Most U.S. immigration options are built around visas that grant a defined legal status and follow a structured application process. In limited circumstances, the government may allow temporary entry without creating a visa status, using its parole authority instead. One such program applies to startup founders whose business activity is expected to provide a public benefit. This program is known as the International Entrepreneur Parole.
What Is the International Entrepreneur Parole
The International Entrepreneur Parole is a temporary parole program, not a visa. It allows startup founders to request permission to enter and remain in the United States when their business activity is expected to provide a significant public benefit.
The program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under its parole authority in section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Parole is granted on a case-by-case basis and does not create an immigrant or a non-immigrant status. The DHS established the International Entrepreneur Parole in 2017.
If granted, the International Entrepreneur Parole may authorize an initial period of stay of up to 30 months. One additional period of parole, also up to 30 months, may be requested if the founder continues to meet the regulatory criteria. The maximum total period of parole under the program is 60 months.
Because parole is not a visa, it does not confer immigration status and does not provide a direct path to permanent residence. Permission to remain in the United States under this program is time limited and subject to ongoing DHS discretion.
Who May Qualify for the International Entrepreneur Parole
The International Entrepreneur Parole is available to startup founders who meet specific regulatory criteria. All requirements are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the DHS.
To qualify, the applicant must own at least 10 percent of the U.S. startup at the time of adjudication of the initial parole request. During the initial parole period, the entrepreneur may reduce ownership but must maintain at least 5 percent ownership at all times. For a subsequent period of re-parole, the entrepreneur must own at least 5 percent of the startup at the time of adjudication.
In addition to ownership, the applicant must play an active and central role in the startup’s operations and future growth.
The startup itself must be a U.S. entity. It must be formed in the United States and must be recently formed, generally meaning created within five years before the parole request is filed.
Even when these ownership and startup requirements are met, parole may be granted only if the DHS determines that the entrepreneur’s presence would provide a significant public benefit. The DHS evaluates this based on the startup’s potential for rapid growth and job creation. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee approval. The International Entrepreneur Parole remains discretionary, and the DHS may deny a request even when all threshold requirements are met.
Startup and Funding Requirements
To qualify for the International Entrepreneur Parole, the startup must meet specific funding or support criteria set by regulation.
One way to meet the requirement is through qualified private investment. The startup must have received, within the 18 months immediately before filing the parole request, at least $311,071 in qualified investments from one or more qualified U.S. investors. A qualified investor is defined in regulation and must meet specific criteria related to prior investments and investment outcomes, as set by the Department of Homeland Security. The investment must be made directly in the startup entity.
As an alternative, the startup may qualify based on qualified government funding. Within the 18 months immediately before filing, the startup must have received at least $124,429 in qualified grants or awards from U.S. federal, state, or local government entities. The grant or award must be provided for economic development, research, or job creation purposes.
If the startup does not fully meet either funding threshold, the regulations allow consideration of other reliable and compelling evidence. In these cases, the startup must partially meet the required investment or government funding threshold and submit additional reliable and compelling evidence showing potential for rapid growth and job creation. The DHS evaluates this evidence on a case-by-case basis.
The dollar amounts listed above reflect the current inflation-adjusted thresholds published by the Department of Homeland Security and effective October 1, 2024. These amounts are subject to periodic adjustment. Meeting the funding thresholds does not guarantee approval. The DHS retains discretion to determine whether the total evidence demonstrates a significant public benefit.
Re-Parole Requirements
The International Entrepreneur Parole may be extended one time through a request for re-parole. The Department of Homeland Security reviews whether the startup has continued to provide a significant public benefit since the initial grant of parole.
To qualify for re-parole, the entrepreneur must continue to meet the ownership and active role requirements and must show that the startup has achieved measurable progress during the initial parole period.
The DHS evaluates re-parole using regulatory benchmarks. The startup may qualify for re-parole if it has received, during the initial parole period, at least $622,142 in additional qualified private investment, $622,142 in qualified U.S. government grants or awards, or a combination of qualified investment and government funding totaling at least $622,142.
As an alternative, the startup may qualify if it has created at least five qualified jobs for U.S. workers during the initial parole period. A qualified job generally means full-time employment for a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, as defined by regulation.
Re-parole may also be supported if the startup has generated at least $622,142 in annual revenue in the United States and has achieved an average annual revenue growth of at least 20 percent.
Even when one or more of these benchmarks are met, the DHS retains discretion to deny re-parole. The DHS considers the totality of the evidence to determine whether the entrepreneur’s continued presence in the United States would provide a significant public benefit. If approved, re-parole may be granted for up to 30 months. The total period of stay under the International Entrepreneur Parole may not exceed 60 months.
International Entrepreneur Parole at a Glance
Before considering the International Entrepreneur Parole, founders should understand the following:
- This program is not a visa and does not grant visa status.
- It is a temporary parole, granted at the DHS’ discretion.
- It does not create immigration status under U.S. immigration law.
- It does not provide a direct path to permanent residence.
- Approval is not guaranteed, even if all eligibility criteria are met.
- Parole is time-limited, with a maximum total period of up to 60 months.
- Continued stay depends on whether the startup continues to provide a significant public benefit.
Sources
- Code of Federal Regulations, 8 C.F.R. § 212.19
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-212/section-212.19 - Federal Register. International Entrepreneur Program Fiscal Year 2025 Automatic Increase of Investment and Revenue Amounts, July 25, 2024
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/07/25/2024-16138/international-entrepreneur-program-fiscal-year-2025-automatic-increase-of-investment-and-revenue - Federal Register. International Entrepreneur Rule, Department of Homeland Security, January 17, 2017
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/17/2017-00481/international-entrepreneur-rule - Immigration and Nationality Act section 212(d)(5), as referenced in DHS regulations
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2023-title8/pdf/USCODE-2023-title8-chap12-subchapII-partII-sec1182.pdf