The SBA closed the door on permanent residents. We opened a bigger one. Revenue-based business funding from $5K to $500K — no citizenship requirement, no SBA paperwork, approved in 24 hours.
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If you are a green card holder who tried to apply for an SBA loan recently and got denied, you are not alone. In March 2026, the Small Business Administration quietly rewrote its eligibility rules for the 7(a) and 504 loan programs. The new requirement is simple and devastating: U.S. citizenship only.
SBA 7(a) and 504 loans are now restricted to U.S. citizens. Lawful permanent residents (green card holders), DACA recipients, and all other non-citizen categories are no longer eligible for any SBA-backed lending product.
Estimated impact: 13.9 million green card holders and over 3 million immigrant-owned businesses nationwide.
Before this change, green card holders could access SBA loans on the same terms as citizens. Permanent residents built businesses, hired employees, paid taxes, and contributed to local economies across all 50 states. The SBA's own data showed that immigrant-owned businesses created jobs at a higher rate than the national average.
Now, those same business owners are locked out of the most affordable small business lending programs in the country. Banks that relied on SBA guarantees have stopped processing applications from permanent residents entirely. Business owners who were mid-application received rejection letters. Some who already had SBA loans are facing uncertainty about renewals.
The SBA ban does not mean you cannot get business funding. It means you need a different path. Traditional banks with SBA backing are closed to you, but the private lending market is very much open. Revenue-based financing, merchant cash advances, and alternative business funding operate entirely outside the SBA system. They do not use SBA guarantees, they do not follow SBA eligibility rules, and they do not care about your immigration status.
SBA loans require government backing and follow federal eligibility rules. Revenue-based financing is a private commercial transaction between your business and a funding provider. Your green card status is irrelevant to the underwriting process. What matters is your business revenue.
Revenue-based financing (RBF) is a business funding model that bases approval on your company's actual revenue rather than personal credit scores, collateral, or immigration status. It was designed for businesses that generate consistent income but may not qualify for traditional bank products — which now includes every green card holder in America.
Here is how it works at Merchant Fund Express:
Complete a simple one-page application and upload 4 months of business bank statements. Takes under 5 minutes.
Our underwriting team reviews your business revenue and approves your funding amount. Most decisions in 24 hours.
Sign your agreement and funds are deposited directly into your business bank account within 1-2 business days.
Repayment is structured as a small, fixed percentage of your daily or weekly revenue. When your business has a strong week, you pay a bit more. During a slower period, your payments adjust accordingly. There are no fixed monthly payments that could strain your cash flow, no balloon payments, and no personal guarantee required in most cases.
This model is especially powerful for green card holders who may have built excellent businesses but now face a credit system that does not want to serve them. Revenue-based financing looks at what your business actually does — not what government form you filed to live here.
Merchant Fund Express provides revenue-based financing between $5,000 and $500,000. The amount you qualify for depends primarily on your average monthly revenue. A business depositing $15,000 per month might qualify for $20,000 to $45,000, while a business doing $100,000 per month could access $100,000 to $300,000 or more. Terms typically range from 6 to 18 months, and there are no prepayment penalties if you want to pay off early and renew for additional capital.
Unlike SBA loans that could take 60 to 90 days to close, revenue-based financing moves at the speed your business operates. Many of our green card holder clients apply in the morning and have an approval by the afternoon. Funds typically arrive in your business bank account within one to two business days after signing your agreement. For business owners who were blindsided by the SBA rule change and need capital quickly, this speed is not just convenient — it is essential.
Green card holders, permanent residents, and lawful non-citizens are all eligible. We fund businesses, not immigration categories.
No more waiting weeks for an SBA lender to process your application. Most of our clients get a funding decision within one business day.
Four months of bank statements, a valid ID, and a one-page application. No tax returns, no business plans, no SBA forms.
Funding amounts tailored to your business revenue. Whether you need working capital or growth funding, we scale with you.
Your business performance matters more than your credit score. Generating $10K+ per month in revenue? You likely qualify.
Wherever your business operates in the United States, we can fund it. Miami-based team serving the entire country.
