The International Entrepreneur Parole (IEP), also known as the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER), allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to grant discretionary temporary authorized presence to foreign entrepreneurs whose U.S.-based startups provide a significant public benefit through job creation and economic growth. Established in 2017 under INA Section 212(d)(5)(A) and codified at 8 CFR 212.19, the program is administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and is open to entrepreneurs of any nationality — no employer sponsorship is required. Parole is not a visa classification; it is a discretionary grant of temporary presence and does not provide a direct path to permanent residency.
Entrepreneur eligibility:
Startup eligibility:
The entrepreneur's own funds do not count toward the $311,071 qualified-investment threshold. Under 8 CFR 212.19, a "qualified investment" excludes any investment made directly or indirectly by the entrepreneur, by the entrepreneur's parents, spouse, siblings, or children, or by entities they own — and personal savings or loans likewise do not qualify. The funds must come from a qualified third-party U.S. investor or a qualified government award/grant.
Qualified investor criteria: A qualifying investor must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or U.S.-based entity majority-owned by U.S. citizens or LPRs, and must have — over the preceding 5 years — invested at least $746,571 total in startup equity, with at least 2 of those investments resulting in each startup creating 5+ qualified jobs or generating $622,142+ in revenue with 20%+ annual growth. Investors cannot be the entrepreneur, an immediate relative, an entity owned by the entrepreneur, or a person/entity with securities violations.
Initial parole is granted for up to 30 months. One re-parole period of up to 30 additional months may be granted (maximum 5 years total), provided the entrepreneur retains at least 5% ownership and the startup has — during the initial parole period — achieved at least one of:
Up to three entrepreneurs may be paroled for the same startup entity. The minimum ownership threshold decreases from 10% at initial application to 5% at re-parole to account for dilution from additional investment rounds.
Spouse and unmarried children under 21 may apply for parole by filing Form I-131 (Application for Travel Document), either concurrently with or separately from the entrepreneur's Form I-941. The spouse may apply for employment authorization (Form I-765, category (c)(34)) after entering the United States, permitting work with any employer (not limited to the startup). Children are not eligible for employment authorization. Biometrics are required for each family member. The HR-1 statutory parole fee ($1,020 for FY 2026) also applies to each family member upon the grant of parole.
Parolees present in the United States are subject to U.S. federal and state income tax. Those meeting the IRS substantial presence test (generally 183 or more days in a calendar year using the IRS formula) are treated as U.S. tax residents and taxed on worldwide income.
The entrepreneur is authorized to work only for the startup entity specified in the parole application. Employment with any other entity is not permitted.
Form I-941 must be filed by mail only — online filing is not available. The form is mailed to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox (USPS: P.O. Box 650890, Dallas, TX 75265-0890; courier: 2501 S. State Highway 121 Business Suite 400, Lewisville, TX 75067-8003). Payment may be made by credit/debit/prepaid card (Form G-1450) or direct bank transfer (Form G-1650); personal and business checks are no longer accepted for paper filings.
Fees: $1,200 filing fee plus $85 biometrics fee at initial filing ($1,285 total). Separately, a statutory HR-1 parole fee of $1,020 (FY 2026, inflation-adjusted from $1,000) is assessed upon the actual grant of parole under the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (H.R. 1), effective October 16, 2025. The April 2026 DHS Interim Final Rule (effective May 29, 2026) codifies this fee and the collection procedures. The HR-1 parole fee cannot be waived or reduced and also applies to each family member granted parole. The current USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055, edition 05/06/26) reflects these amounts.
After filing, the applicant attends a biometrics appointment. USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence. If eligibility criteria are met, USCIS issues a conditional approval. Applicants outside the United States must present at a U.S. port of entry, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) makes the final parole determination. Applicants already in the United States may have parole finalized without departing. Upon final parole, the entrepreneur receives a multi-use Form I-512L document permitting multiple entries during the parole period. Premium processing is not available.
USCIS does not release estimated processing times for Form I-941. Entrepreneurs must notify USCIS of any material change to the startup entity or their role within it by filing an amended Form I-941; failure to report material changes may result in termination of parole.