Types of Visa That Are Perfect for Entrepreneurs, Investors or Business Owners

Girish Mohile is an Associate with D&A based in Mumbai, India. Girish works as local Business Development representative for the firm and acts as liaison between Indian clients and US attorneys on their source of funds. Girish is not licensed to practice law in the United States and nothing in this blog constitutes legal advice

 

If you are a business owner or an entrepreneur, then you might have your dreams of launching your business in the US. In order to do that, you will need proper documents as well as a US immigration business visa. You might consult a US visa attorney to know the various details about what type of visa you will need to start your business in the US. Here a list of the most popular visas that are suitable for investors or entrepreneurs or business owners.

E-2 Investor Visa:

If you are looking to run a business in the United States, then the E-2 visa may be the most cost-effective option.It allows a person to move to America for the purpose of running a business. The E-2 Visa is a non-immigrant visa and does not directly lead to obtaining the green card. In order to get this visa, you will need to start a business or at least buy a company or franchise . The investing amount depends on the type of business that you plan to run. The E-2 Visa is renewable indefinitely and allows you to stay in the US as long as you run the business. If the business becomes large enough, it is possible to apply for a Green Card under the EB-5 Program. Your children and spouse will also be able to join you in the US, and your spouse will also be able to apply for authorization to work outside of the business. Only citizens of countries with a relevant treaty with the United States are eligible for an E-2 Visa. This excludes citizens of India, China, Vietnam, and Russia among many others. Citizens of these countries must first obtain citizenship of an E-2 Treaty country like Grenada or Turkey.

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa:

If you are seeking a US Green Card, then an EB-5 Visa a better option than the E-2 Visa. The visa requires a $900,000 investment in the United States economy for a period of approximately 5-7 years. Investors are able to invest in their own business, but the investment must create ten American jobs, which can prove challenging. Instead, more than 90% of EB-5 applicants invest with a “Regional Center” which uses the funding to build hotels, residences and sports complexes. Such projects have a high demand for jobs, and mitigate the risk any risks to obtaining the Green Card. A whole family can come under on investment – this can include the investor, a spouse, and any children under the age of 21. Green Card holders are able to access in-state tuition at US universities.

L-1 Visa:

The L-1 Visa allows companies to transfer their employees from an overseas office to a US office. It is also possible to set up an office for your existing business in the United States and then transfer yourself or a manager to the United States to run that business. Entrepreneurs and business owners seeking to open a US branch of their existing business could utilize the L-1 Visa, but the period of validity differs depending upon the country of origin. The US business and the foreign business must be tied together by the same ownership, but do not need to be operating in exactly the same field.

 

These are the primary types of US immigration business visas that on offer to business owners, investors and entrepreneurs who want to set-up or expand their business in the US. Davies & Associates offers free uconsltations to determine the best visa option for our clients.