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International accredited investor verification

The short answer. Yes - a non-US citizen or non-resident can be an accredited investor. The SEC's income and net-worth tests under Rule 501(a) turn on your finances, not your nationality. And because your documents usually are not US tax forms, the standard way to verify is a CPA-signed letter - a method the SEC allows whatever country your paperwork comes from.

Can a non-US investor be accredited?

Yes. The accredited investor definition is built on financial thresholds and credentials, not citizenship. The rule speaks of "natural persons" and "purchasers" and sets dollar thresholds - it does not require a US passport, a green card, or US residency. A foreign individual who meets the income or net-worth test qualifies on the same terms as a US investor.

The same is true for entities. A non-US entity can qualify on the same routes a US entity uses - most commonly an entity in which every equity owner is accredited, or an entity with over $5 million in assets - and the SEC's 2020 amendments added an entity catch-all written to cover foreign as well as domestic entities. A single-owner foreign entity or trust generally verifies on the owner's own accredited status; see the entity verification page.

Which test applies to a foreign investor

You only need to clear one of these:

The third individual route - an active Series 7, 65, or 82 license - is a US FINRA credential, so most international investors qualify through income or net worth instead, not a professional license. The full list of pathways is in our 2026 requirements guide.

Counting income and assets held in another currency

The thresholds are stated in US dollars, so income and assets you hold in another currency are converted to US dollars for the test. The reviewing CPA applies a reasonable, consistent exchange rate - commonly the year-end rate or the annual average for the year in question - to the figures in your documents. There is no requirement that your income be US-sourced; foreign salary, foreign business income, and foreign-held assets all count.

How you verify when your documents are not US tax forms

Under Rule 506(c), a sponsor who generally solicits must take reasonable steps to verify that every investor is accredited. The rule lists a few ways to do that. One is the income safe harbor, which reviews IRS forms - and that is exactly the method a non-US investor usually cannot use, because they have no IRS forms. This is where many international investors get stuck.

Rule 506(c) also lets an issuer rely on "a written confirmation" from "a licensed attorney who is in good standing" or "a certified public accountant who is duly registered and in good standing" that reasonable steps were taken to verify the investor within the prior three months. 17 CFR § 230.506(c)(2)(ii)(C)

That confirmation method is document-agnostic. A CPA can review non-US tax returns, foreign bank and brokerage statements, or an accountant's statement - whatever establishes that you meet a threshold - and sign a letter that satisfies the issuer's obligation. That is precisely what AccreditedNow does: a licensed CPA reviews your documents privately, and the sponsor receives only the signed conclusion that you qualify, with no figures and no documents disclosed. See the documents a verification needs for what to gather.

Verify from anywhere, in any currency

A licensed US CPA reviews your documents - wherever they are from - and signs a verification letter accepted for Rule 506(c) offerings, usually within 24 hours. Your financials never go to the sponsor.

Get verified - $99

What accreditation does - and does not - do

Being accredited clears one gate the issuer has to clear. It is not a guarantee you can invest in a given deal. The offering may be structured for sale outside the US under Regulation S, the sponsor may limit which investors it accepts, and your own country's securities laws may apply to you. An accreditation letter speaks only to your status under the US accredited investor definition; it does not override the offering's own rules or local law. Confirm eligibility with the sponsor and your own legal and tax advisers before investing.

Common questions

Can a non-US citizen be an accredited investor?
Yes. The accredited investor definition in Rule 501(a) is built on financial thresholds and credentials, not nationality. Its income and net-worth tests refer to natural persons and purchasers with no US citizenship or residency condition, so a foreign or non-resident individual who meets the income test (over $200,000 individually, or $300,000 jointly, in each of the last two years) or the net-worth test (over $1 million excluding a primary residence) can qualify.
Do I need a US Social Security number or a US tax return to verify?
No. The income method's safe harbor in Rule 506(c) reviews IRS forms, which most non-US investors do not have. But that is only one way to verify. Rule 506(c) also allows a written confirmation from a licensed CPA or attorney who has taken reasonable steps to confirm your status, and that method works with non-US documents - foreign tax returns, bank and brokerage statements, or an accountant's review. That is how AccreditedNow verifies international investors.
How is foreign income or foreign-currency net worth counted?
The thresholds are stated in US dollars, so income and assets held in another currency are converted to US dollars for the test. The reviewing CPA applies a reasonable, consistent exchange rate - commonly the year-end rate or the annual average for the year in question - to the figures in your documents. Income does not have to be US-sourced.
Can I use foreign bank, brokerage, or tax documents to verify?
Yes. A verification by written confirmation from a CPA reviews whatever evidence establishes that you meet a threshold - that can be non-US tax returns, foreign bank or brokerage statements, or an equivalent. The CPA reviews the documents privately and the sponsor receives only the signed conclusion that you qualify, not your figures or your documents.
Does being accredited mean I can invest in any US private offering?
No. Accreditation is one gate the issuer must clear, but it is not the only one. The offering may be structured for offshore sale under Regulation S, may limit which investors it accepts, and your own country's securities laws may apply to you. Being accredited does not override those. Confirm eligibility with the sponsor and your own advisers.

This page is general educational information about the SEC accredited investor definition (17 CFR § 230.501(a)) and verification under Rule 506(c) (17 CFR § 230.506(c)), not legal, tax, or investment advice. Cross-border investing raises securities, tax, and currency questions beyond this summary; confirm how the rules apply to your situation with your own advisers. AccreditedNow is not a law firm.