For SBA lenders
Short answer
A U.S. permanent resident must provide a copy of their valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551, Green Card) to establish eligibility.
SBA regulations require that all owners of 20% or more of the applicant business must be U.S. citizens or 'Qualified Aliens.' A Permanent Resident Card proves Qualified Alien status. The lender must verify the authenticity and validity of the card and maintain a copy in the loan file.
For a borrower who is a permanent resident, the lender obtains a clear copy of their unexpired 'Green Card' (Form I-551) during the application process and confirms its validity against current government databases if necessary.
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
Last checked 2026-06-13. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 · SBA sources checked through 2026-06-13. DealRoom analysis of public SBA 7(a) lending records (FY2020–present). Grounded in the current SBA rulebook; verify against the official sources above before relying on it for a live deal. Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision.
More on citizenship & residency
Terms in this answer
Pre-qualify your SBA 7(a) deal
Tell us the business, the price, and where you are — we'll point you to the lenders most likely to fund a deal like yours and flag anything that trips up approval.
Free · No documents · Usually same-day