{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/foreign-national","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/foreign-national","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"foreign-national","term":"Foreign national","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"A person who is not a citizen of the country in which they are residing or conducting business. For SBA loans, their immigration status is critical.","what_it_means":"A foreign national can be an eligible SBA borrower if they are a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) or have a valid work visa that allows them to own and operate a business in the U.S. This eligibility is crucial and will be thoroughly vetted by the lender and the SBA. You'll need to provide documentation like Form I-551.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/foreign-national","official_sources":[{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"},{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"lpr","term":"LPR","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/lpr"},{"slug":"qualified-alien","term":"Qualified Alien","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/qualified-alien"},{"slug":"form-i-551","term":"Form I-551","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/form-i-551"},{"slug":"uscis","term":"USCIS","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/uscis"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"If a key non-owner employee is a foreign national, does this affect loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/if-a-key-non-owner-employee-is-a-foreign-national-does-this-affect-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"How does a lender verify the source of gifted equity injection funds from a foreign national?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-verify-the-source-of-gifted-equity-injection-funds-from-a-foreign-nation"},{"question":"How does a lender verify the source of gifted equity injection funds when the donor is a foreign national?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-verify-the-source-of-gifted-equity-injection-funds-when-the-donor-is-a-f"},{"question":"Can a business owned by a trust be eligible for a 7(a) loan if the trustee is a foreign national?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-business-owned-by-a-trust-be-eligible-for-a-7-a-loan-if-the-trustee-is-a-foreign-nat"},{"question":"If a key management employee who is not an owner is a foreign national, does this affect SBA 7(a) loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/if-a-key-management-employee-who-is-not-an-owner-is-a-foreign-national-does-this-affect-sb"},{"question":"Can a foreign national who is not a U.S. citizen or LPR serve as a personal guarantor on a 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-foreign-national-who-is-not-a-u-s-citizen-or-lpr-serve-as-a-personal-guarantor-on-a-"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Foreign national","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/foreign-national","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}