. 100% OPT founder ownership is common and fully accepted. Bankable has no minimum US-citizen co-ownership requirement.
No. Bankable doesn't evaluate your future immigration plans. Whether you intend to apply for H-1B, EB-1, O-1, or return to your home country after OPT is not part of our underwriting.