Choosing the Right Visa for Business Investment

There are several visas available that will give you the right to live and work in the U.S.A. The H visas are designed for temporary workers who have specialized skills in certain occupations and those that qualify fill vacancies that are current in the United States. To qualify, an applicant must possess a relevant college degree that involved at least 4 years of study or equivalent work experience.

Another category of visa is the L-1 visa which is another temporary, non-immigrant visa that permits overseas eligible companies to send overseas qualified employees to the U.S. so that they can work in a parent company, a branch, an affiliate, or a subsidiary of that particular company.

These visa categories require qualifications and specific skills for eligibility. If you don’t have either of these but you still have great ambitions to live in the U.S.A then an E visa might be just what you are looking for. First of all, unless you are extremely wealthy and have at least $500,000 of available cash, then an E2 treaty investment visa would be most suitable.

To be eligible for this category of visa you should be from a treaty country. Each eligible country has its own set of rules when it comes to length of visa, length of stay in the USA and the ability to renew the E2 visa. Even though no formal qualifications are required you should certainly have an interest in running a business and have some business sense too. That really means asking a price for your product or service which suits its value but not asking too little or too much. However, this is secondary as what the US is really after and that is your cash and your willingness to buy a business and run it yourself. You don’t need a background in Accountancy or even an MBA to successfully run a business. Determination and hard work will go a long way to ensure business success in the USA.

The great thing about an E2 visa is that you can choose a business that you have an interest in and there are many available all over the USA. Many businesses up for sale that would meet the E2 criteria include grocery stores, restaurants, computer stores and clothing stores. These sorts of businesses are essential to a community, so trade would always be maintained. If you see a business that suits your interest and location then you have to be able to pay for at least 80% of it in cash. You can pay the rest once the business starts to make a profit. You should remember though that your business should make sufficient profit so that some US employees are provided with jobs. You must also gain enough profit to ensure that you easily clear the costs of keeping you and your family. The UCIS will want to make sure that your investment is not passive and that it is a viable business which you intend to run. Additionally, if you need some expert assistance you are also allowed to bring someone from your own country to help you out.

There is a process to go through once you have bought your business but it is far simpler than going to college to get a degree.