Key Takeaways
- Merchant funding (MCA) is one of the most accessible capital products for non-citizens with SSN
- Repayment ties to daily credit card or ACH sales — no fixed monthly payment to miss
- DACA, H-1B, TN, L-1, EAD, and TPS holders all qualify with active merchant processing
- Advances from $10,000 to $500,000 based on monthly revenue volume
- No green card, no citizenship — just your SSN and business bank account history
Merchant funding without a green card is among the most practical capital solutions for non-citizen business owners who generate consistent daily revenue. Unlike traditional business loans — which carry citizenship requirements, green card mandates, and lengthy approval timelines — merchant funding evaluates your business based on what matters most: how much money flows through your accounts every day.
The March 1, 2026 SBA rule change is irrelevant to merchant funding. The SBA never offered merchant cash advances, and its new citizenship mandate has no bearing on the private revenue-based funding market. For the millions of H-1B professionals, DACA entrepreneurs, TN workers, EAD holders, and TPS beneficiaries running US businesses, merchant funding through platforms like Bankable remains fully accessible based on their SSN alone.
How Merchant Funding Works for Non-Citizens
Merchant funding is technically a purchase of future receivables — not a loan. A company like Bankable purchases a specific dollar amount of your future sales at a discount, delivering immediate capital to your business account. You repay through an automatic daily or weekly percentage of your revenue until the purchased amount is satisfied. Because no loan contract exists in the traditional sense, the citizenship and residency requirements embedded in bank loan products typically do not apply.
For a business processing $40,000 per month in sales, merchant funding might work like this: Bankable advances $50,000 (1.25 months of revenue) with a factor rate of 1.30 (total repayment of $65,000). At a 12% daily holdback rate on $40,000 monthly revenue, repayment completes in approximately 4-5 months. Daily payments are proportional to sales — slow days mean smaller payments, busy days mean faster payoff.
Which Businesses Qualify
- Restaurants and food service — high daily transaction volume makes this category ideal
- Retail shops — any business with consistent daily point-of-sale activity
- E-commerce stores — qualifying based on platform revenue (Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce)
- Beauty salons and barbershops — appointment-based businesses with regular cash flow
- Auto repair shops — consistent service ticket volume qualifies
- Medical and dental practices — insurance reimbursements and copay volume
- Cleaning and janitorial services — recurring contract revenue
- Landscaping and maintenance — seasonal revenue businesses
What Non-Citizens Need to Apply
- Valid SSN (from any legal work authorization category)
- Business EIN (Employer Identification Number)
- 3-6 months of business bank statements showing consistent revenue
- Government-issued photo ID (passport, state ID, or driver's license)
- Proof of business operation (business license, lease agreement, or similar)
Factor Rates and Cost of Capital
Merchant funding uses factor rates rather than interest rates. A factor rate of 1.25 means for every dollar advanced, you repay $1.25. Factor rates for non-citizen applicants at Bankable range from 1.15 to 1.45 depending on revenue consistency, time in business, and credit profile. This is not discriminatory pricing — these ranges apply equally to all applicants regardless of immigration status. Your factor rate is determined entirely by business metrics.
Explore your options by checking your Bankability Score, or review how Bankable compares to traditional SBA loan alternatives for non-citizen business owners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Merchant funding — also called merchant cash advance (MCA) — is a purchase of your future revenue at a discount. A funder provides capital today in exchange for a percentage of your daily sales until the advance plus a fee is repaid. It is not a loan in the traditional sense, which is why residency requirements typically do not apply.
No. MCAs and revenue-based merchant funding from Bankable do not require permanent residency. Your SSN and business revenue history are the primary qualification factors.
Typically 100-150% of your average monthly revenue. If your business processes $50,000 per month, you may qualify for $50,000-$75,000 in merchant funding. Higher revenue qualifies for larger advances.
Repayment rates typically range from 8% to 18% of daily revenues, depending on the size of the advance and your revenue profile. This percentage flexes — if you have a slow day, your payment is proportionally smaller.
Faster than any traditional loan. Bankable typically provides a funding decision within 24-48 hours and can deploy capital within 2-5 business days of approval.
Yes. Once 50-70% of your advance is repaid, many businesses qualify to renew or increase their advance. Consistent repayment history improves renewal terms even for non-citizen applicants.
Merchant funding is best for businesses with strong daily sales volume — restaurants, retail, e-commerce, service businesses, food trucks, and any business processing regular customer payments. If your business is project-based or invoices net-30/60, a term loan or line of credit may be more appropriate.