See why thousands of green card holders are switching to revenue-based financing
| Requirement | SBA Loans (2026) | Merchant Fund Express |
|---|---|---|
| Green Card Holders Eligible | No — Banned | Yes — Welcome |
| Approval Timeline | 30-90 days | 24 hours |
| Documentation Required | Tax returns, business plans, financial projections, collateral docs | Bank statements + ID only |
| Personal Guarantee | Required | Not required |
| Minimum Credit Score | 680+ | 500+ |
| Collateral Required | Yes — real estate, equipment | No collateral needed |
| Fund Usage Restrictions | SBA-approved purposes only | Any business purpose |
| Funding Amount | Up to $5M (if eligible) | $5,000 — $500,000 |
Qualifying for revenue-based financing through Merchant Fund Express is straightforward. If your business meets these basic criteria, you can apply today:
Notice what is not on that list: U.S. citizenship, a perfect credit score, collateral, tax returns, or a detailed business plan. Revenue-based financing was built for real business owners running real businesses, regardless of where they were born.
Real stories from permanent residents who found a better path to business funding after the SBA ban
"I had an SBA loan application in process for two months when they told me green card holders were no longer eligible. I applied with Merchant Fund Express on a Tuesday and had $85,000 in my account by Thursday. I used it to expand my dining room and hire four more staff. My revenue is up 40% since."
"My trucking company does $300K per month in revenue, but no bank would touch my application after the SBA rule change. Merchant Fund Express looked at my bank statements, saw the revenue, and approved $200,000 in one day. I used the capital to add three trucks to my fleet. Best business decision I made all year."
"I have been a permanent resident for 12 years and have run my retail business for 8. When the SBA denied me, I thought I had no options. A friend told me about Merchant Fund Express. The application took 5 minutes, they approved me the same day, and I received $45,000 to stock up for the holiday season."
Immigrant entrepreneurs operate in virtually every industry across America. Merchant Fund Express has funded green card holders in all of the following sectors and more:
Do not see your industry listed? Call us at (305) 384-8391. We fund businesses across virtually every legal industry operating in the United States.
According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants own approximately 25% of all new businesses started in the United States each year. These businesses employ millions of American workers and generate billions in tax revenue. The SBA ban does not change the economic contribution of immigrant entrepreneurs — it only changes which financial products are available to them. Revenue-based financing fills that gap completely, providing fast, flexible capital based on business performance rather than citizenship documents.
Yes. While the SBA banned green card holders from SBA-backed loans in March 2026, private lenders like Merchant Fund Express offer revenue-based financing with no immigration status restrictions. If your business generates revenue in the U.S., you can qualify for funding from $5,000 to $500,000.
In March 2026, the Small Business Administration issued new rules restricting SBA 7(a) and 504 loan eligibility to U.S. citizens only, effectively banning lawful permanent residents (green card holders) from accessing SBA-backed business loans. This affected an estimated 13.9 million green card holders nationwide.
Revenue-based financing (RBF) is a funding model where approval is based on your business's actual revenue rather than personal credit scores or immigration status. A percentage of your daily or weekly revenue is used for repayment, making it flexible and aligned with your cash flow. There is no fixed monthly payment and no personal guarantee required.
You need three basic documents: 4 months of business bank statements, a valid government-issued ID (green card, driver's license, or state ID), and a simple one-page application. No tax returns, no business plans, and no SBA paperwork required.
Green card holders can access between $5,000 and $500,000 through Merchant Fund Express, depending on monthly business revenue. Most businesses that generate at least $10,000 per month in revenue qualify for meaningful funding amounts.
No. Merchant Fund Express uses a soft credit pull during the initial review, which does not affect your credit score. Approval is based primarily on business revenue, not personal credit history.
Most applicants receive approval within 24 hours and funding within 1-2 business days. If you were recently denied by an SBA lender due to the new citizenship requirement, you can apply with Merchant Fund Express today and potentially have capital in your account by tomorrow.
Yes. Unlike SBA loans that restrict fund usage, revenue-based financing through Merchant Fund Express can be used for any legitimate business purpose: inventory, equipment, payroll, marketing, expansion, renovations, or working capital.
No. Revenue-based financing focuses on your business performance, not your personal credit score. While credit is one factor reviewed, many businesses with credit scores as low as 500 have been approved. What matters most is consistent monthly revenue.
Yes. Merchant Fund Express is a Miami-based financial services company that has helped fund over 50,000 businesses across all 50 states. We specialize in providing capital to business owners who may not qualify for traditional bank loans or SBA-backed products, including green card holders and other lawful permanent residents.
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