Key Takeaways
- MCA repays as a percentage of daily/weekly sales — no fixed monthly payment
- No green card required — EAD and business revenue qualify you
- Funded in 24–48 hours from complete application
- Factor rates 1.15–1.45 depending on revenue consistency
- Works for retail, restaurant, service, and e-commerce businesses
What Is a Merchant Cash Advance?
A merchant cash advance (MCA) is a type of business funding where you receive a lump sum advance repaid through a percentage of your future business revenue. The "merchant" in the name originally referred to credit card merchants — businesses that accepted card payments — but today MCAs are available to any business with consistent revenue, regardless of payment method.
Bankable's MCA product is specifically designed for parole-status business owners. The underwriting is based entirely on your business revenue — not your immigration status, green card, or citizenship.
How an MCA From Bankable Works
The mechanics are straightforward:
- Apply: Submit your EAD and 3–6 months of business bank statements online (15 minutes)
- Approval: Receive a funding offer within 24–48 hours including amount, factor rate, and holdback percentage
- Accept: Sign the agreement electronically
- Receive funds: Funds wired same or next business day
- Repay: A percentage (typically 8–15%) of daily or weekly deposits is automatically applied to the balance
- Complete: When the total payback amount is reached, the MCA is complete — you can draw again immediately if needed
MCA vs. Business Loan: Key Differences for Parolees
An MCA is technically not a loan — it's a purchase of future receivables. This distinction matters for several reasons:
- No fixed repayment schedule: An MCA has no fixed monthly payment. Repayment varies with revenue.
- No late fees for slow months: If your revenue drops, your daily payment drops. There's no "missed payment" in the traditional sense.
- Total cost is fixed at the start: The factor rate × advance amount determines your total payback. If you repay faster, you don't save money — but you're done faster.
- Not credit-reported in the same way: MCAs don't typically appear on business credit reports the same way loans do.
MCA Use Cases for Parole Business Communities
Cuban restaurant and retail owners use MCAs to cover inventory restocks, equipment repairs, and seasonal staff. Daily card swipes and cash deposits create ideal MCA repayment conditions. Ukrainian e-commerce sellers use MCAs to fund inventory before peak seasons, repaying from the surge in platform deposits. Venezuelan and Haitian service business owners use MCAs to bridge the gap between contract signing and first payment, covering payroll and materials in between.
Check your Bankability Score for your MCA estimate. Also learn about why SBA MCAs don't exist and what that means.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Bankable provides MCAs to parole-status business owners based on business revenue. U4U, CHNV, and Afghan parolees all qualify with an active EAD.
An MCA is technically a purchase of future receivables, not a loan. It repays as a percentage of revenue (no fixed payment), has no late fees for slow revenue months, and the total cost is fixed by the factor rate rather than accruing interest.
Bankable's MCA goes up to $500,000. The amount is typically 1–2x your average monthly revenue. At $30,000/month in deposits, you'd typically qualify for $30,000–$60,000.
A percentage (holdback rate) of your daily or weekly business bank deposits is applied to the outstanding balance. When the total payback amount (advance × factor rate) is reached, the MCA is complete.
Bankable's factor rates range from 1.15 to 1.45 depending on revenue consistency, business age, and amount. More consistent, longer-tenured businesses with higher revenue get better (lower) factor rates.
Yes. Early payoff is possible with no prepayment penalty. Note that with an MCA, the total payback is fixed — paying early doesn't reduce the fee, but it clears your balance faster so you can draw again.
MCAs are reported differently than traditional loans. They may appear on some business credit reports. Ask Bankable about their specific reporting practices if this is important to your credit-building strategy.
Some businesses carry stacked MCAs (from multiple providers), but this significantly increases debt service and risk. Bankable evaluates existing advances when setting your offer amount. Discuss stacking with Bankable before committing to multiple providers.