Entrepreneur visa routes in United States of America
Thinking about United States of America as a place to work? Below are the 5 United States of America visa routes that most commonly fit entrepreneurs, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: startup founder, business owner, company director.
What this means for entrepreneurs
Of the 5 United States of America routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs, 1 needs a sponsoring employer and 4 do not, 3 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Entrepreneurs are not usually a licensed profession, so your main gates are securing a qualifying job offer where a route needs a sponsor, and meeting any salary or points threshold, rather than re-credentialing.
The most-used skilled route into United States of America overall is the H-1B Specialty Occupation; it is not specific to entrepreneurs but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Typical figures — O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Government cost
US$1,655
Single initial O-1, standard employer, no premium
O-3 dependants filing in the United States use Form I-539: USD 470 by paper or USD 420 online where available. Consular O-3 applicants pay the USD 205 petition-based MRV fee where required; check local reciprocity and issuance fees before booking.
Verified 1 July 2026 · USCIS - Form G-1055 fee schedule
How long it takes
2 months – 6 months
2–6 months typical for I-129 O-1; Premium Processing resolves within 15 business days.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Case Processing Times
Occupation salary-floor answer
Entrepreneur salary floor in United States of America
Verified 8 July 2026
Mapped route
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or AchievementSponsor/job offer route · temporary route
Salary floor
No route-specific floor mapped
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement eligibility
Evidence
USCIS — O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or AchievementEffective 8 July 2026
No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Entrepreneur: visa vs licensing timeline in United States of America
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement is the representative route for this profession page. It requires a sponsor or job offer and is not mapped as a direct settlement route.
Source: USCIS — O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement - 8 July 2026
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
Current source-backed figures on this page include processing 2 months – 6 months, government cost US$1,655.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Document awards, press, publications, judging, original contributions, and recommendation letters.
Source: USCIS — O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement - 8 July 2026
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
Attorney or petition-preparation fees
Conditional before start date
US$2,500-US$8,000
Common professional-service range for O-1 evidence strategy, petitioner support letter, exhibits and filing assembly. Not a government fee and not legally required in every case.
Source: Indicative immigration counsel range - verify engagement quote - 1 July 2026
Cost-to-complete evidence: /cost-to-complete/us-o-1 . Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses United States of America's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- USCIS — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — E-2 Treaty Investors
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
Routes that fit entrepreneurs
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Up to 3 years initially; 1-year extensions available indefinitely.
EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
Employment-based first-preference green card for individuals with extraordinary ability — self-petitionable.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence (green card).
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Permanent residence through investment in a new US commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Conditional 2-year residence leading to unconditional permanent residence.
E-2 Treaty Investor
Non-immigrant treaty investor visa for nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the US.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement · Initial up to 2 years at port of entry (5-year visa stamp for many nationalities); renewable indefinitely.
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement | — | 2 months – 6 months | No |
| EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant) | — | 6 months – 18 months | Yes |
| EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) | — | 6 months – 2.5 years | Yes |
| EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program | US$1,050,000/yr | 18 months – 4.9 years | Yes |
| E-2 Treaty Investor | — | 2 weeks – 4 months | No |
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 12 January 2026In force 1 March 2026
US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection
Two USCIS changes land for the FY2027 H-1B season: the Form I-907 premium-processing fee rises with inflation, and cap-subject H-1B selection switches from a random lottery to a wage-weighted process.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - 1 April 2024In force 1 April 2024
USCIS final fee rule takes effect
USCIS implemented its first major fee schedule adjustment in nearly a decade, including differentiated H-1B filing fees by employer type.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit entrepreneurs moving to United States of America?+
United States of America has 5 routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs: O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement, EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant), EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, E-2 Treaty Investor. The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do entrepreneurs need a job offer to move to United States of America?+
Not always. 4 of the 5 matched United States of America routes can be pursued without an employer sponsoring you (such as the EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)), while 1 needs a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. If you do not yet have an offer, start with the no-sponsor routes.
Can entrepreneurs settle permanently in United States of America?+
Yes. 3 of the 5 matched routes lead toward settlement or permanent residence, while the others are temporary or transitional. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
What salary do entrepreneurs need in United States of America?+
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement does not have one fixed numeric floor in the mapped salary-threshold record. No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test. Source: USCIS — O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement, verified 8 July 2026.
How much does the O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement cost in government fees?+
For the worked example (Single initial O-1, standard employer, no premium), government fees total about US$1,655 (USCIS - Form G-1055 fee schedule, verified 1 July 2026). Treat as indicative and confirm the current schedule on the official source.
How long does the O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement take to process?+
The typical published decision window is 2 months – 6 months (USCIS — Case Processing Times, verified 1 June 2026).