Can I start a business in the U.S. without being a citizen?

In many cases, yes, business ownership doesn’t require U.S. citizenship, though specific immigration status can affect what type of work is authorized and what visa considerations apply. Because immigration rules are complex and vary by individual situation, consulting an immigration attorney alongside business planning is worthwhile for anyone unsure about their specific status’s implications.

What support exists specifically for immigrant entrepreneurs?

A range of federal, state, and nonprofit programs offer funding, mentorship, and technical assistance specifically for immigrant business owners, in addition to general small business resources like the SBA. These programs vary by location and eligibility, so researching what’s available in a specific state or city is worth the time.

How do I manage sending money home while also funding my business?

This comes down to clear budgeting and separating the two financial commitments explicitly rather than treating them as one blended pool of money. Setting a specific, sustainable remittance amount and a separate business reinvestment budget helps in supporting both goals without either one crowding out the other unpredictably.

Back to Glossary

Entrepreneur: building a business across two countries

Key takeaways
- An entrepreneur is someone who starts and runs a business, taking on financial risk in pursuit of opportunity.
- Immigrant entrepreneurs often operate across two economies at once, supporting family abroad while building a business locally.
- Common early steps include getting an EIN, opening a business bank account, and formalizing a business plan.
- Several federal and state programs exist specifically to support immigrant business owners.
- Keeping personal and business finances separate from day one makes both bookkeeping and tax filing much simpler.

An entrepreneur is someone who starts and runs a business, taking on financial risk in pursuit of opportunity. Here’s what that looks like for immigrants building businesses across borders.

What is an entrepreneur?

An entrepreneur is a person who identifies a business opportunity and takes on the financial and operational risk of starting and running a venture to pursue it. This can range from a small, single-owner service business to a larger company with employees and multiple revenue streams, but the defining feature is taking on that initial risk in the hope of building something sustainable.

Why immigrant entrepreneurship is distinct

Generic definitions of entrepreneurship miss an important context for many immigrant business owners: they often operate across two economies simultaneously. This might mean sending money home to family while also reinvesting in a new U.S. business, receiving payments internationally from clients in a home country, or building a business specifically to serve an immigrant community’s needs.

A few practical starting points for immigrant entrepreneurs:

Getting an EIN⁠(opens in new window), which is available regardless of immigration status.
Opening a business bank account, separate from personal finances from the start.
Exploring support programs. Several federal and state programs⁠(opens in new window) exist specifically to support immigrant business owners with funding, mentorship, and guidance.

Record-keeping tip

From the very first transaction, keeping business income⁠(opens in new window) and expenses in a dedicated business account, separate from personal finances, including money sent to or received from family abroad, matters. This single habit makes tax filing, loan applications, and simply understanding how the business is actually performing dramatically easier.

Entrepreneurship and international money transfers

For immigrant entrepreneurs, sending money home and building a business locally aren’t separate financial lives; they’re often intertwined. A portion of business profits might regularly support family abroad, while the business itself may depend on international suppliers, clients, or even startup capital⁠(opens in new window) sent from family in a home country.

Understanding tax obligations tied to U.S. business income⁠(opens in new window) regardless of immigration status, is part of formalizing this dual financial life, since business income earned in the U.S. is generally subject to U.S. tax whether the owner is a citizen, permanent resident, or visa holder, with specifics depending on individual circumstances.

The specific challenges immigrant entrepreneurs often navigate

Beyond the universal challenges of starting a business, an immigrant entrepreneur often navigates unfamiliar regulatory requirements, limited local credit history, and sometimes language barriers when dealing with lenders, licensing agencies, or business partners, challenges that add real complexity beyond what a business plan⁠(opens in new window) alone addresses.

Resources specifically supporting immigrant entrepreneurs

A number of nonprofit organizations, community development financial institutions, and local chambers of commerce specifically support immigrant entrepreneurs with mentorship, microloans, and guidance navigating unfamiliar systems, resources worth researching early rather than assuming the process must be navigated entirely without support.

Balancing a new business with supporting family abroad

Many immigrant entrepreneurs are simultaneously building a new business while continuing to send money to support family back home, a genuine balancing act between reinvesting in growth and meeting ongoing family obligations, worth planning for explicitly rather than treating as a secondary consideration once the business is more established.

Why mentorship often matters more than capital in early stages

Many successful entrepreneurs point to mentorship, guidance from someone who’s already navigated similar challenges, as more valuable in their earliest stages than access to capital alone, worth actively seeking out through a local business organization or an immigrant-focused entrepreneurship program.

Common questions about immigrant entrepreneurship

Can I start a business in the U.S. without being a citizen?

In many cases, yes, business ownership doesn’t require U.S. citizenship, though specific immigration status can affect what type of work is authorized and what visa considerations apply. Because immigration rules are complex and vary by individual situation, consulting an immigration attorney alongside business planning is worthwhile for anyone unsure about their specific status’s implications.
What support exists specifically for immigrant entrepreneurs?

A range of federal, state, and nonprofit programs offer funding, mentorship, and technical assistance specifically for immigrant business owners, in addition to general small business resources like the SBA. These programs vary by location and eligibility, so researching what’s available in a specific state or city is worth the time.
How do I manage sending money home while also funding my business?

This comes down to clear budgeting and separating the two financial commitments explicitly rather than treating them as one blended pool of money. Setting a specific, sustainable remittance amount and a separate business reinvestment budget helps in supporting both goals without either one crowding out the other unpredictably.

In Summary

An entrepreneur takes on risk to build something new, and for immigrant entrepreneurs, that risk often plays out across two countries and two financial systems at once. Formalizing the business early, with an EIN, a dedicated bank account, and clear separation from personal and family financial obligations, sets a stronger foundation for the dual responsibilities many immigrant business owners carry.

This publication is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to cover all aspects of the topics discussed herein. This publication is not a substitute for seeking advice from an applicable specialist or professional. The content in this publication does not constitute legal, tax, or other professional advice from Remitly or any of its affiliates and should not be relied upon as such. While we strive to keep our posts up to date and accurate, we cannot represent, warrant, or otherwise guarantee that the content is accurate, complete, or up to date.