Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram

E2 Investment Visa – Keys to the American Dream? – Are You Ready?

The American Dream is Real Now More than Ever!

By Chris M. Ingram, LL.M., ESQ

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Unlocking the Key to Your American Dream

We have many clients who simply want to relocate to the U.S., but they do not have special skills per se, nor do they have a fancy education with lots of letters after their name. They are often already married, so cannot marry their way in, and they do not have any American relatives who can sponsor them. So, for the most part, all doors seem firmly locked. However, if you or your spouse are from an E2 Investor Qualifying Country, and if you can invest in buying or starting your own business, then the E2 Investment Visa could be the key that finally unlocks your American Dream once and for all.

For as little as $100,000 you can buy or start your own business in the U.S. The process can under three months from start to finish if you know what business you want to start.

 

The E2 Visa presents an amazing opportunity for those from qualifying countries just looking for a way in.

Being Your Own Boss

The E2 Visa gives you the complete freedom to buy or start up any business you want. Its all you.
The E2 investment Visa gives you the complete freedom to buy or start up any business you want. Its all you.

As a business owner, you will not need to be sponsored by anyone, you are what is called, self-sponsored. Moreover, the E2 visa, in nearly every case, can be renewed indefinitely, so you have total security over your future. Many people use the E2 as a platform towards securing green card status. So, as long as you have an E2 qualifying business, you can stay in the U.S. for as long as you wish.

Being your own boss means you can work your own hours and determine your own remuneration. Your American Dream is truly in your own hands. The sky is the limit, but you can also fail too. So, it’s really important that you choose your business carefully and we can certianly help you there.

Raising the Capital to buy Your Business

The goal is to raise at least $100,000. You may have it now or you may be able to think of ways to come up with this amount through a variety of ways.
The goal is to raise at least $100,000. You may have it now or you may be able to come up with this amount through a variety of ways.

There are many ways to raise the capital required to buy or setup your own business. Some clients simply do not have the money right now from any source and that’s ok, the key is to take your time and put a plan together where you can save up the money over a long period of time if you have to. We’re working with clients who have been following our website for years, reading our newsletters, being inspired by our success stories and just doing what they can to stay motivated. Then the day finally comes when they have the money and are ready to go for their American Dream.

On the other hand, we have clients who are able to release the equity in their home, or sell their home, or pay be the beneficiary of inheritance, maybe have family and friends who will loan them the money or they may have received a payout of some sort and now they have the money to invest. When that day comes, it’s a very exciting time.

In the U.S., some business sellers are so keen to sell their business that they will offer what is called “Seller Financing”, what this is means is that the Seller will have you part a part of the purchase price in cash, and then they will accept regular monthly payments until you pay off the balance owed. However, during this time if you fail to make the agreed upon payments, they Seller could take back the business. Seller Financing is not permitted by U.S. Immigration, because Congress has codified the law so that the foreign investor must bear all of the risk of the business.

Some clients have friends in the U.S. who would like to go into business with them. U.S. Immigration is fine with this as long as you, as the foreign investor, obtain a 50% stake or more in the business.

With regards to bank financing, this is possible as long as the loan is not secured against the business. Some of our clients have properties in the U.S. that are paid for and so those properties can be mortgaged in order to buy/Setup a U.S. business.

What About My Spouse?

Many of our E2 Visa Spouse work in STEM and are able to command a very high salary if they have a work permit and the E2 visa grants all spouses work permits automatically.
Many of our E2 Visa Spouses work in STEM and are able to command a very high salary if they have a work permit and the E2 visa grants all spouses work permits automatically.

The Spouse of E2 Visa Holders get the automatic right to work in the U.S. Indeed, it is often the spouse of the primary investor who not only goes out to work, but has a really good opportunity to secure high paying employment that could lead to green card sponsorship. We have many clients who work in STEM and once spouse buys a business that they can take care of almost passively, while the STEM spouse goes out and gets a great job with a major corporation and is able to command a very high salary.

What About Our Kids?

The kids are fine growing up and going to school, but once the hit a certain age, they'll want their independence and so they will need a green card to really experience their own American Dream.
The kids are fine growing up and going to school, but once the hit a certain age, they’ll want their independence and so they will need a green card to really experience their own American Dream.

Children of E2 Visa holders cannot get work permits. Indeed, at 21 years of age they can no longer remain on their parents E2 visa. Moreover, unless they are able to secure their own visas, then they will have to leave the U.S. unless within that time the parents are able to secure green cards for them. Indeed, that’s precisely what happened to me and my family. I ended up securing green cards for my family when my eldest child was about 19 or 20 years old. It was a close call.

So, if you are bringing a family over on E2 visas you must have a plan as to how you are going to be able to secure green cards for them before they hit 21. In truth, having raised three children in the U.S. the problems started to begin when the kids are around 14 years old.  My kids came to the U.S. at ages 5, 10 and 12 and like other kids they all went to school, assimilated and became “American”, after w few weeks :). So, by the time my daughter got to 14/15 years old she started talking about wanting to learn to drive and getting a part-time job to begin to develop her own sense of independence.

The driving part was not a problem, but since the children of E2 visa holders do not qualify for work permits, that became a family issue we had to work through.

Then my son, “the academic” (currently a Phd Student), well he wanted to start applying for college and scholarships, and again unless you’re at least a green card holder or a U.S. citizen, scholarships are typically not available. Moreover, going to college out of state can be particularly expensive.

My youngest daughter was about 12 when the family got green card status so she was blissfully unaware or any immigration issues or restrictions and so missed all the drama.

Conclusion

Is this the American Dream you are looking for. If so, we're can help you realize it. Call for a free consultation or complete our online inquiry and we'll get your started.
Is this the American Dream you are looking for. If so, we’re can help you realize it. Call for a free consultation or complete our online inquiry and we’ll get your started.

I still maintain that the E2 Visa is perhaps the best of all the immigration visas, for those people who do not have a direct way in through having very high education and professional expertise, an employer or U.S. family sponsorship opportunities. If can save enough money ($100K+) to invest in a business or start your own business, then you have every opportunity to claim your American Dream – you can be completely self-sponsored.  We can help you every step of the way, all you have to do when you’re ready, is to reach out to us and we’ll be happy to answer all of your questions.

Good luck 🙂