{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/are-specific-visa-types-other-than-lpr-acceptable-for-a-non-u-s-citizen-owner-to-be-eligib","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/questions/are-specific-visa-types-other-than-lpr-acceptable-for-a-non-u-s-citizen-owner-to-be-eligib","question":"Are specific visa types, other than LPR, acceptable for a non-U.S. citizen owner to be eligible for an SBA 7(a) loan?","topic":"Citizenship/residency","audience":"lender","bot_mode":"lender","short_answer":"No, generally, only U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) are considered eligible owners for an SBA 7(a) loan. Other visa types do not typically satisfy this requirement.","rule":"SBA policy specifies that a business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or LPRs. While other visa types (e.g., E-2, H-1B, L-1) allow individuals to legally reside and work in the U.S., they do not confer LPR status. Therefore, individuals holding these visas cannot be counted towards the majority ownership requirement for eligibility.","example":"A business has two owners, one a U.S. citizen with 40% ownership, and the other an H-1B visa holder with 60% ownership. The lender would determine the business ineligible because the majority owner is not a U.S. citizen or LPR.","what_lenders_check":"Lenders must rigorously verify the legal status of all owners. Any non-LPR foreign national owner cannot contribute to the 51% eligibility threshold, and the lender must ensure the remaining eligible ownership meets this minimum.","required_facts":["U.S. Citizenship","Lawful Permanent Resident","Visa types","Ownership percentage","Eligibility threshold"],"source_families":["SOP 50 10 - Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","Policy Notice 5000-876441 - Citizenship and Residency Requirements","Procedural Notice 5000-876626 - Revised Applicant Ownership, Citizenship and Residency"],"official_sources":[{"title":"SOP 50 10 - Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","url":"https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/SOP%2050%2010%208%20Technical%20Updates%20effective%206.1.2025.docx"},{"title":"Policy Notice 5000-876441 - Citizenship and Residency Requirements","url":"https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/Policy%20Notice%205000-876441%20-%20Update%20to%20Citizenship%20and%20Residency%20Requirements%20and%20Recission%20of%20PN%2050000-872050.pdf"},{"title":"Procedural Notice 5000-876626 - Revised Applicant Ownership, Citizenship and Residency","url":"https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/Procedural%20Notice%205000-876626%20-%20Revised%20Applicant%20Ownership%20Citizenship%20and%20Residency%20%20OFA%202.11.pdf"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"How does the lender verify the eligibility of an applicant who is a lawful permanent resident, including specific documentation requirements?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-the-lender-verify-the-eligibility-of-an-applicant-who-is-a-lawful-permanent-resid"},{"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":"For a business owned by a trust, what citizenship and residency requirements apply to the trustee for 7(a) eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/for-a-business-owned-by-a-trust-what-citizenship-and-residency-requirements-apply-to-the-t"},{"question":"How does a lender verify the lawful permanent resident status of a non-citizen applicant?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-verify-the-lawful-permanent-resident-status-of-a-non-citizen-applicant"},{"question":"What are the citizenship or residency requirements for a 7(a) loan applicant?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-citizenship-or-residency-requirements-for-a-7-a-loan-applicant"},{"question":"Can a non-U.S. citizen individual with an E-2 investor visa be an eligible applicant for a 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-non-u-s-citizen-individual-with-an-e-2-investor-visa-be-an-eligible-applicant-for-a-"}],"related_terms":[{"term":"U.S. citizen","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/u-s-citizen"},{"term":"U.S. non-citizen national","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/u-s-non-citizen-national"},{"term":"LPR","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/lpr"},{"term":"U.S. territories","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/u-s-territories"},{"term":"U.S. National","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/u-s-national"},{"term":"Non-immigrant visa","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/non-immigrant-visa"}],"related_tools":[{"name":"SBA 7(a) payment & fee calculator","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/calculator"},{"name":"Find an active SBA 7(a) lender","url":"https://dealroom.so/lenders"}],"data_freshness":{"last_reviewed":"2026-06-13","sba_rule_sources_checked_through":"2026-06-13"},"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so SBA 7(a) Q&A","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/are-specific-visa-types-other-than-lpr-acceptable-for-a-non-u-s-citizen-owner-to-be-eligib","source_type":"DealRoom Q&A"},"caveats":["Grounded in the current SBA rulebook; verify against official sources before relying on it for a live deal.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice and not an approval decision."]}