Key Takeaways
- Bankable uses your first location's revenue to qualify your second location funding
- Funding from $50K to $500K for U visa holders with a proven first location
- No SBA loan required — Bankable provides private revenue-based capital
- Most second-location applicants receive decisions within 48 hours
- Funds can cover lease deposits, build-out, equipment, and initial inventory
Opening a second business location is one of the clearest signals that a business has achieved market validation. If your first restaurant is packed every weekend, your first cleaning company has more contracts than you can fill, or your first retail store consistently exceeds revenue targets — the logical next step is expansion. The challenge for U visa holders is that this expansion capital typically requires SBA loans, bank lines of credit, or SBA-guaranteed equipment financing — all of which now explicitly exclude U visa holders under the March 2026 rule.
Bankable's second-location funding model works differently. We evaluate your first location's revenue history — specifically your last 6-12 months of bank statements — and use that track record to underwrite an advance that funds your second location's launch costs. The repayment comes from both locations' combined revenue once the second location opens.
What Second-Location Funding Covers
- Lease security deposits: Most commercial landlords require 2-3 months' rent as a deposit
- Leasehold improvements: Build-out, renovation, signage, and fixtures
- Equipment: Kitchen equipment, POS systems, tools, or machinery for the new location
- Initial inventory: Stock to fill the second location for launch
- Working capital: Operating expenses for the first 60-90 days before the second location reaches breakeven
- Staffing costs: Hiring and training expenses for the new location's team
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for second-location funding as a U visa holder, you need:
- A minimum of 6 months of revenue history from your first location
- Average monthly revenue of $15,000+ from the first location
- Active EAD (Employment Authorization Document)
- EIN for the business entity
- A signed or pending lease for the second location (or letter of intent)
Check your eligibility at Bankable's Bankability Score. Also see our page on expanding to a new market.
Frequently Asked Questions
We use your first location's 6-12 months of bank statements as the primary underwriting input. Strong first-location revenue supports larger second-location advances.
Not necessarily. We can pre-approve your advance before you sign the lease — giving you a confirmed funding commitment to show the landlord. A signed lease or LOI is required before funds are released.
Bankable typically funds one expansion at a time. Once the second location is stabilized (3-6 months), you can apply for a third location advance.
Typically 1-2x your average monthly revenue from the first location. For a restaurant doing $50K/month, a $50K-$100K advance is standard.
Repayment is a fixed percentage of your combined daily credit card and ACH revenue from both locations. Payments automatically adjust as revenue grows.
We build a 60-90 day draw-down period into second-location advances — you can access funds in tranches as you hit milestones rather than taking the full amount at close.
Yes. As long as the primary business entity holds the EIN and the EAD remains valid, cross-state expansion is eligible.
6-12 months of bank statements from the first location, your EAD, EIN, and either a signed lease or letter of intent for the second location.