Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram

E-2 Visa Pathway to Green Card

EB1 Green Card / Other US Green Card Options
for E-2 Visa Investors Seeking Permanent Residency

 

US Immigration Specialist - Chris M Ingram ESQ - Free Initial Consultation 661 254 8064 US Visas - Green Cards, Work Permits and O1 Visas, EB1 Green Cards, E2 Visa, H-1B Visa, H-2B Visa, L1 Visa, K1 Visa, K3 Visa, EB2 Visa, EB3 Visa, F1 Visas and More.

The E-2 Visa is a great way to get started in the United States, but for most it is not the end of their immigration journey. While it is easy to settle into a comfortable American lifestyle simply by renewing your E-2 Visa over and over again, the prospects of having your businesses reevaluated every few years by immigration officers can become costly, stressful and intimidating.

If America is your long-term home, then the next step up the immigration ladder must be to secure green card status for you and your family. Ok, let’s outline some E2 Visa to Green Card options for your consideration.

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E-2 Visa vs. US Green Card

By coming into the United States on the E2 visa, our clients get the opportunity to be entrepreneurs in the United States and reach heights of success that the American Dream is all about facilitating.

After receiving their initial E2 Visa, or after their first or second renewal, our clients begin to determine how they can attain a more permanent status in the United States. As alluded to above, many of the drivers that push our clients from their E2 Visa to a Green card are: endless visa renewals, the costs of visa renewals, children approaching the age of 21, their status being dependent on the success of the E2 Business, and wanting to make the United States their permanent home.

We understand each of these factors play a major role in our clients’ lives and this is why we are dedicated to offering you the expertise and guidance you need to determine the best pathway to Green Card status for you and your family.

Spouse of E2 Visa Holders Often Hold the Key to Green Card Status 

couple-1030744_960_720The E2 visa requires that one person work in the business, but the spouse of the E2 visa holder is free to work outside the business, if they wish, by securing a work permit. Once the spouse is armed with a work permit they are better suited to find good employment as the employer does not have to be an initial visa sponsor, allowing the E2 spouse to accept work without going through a separate visa process.

Once in secure employment, and depending on the skill set required for that position, the spouse may be able to work with the employer, to be sponsored directly for a Green Card. Often times we talk to families considering the E2 Visa as an option, and we often encourage the highest qualified spouse not to work in the business but to seek US employment that could create the opportunity for a Green Card.

The key here is not to settle for E2 status indefinitely, especially if you have a more secure option open to you. Feel free to give us a call, and we can make it a point to review your options every six months so we can get you where you need to be in due course without any pressure at all.

Children Turning 21

father-656734_960_720We touched on this earlier in the article but it cannot be overstated: if you have children it is really important that you secure green cards for all of them before they reach age 21. Remember, that once a child turns 21, they can no longer stay in the US based on their parents E2 status as they are no longer regarded as being a dependent at that point.

As you are aware, it is hard enough to reach green card status as a parent, so why would anyone place that burden on their children to figure it out for themselves, especially being so young?  So as soon as your oldest turns 13, you should be focused on getting them into green card status. When a child is around the age of 13 they begin to form dreams of their own. Soon, they will be eligible to get a part-time job (age 14), or learn how to drive (age 16), planning their education (18), and perhaps getting scholarships, etc. If you do not secure a Green Card for them between the ages of 13-21 years old it can have a negative impact on their own American Dream, which can unfortunately turn into resentment.

As a parent of children who were 5,10, and 12 when I came to the US from Northampton, England, in 1999, this was a very specific goal of mine.

More Pathways From E 2 Visa to Green Card Status 

  • EB1 Green Card – Carefully consider whether you could satisfy three of the ten EB1 Green Card categories. Many of our clients were not award winners or famous movie stars, but they are able to satisfy three of the EB1 Requirements, which is all it takes for you to earn a USA Green Card.
  • O-1 Visa – The O-1 visa is available to those who are at the top of their profession, but for this option there must be an employer willing to sponsor you. Like the EB1 categories you will need to provide proof that you satisfy three of the ten categories outlined in our checklist.
  • Green Card By Marriage – Finding love in the United States can be the key to achieving green card status. By marrying a US Citizen you will be eligible to apply for a Green Card and, after three years, apply for US Citizenship. All of these are viable options! Click here to learn more about them!
  • EB5 Green Card – Some E-2 Investors have already started the EB5 Green Card process by investing in the United States. If your business has really taken off, you can show that you have continued to invest, and your investment in the United States has now exceeded $1Million, you may qualify for an EB5 Green Card.

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Wage Database Foreign Labor Certification

Let’s Get Started

The first thing you need to do is look at these options and see if you can find an option that might work for you. Do not settle on staying in E2 status. Contact us today for a free consultation on going from your E2 visa to a green card!

 

 

Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram

Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram

US Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram
Chris M. Ingram LL.M., ESQ – Immigration Attorney
Admitted in New York.
Practice Specializing in US Immigration Law
401 Wilshire Boulevard, 12th Floor,
Santa Monica,
California 90401
Tel: 310 496 4292

Everyday the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram provides a comprehensive range of US Immigration expertise. We also provide a free consultation for our prospective clients.

Please note that nothing contained in this website or link therefrom shall be regarded as providing legal advice. Please contact us directly for legal advice specific to your situation. Thank You.

Specializing in the E2 Visa, EB1 Green Card, L-1A Visa and O1 Visa and K1 Visa Marriage-Based Immigration. Attorney Chris M. Ingram is dedicated to providing the very best in US Immigration legal representation. Enjoy our website.

Important Notice: Please note that all videos created by the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram are intended as general information only and not specific legal advice pertaining your case. If you would like specific legal advice on any immigration matter please do not hesitate to contact this law office accordingly. All pictorial images used in these videos and the website in general are licensed stocked images and not portraits, or otherwise, of anyone from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, nor of its clients unless otherwise indicated by name. All images are used solely for illustrative purposes only. Copyright 2010-2015 All Rights Reserved.