A discretionary parole route for founders who play a central and active role in a recently formed U.S. startup with significant potential for rapid growth and job creation. It is not a visa and does not itself provide permanent residence.
Route overview
Startup parole for founders with a central and active role
Typical timeline / duration: Up to 30 months initial parole; up to 5 years total in two periods
Important notes
Who qualifies: the entrepreneur must have a central and active role in a U.S. startup and be well positioned by knowledge, skills, or experience to help it grow.
Ownership: the founder must generally hold at least 10% of the startup at initial adjudication and at least 5% during the initial parole period.
Startup requirements: the entity must be a U.S. business formed within the previous five years, lawfully operating, and have substantial potential for rapid growth and job creation.
Investment/funding requirements: the startup generally needs at least $311,071 in qualified investment within the previous 18 months, or at least $124,429 in qualifying U.S. government awards or grants; alternative compelling evidence may sometimes be considered.
Only investment from qualified U.S. investors counts toward the investment threshold; founder funds may support the business but do not automatically satisfy the qualified-investment test.
Parole duration: initial parole may be granted for up to 30 months, with re-parole potentially available for another period if the startup continues to meet the growth and job-creation criteria; no more than three entrepreneurs may receive parole through one startup.
Work is authorised only for the qualifying startup. This is discretionary parole, not a conventional visa or automatic Green Card route.
The International Entrepreneur Rule is parole rather than a visa classification.
USCIS decides cases individually and may consider alternative evidence when a startup partially meets the investment or grant thresholds.