U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated its public information under the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER). USCIS noted that the rule allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to "grant a period of authorized stay [parole], on a case-by-case basis, to noncitizen entrepreneurs who show that their stay in the United States would provide a significant public benefit through their business venture and that they merit a favorable exercise of discretion."
Under the rule, entrepreneurs granted parole are eligible to work only for their startup business. The spouse and children of the noncitizen entrepreneur may also be eligible for parole, USCIS noted. The agency listed several "threshold criteria and key elements" of the rule:
- Entrepreneurs may be either living abroad or already in the United States.
- Startup entities must have been formed in the United States within the past five years.
- Startup entities must demonstrate substantial potential for rapid growth and job creation by showing at least $264,147 in qualified investments from qualifying investors, at least $105,659 in qualified government awards or grants or alternative evidence.
- The spouse of the entrepreneur may apply for employment authorization after being paroled into the United States.
- The entrepreneur may be granted an initial parole period of up to 2½ years. If approved for re-parole, based on additional benchmarks in funding, job creation, or revenue described in the guidance, the entrepreneur may receive up to another 2½ years, for a maximum of five years. (At that point or earlier, there are other Options for Noncitizen Entrepreneurs to Work in the United States, USCIS noted.)
- Up to three entrepreneurs per startup can be eligible for parole under the rule.
Details:
- USCIS guidance (July 12, 2024).
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