Key Takeaways
- DACA recipients CAN be franchisees — most major franchisors accept non-citizen owners with valid EADs
- Bankable funds franchise acquisition costs, working capital, and multi-unit expansion with no citizenship requirement
- SBA franchise loans now closed to DACA owners — Bankable is the direct, accessible alternative
- Franchise brands from Subway to 7-Eleven to cleaning service franchises are all fundable
- 48-hour decisions — get your franchise acquisition moving without citizenship delays
Can a DACA recipient own a franchise? The answer is yes — emphatically yes. DACA provides work authorization and SSN, which is what most franchisors require. The franchisor approves you as an owner based on your financial qualifications, business experience, and character — not your citizenship. Brands including fast food chains, fitness studios, cleaning services, and senior care franchises have DACA-holding franchisees across the US.
The Franchise Funding Stack
Buying a franchise requires capital at multiple stages: the initial franchise fee, buildout costs, equipment, and 3–6 months of working capital. Before the SBA's 2026 citizen-only rule, a DACA franchisee could use an SBA 7(a) loan to cover most of this. Today, Bankable fills that gap entirely.
- Franchise fee: Initial brand licensing fee paid to the franchisor ($10K–$50K typical)
- Buildout: Leasehold improvements, signage, equipment installation ($50K–$300K)
- Equipment: Industry-specific equipment required by the franchisor
- Working capital: 3–6 months of operating costs while the location ramps up
- Multi-unit rights: Capital to secure rights to additional territories
Which Franchises Are DACA-Friendly?
Most franchise systems focus on financial qualifications, not citizenship. Cleaning service franchises (Molly Maid, Jan-Pro), fitness studios (Anytime Fitness, Snap Fitness), food service (Subway, Dunkin', Wingstop), and senior care franchises (Home Instead, Comfort Keepers) have all approved non-citizen franchisees. Verify with your specific brand — most have UFOC language that specifies qualification criteria.
Bankable Franchise Funding Requirements
| Requirement | Bankable Standard |
|---|---|
| Immigration | DACA with EAD + SSN — no citizenship or green card required |
| Franchisor Approval | Must have or be pursuing franchisor approval as an owner |
| Personal Liquidity | 10–20% of total project cost typically required as equity contribution |
| Credit Score | 600+ personal credit preferred |
| Funding Range | $50K to $2M for single-unit; up to $5M for multi-unit franchise development |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Most franchisors approve owners based on financial qualifications and business experience, not citizenship. Your DACA status with valid EAD and SSN satisfies the work authorization requirement most franchisors need. Verify with your specific brand.
Yes. The initial franchise fee and buildout costs are fundable use cases. We structure the tranche to cover the full capital stack: franchise fee, buildout, equipment, and working capital.
Bankable's revenue-based tranche funding. The SBA's 2026 citizen-only rule eliminated SBA franchise loans for DACA owners. Bankable offers up to $5M with no citizenship requirement and 48-hour decisions.
Review the franchise disclosure document (FDD) for ownership qualification criteria. Most franchisors list financial requirements, not citizenship. Ask the franchisor directly — many have worked with non-citizen owners before.
Yes. Multi-unit expansion is a strong Bankable use case. Once your first location is generating revenue, we can structure a second tranche to fund territory rights and buildout for additional units.
Food service, fitness, cleaning services, senior care, child education, automotive, and retail franchise systems are all fundable. The franchise's revenue model and your personal financial profile are the key factors.
No. Bankable can fund first-time franchise buyers. For new franchisees, we look at personal financial history, personal credit, and the franchise brand's track record rather than your existing business revenue.
Yes. The first 3–6 months of franchise operation are typically pre-profitability. Working capital tranches cover payroll, supplies, and operating costs during the ramp period before the location reaches breakeven.
Revenue-based funding carries a higher rate than SBA loans. But for DACA franchise owners who cannot access the SBA program, the comparison is between Bankable's rates and no funding at all. We price fairly based on your full financial profile.
48 hours for a decision from a complete application. Total time from application to funding is typically 5–10 business days. This is significantly faster than the SBA process, which historically took 30–90 days.