United States · Business / Startup
United States Entrepreneur parole (IER)
Investment needed: from $124k
International Entrepreneur Rule (Form I-941 entrepreneur parole)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Entrepreneur parole (IER) is a business / startup route for United States. Applicants need an investment from $124k. You can stay 2 yrs 6 mo, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Money needed
- from $124k
- Government fees
- $1,200 · $1,020
- First stay
- 2 yrs 6 mo
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; investment from $124k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$1,200 · $1,020
- $1,200Form I-941 filing fee (Form G-1055).
- $1,020Immigration parole fee payable online if USCIS notifies conditional approval (Form G-1055).
Shown, not spent$622k+/yr
- $622,142 a yearRe-parole benchmark: revenue amount (alternatives based on investment or job creation also apply); effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024.
Invested and held$311k+ · $124k+
- $311,071Qualified investments from qualifying investors, amount effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024; adjusted every three years by CPI-U.
- $124,429Alternative: qualified government awards or grants, effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024.
RenewalRenewable, 5 years max
Parole is granted for up to 2.5 years and can be renewed once for up to 2.5 more years, 5 years in total.
CitizenshipTime here doesn't count
Naturalisation requires years of lawful permanent resident status (5 years, or 3 if married to a U.S. citizen), so time in this temporary status does not count toward it.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 5 years in total
- Time on this route doesn't count toward citizenship
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply6
- The start-up must be formed in the United States within the five years before the initial application.
- The start-up must lawfully conduct business in the United States.
- The entrepreneur needs at least 10% ownership for initial parole and at least 5% for re-parole.
- The entrepreneur needs a central and active operating role.
- Up to three entrepreneurs per start-up can qualify.
- Entrepreneurs may be living abroad or already in the United States.
What you must show and pay5
- An investment of at least $311,071 · Qualified investments from qualifying investors, amount effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024; adjusted every three years by CPI-U.
- An investment of at least $124,429 · Alternative: qualified government awards or grants, effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024.
- Income of at least $622,142 a year · Re-parole benchmark: revenue amount (alternatives based on investment or job creation also apply); effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024.
- A fee of $1,200 · Form I-941 filing fee (Form G-1055).
- A fee of $1,020 · Immigration parole fee payable online if USCIS notifies conditional approval (Form G-1055).
When you become tax resident
How United States decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years in total
- Tax residence
- At least 31 days in the current calendar yearMinimum days of presence in the current year.
- At least 183 days in the current year plus two preceding years (weighted 1, 1/3, 1/6)Weighted days of presence over the three-year period.
- Foreign-source income
U.S. citizens and resident aliens are taxed on worldwide income at the graduated rates that apply to citizens; non-residents are taxed on U.S.-source income under Form 1040-NR rules.
All tax rules for United States Tax records checked
Full official text
Discretionary parole for founders of U.S. start-ups formed within the last five years that show substantial potential for rapid growth and job creation. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- An investment of at least $311,071 · Qualified investments from qualifying investors, amount effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024; adjusted every three years by CPI-U. 1
- An investment of at least $124,429 · Alternative: qualified government awards or grants, effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024. 1
- Income of at least $622,142 a year · Re-parole benchmark: revenue amount (alternatives based on investment or job creation also apply); effective for applications filed on or after Oct. 1, 2024. 1
- A fee of $1,200 · Form I-941 filing fee (Form G-1055). 3
- A fee of $1,020 · Immigration parole fee payable online if USCIS notifies conditional approval (Form G-1055). 3
Requirements
- The start-up must be formed in the United States within the five years before the initial application. 1 2
- The start-up must lawfully conduct business in the United States. 1 2
- The entrepreneur needs at least 10% ownership for initial parole and at least 5% for re-parole. 1 2
- The entrepreneur needs a central and active operating role. 1 2
- Up to three entrepreneurs per start-up can qualify. 1 2
- Entrepreneurs may be living abroad or already in the United States. 1
Stay
- Initial parole of up to 2.5 years and one re-parole of up to 2.5 years, for a maximum of 5 years.
- First stay: up to 30 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Authorised to work only for the start-up business; the spouse may apply for employment authorisation after being paroled in, children cannot.
Family
Spouse and children may be eligible for parole.
Official sources
- International Entrepreneur Rule · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-10
- Options for Alien Entrepreneurs to Work in the United States · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-10
- Form G-1055, Fee Schedule (edition 10/07/26) · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2026-10-07
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part D, Chapter 2: Lawful permanent resident admission for naturalization · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-11
- I am married to a U.S. citizen (naturalization) · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-11
Entrepreneur parole (IER) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneur parole (IER) | Needs an investment from $124k | 2.5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| E-1 Treaty Trader | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Freelance professional M Colombia | Needs income of COP 8.8M+ a month ≈ $2,740 | 3 yr | Limited |
| BC Entrepreneur · Base Canada | Needs an investment of CAD 200k+ ≈ $140k | – | – |
| Self-employed residence Uruguay | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Entrepreneur parole (IER)?
An investment of at least $311,071. Qualified investments from qualifying investors, amount effective for applications filed on or after Oct. An investment of at least $124,429. Alternative: qualified government awards or grants, effective for applications filed on or after Oct. Income of at least $622,142 a year. Re-parole benchmark: revenue amount (alternatives based on investment or job creation also apply); effective for applications filed on or after Oct. A fee of $1,200. Form I-941 filing fee (Form G-1055).
How long can I stay on the Entrepreneur parole (IER)?
Initial parole of up to 2.5 years and one re-parole of up to 2.5 years, for a maximum of 5 years.
Can I work on the Entrepreneur parole (IER)?
Limited. Authorised to work only for the start-up business; the spouse may apply for employment authorisation after being paroled in, children cannot.
Can I bring my family on the Entrepreneur parole (IER)?
Spouse and children may be eligible for parole.
How are Entrepreneur parole (IER) holders taxed in United States?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Entrepreneur parole (IER). The standard rules apply: U.S. citizens and resident aliens are taxed on worldwide income at the graduated rates that apply to citizens; non-residents are taxed on U.S.-source income under Form 1040-NR rules.
More in United States
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- International Entrepreneur Rule · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-10
- Options for Alien Entrepreneurs to Work in the United States · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-10
- Form G-1055, Fee Schedule (edition 10/07/26) · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-12
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part D, Chapter 2: Lawful permanent resident admission for naturalization · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-11
- I am married to a U.S. citizen (naturalization) · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.