Key Takeaways
- SBA business acquisition loans are now blocked for U visa holders — Bankable is the alternative
- Bankable funds business purchases from $50K to $500K using the target's revenue history
- No green card required — your EAD and the target's financial statements are the key inputs
- Acquisition funding decisions within 48-72 hours
- Common targets: restaurants, cleaning companies, laundromats, and retail stores
Buying an existing business eliminates the riskiest phase of entrepreneurship — the startup period when revenue is zero. An established business comes with customers, staff, supplier relationships, and documented revenue. For U visa holders who have been operating their own businesses for years, an acquisition represents a natural next step in building wealth and enterprise scale.
The barrier is acquisition financing. SBA 7(a) loans — the standard vehicle for business acquisition financing — now explicitly exclude U visa holders. Bankable provides private acquisition capital using the target business's documented revenue as the primary underwriting input.
How Business Acquisition Financing Works at Bankable
- Target evaluation: We review 12-24 months of the target business's bank statements and tax returns
- Advance sizing: Typically 1-2x the target's average monthly revenue, up to $500K
- Seller financing gap: Many acquisitions use a combination of Bankable capital + seller financing (seller takes a note for part of the purchase price)
- Repayment: Revenue-based, using the acquired business's ongoing daily revenue
Business Types Commonly Acquired by U Visa Holders
- Restaurants and food service operations
- Commercial cleaning companies with existing contracts
- Laundromats and dry cleaning businesses
- Convenience stores and ethnic grocery markets
- Auto repair shops with an existing customer base
- Landscaping companies with residential/commercial contracts
Apply at Bankable's Bankability Score or see our page on what to do after SBA rejection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. There is no legal restriction on U visa holders owning and operating businesses. The barrier is acquisition financing — which Bankable provides without the SBA guarantee requirement.
Typically 60-80% of the purchase price, with the remainder coming from your down payment, seller financing, or a combination. We evaluate each acquisition individually.
No. The acquisition agreement is between you and the seller. Your visa status is between you and Bankable. Sellers typically care about receiving payment, not your immigration status.
Yes. Seller financing (where the seller takes a note for part of the purchase price) is a common structure for U visa holder acquisitions. Bankable funds the majority; the seller finances the rest.
The target's 12-24 months of bank statements and/or tax returns, your own 3 months of bank statements, EAD, and EIN. A letter of intent or purchase agreement is also required.
Repayment is a percentage of the acquired business's daily revenue. The business you just bought funds its own acquisition cost.
Bankable can include a working capital component in the acquisition advance to fund your first 60-90 days of operational improvements.
48-72 hours for a decision, 5-10 business days for funding. Acquisitions with clean financials process faster.