Tag: E2 visa Grenada

Grenada CBI to the E2 visa

New Law Impacts those Seeking E2 Visa via Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Route

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Just before breaking for the holidays, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act. Buried within this gigantic bill was a provision to add Portugal as an E2 country and a clause stipulating that anyone who acquires citizenship through a financial investment must be domiciled in that country for three years before they can apply for an E2 visa. 

We recently held a series of webinars on this topic, scroll down to view the recording.

Does the change to the law impact me?

If you are interested in applying for an E2 visa, but you do not come from an E-2 Treaty country, this legislation could impact you. India, China and Vietnam are among the countries that do not have an E-2 treaty with the United States. Click here for the full list.

Why would I want to apply for the E2 Visa?

The E2 Treaty Investor Visa category permits an applicant to make a substantial investment in a US business or franchise and move to the US for the purposes of running that business. 

  • Relatively low investment expectations (usually > $100,000, sometimes less)
  • Ability to travel freely to and from the United States
  • Unlimited renewals subject to conditions
  • Spouse & children under 21 can accompany applicant to US
  • Spouse permitted to work in the US
  • No annual caps/quotas
  • Relatively quick processing times

What if I am not a citizen of an E2 Treaty Country?

If your country is not on the list of E2 countries, then are able to apply if you first obtain citizenship of an E2 country. One of the fastest ways to obtain citizenship of an E2 treaty country is via the Grenada Citizenship by Investment Program or the Turkey Citizenship by Investment Program. The new law will have implications for this pathway to an E2 visa.

What should I do next?

If you already hold Grenadian or Turkish citizenship that was acquired by investment, you should contact us immediately. There may be a small window to submit an E2 visa application before the changes take effect.

What if I have not started the process yet?

We recently held a webinar to discuss potential solutions, click below to watch the webinar and contact us to discuss your options.

Watch our webinar

Useful links:

Grenada Citizenship by Investment Program  

Turkey Citizenship by Investment Program.

Just before breaking for the holidays, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act. Buried within this gigantic bill was a provision to add Portugal as an E2 country and a clause stipulating that anyone who acquires citizenship through a financial investment must be domiciled in that country for three years before they can apply for an E2 visa. 

We will be holding webinars on this topic in January 2023.
Scroll down for details.
This article is published for clients, friends and other interested visitors for information purposes only. The contents of the article do not constitute legal advice and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Davies & Associates or any of its attorneys, staff or clients. External links are not an endorsement of the content.
E-2 Visa for French Client

French E-2 Visa Client Approved Relatively Quickly at US Embassy in Paris

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The French E-2 applicant is setting up a business consultancy in Florida.

Davies & Associates have obtained yet another E2 US Visa, this time for a French client applying at the US embassy in Paris. One of the major obstacles was the difficulty of securing a visa appointment at the US embassy in Paris. According to the State Department, the average wait time for a non-immigrant visa at the US embassy in Paris is 105 days. Our client was fortunate that they were able to schedule an appointment within 70 days.

The Company is a Florida-based business consulting firm, specializing in offering consulting services for the Construction Project Management Services industry. The Company will provide hotel brands and owners with consulting services relating to hotel maintenance, construction, and hotel renovation. 

French citizens are eligible for the E-2 Visa because France has held an E-2 treaty with the United States since 1960. The E2 Treaty includes the departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Reunion.

The E-2 Visa allows a person to move to the US for the purposes of investing in and running a business. It is possible to start a new business, acquire and existing business, or buy into a franchise. Your investment in terms of cash, inventory, IP and assets should usually be in excess of $100,000, but there is no fixed rule on this, and our firm has help clients with lower investment amounts.

The spouse of the E-2 visa is eligible for work authorization outside the business. Children under the age of 21 can accompany their parents. The visa is potentially renewable indefinitely, provided the underlying business remains in operation.

France is an E-2 Treaty country. If your country does not hold an E-2 Visa with the United States, you are not eligible. However, you can become a citizen of an E-2 Treaty country and become eligible. Grenada offers the fastest and most cost-effective route to the United States through its Citizenship by Investment Programme. Contact us to discuss this two-step process to the E-2 Visa.

Click here to see the full list of E-2 Countries

This article is published for clients, friends and other interested visitors for information purposes only. The contents of the article do not constitute legal advice and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Davies & Associates or any of its attorneys, staff or clients. External links are not an endorsement of the content.

L-1 Visa for Manager of Small Business

New E-2 Visa Approval as Embassies Grind Back into Gear Worldwide

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Davies & Associates secured yet another approval for an E-2 Treaty Visa client, this time for a Pakistani client who is starting up a marketing consultancy in the United States. The client’s E-2 approval – at the US embassy in Islamabad – shows that visa processing is slowly returning to normal after the disruption caused by Covid-19.

The situation continues to remain mixed globally. The availability of visa appointments depends upon local restrictions and the level of pent-up demand. If you are hoping to move your business and/or family to the US soon, it could be wise to prepare an application and position yourself in the queue. While visa processing for the E-2 visa takes place at embassies,  L-1 Visa USA applications and EB-5 Visa applications also required the involvement of the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), which has also been affected by Covid-related shutdowns and slowdowns.

The E-2 approval in Islamabad follows on from a recent E-2 approval for a client from the US embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh, pointing to the green shoots of recovery.

E-2 Visa Company

The Pakistani E-2 Treaty Investor will operate a marketing consulting company that offers blended perspectives on technology architecture, human psychology, user experience design, and communications. Unlike competitors that focus on one angle, the company can use its collective insights and experiences to deliver projects, ideas, or strategies that are more nuanced and cohesive.

The E-2 Company offers ongoing communication services, time-bound services, and strategic brand development services, as well as content-based products such as online courses and books. The Company operates on a service-based business model, where revenue is generated from short-term client contracts (fixed price and duration) and long-term client contracts (ongoing monthly retainers).

E-2 Visa Investment Amount

The applicant invested $100,000 in the new business. There is no fixed investment amount for an E-2 Visa, but normally the US authorities expect an investment upwards of $100,000. That said, we have managed to secure visas for clients investing less than this. The investment does not need to all be cash; inventory and IP can also be acceptable forms of investment.

The client received the $100,000 as a gift from her father. Gifts are an acceptable source of funds for US investor visas – but the person gifting the money may also need to document the source of their funds. In order to minimize the client’s, her risk money was committed to an Escrow account. This allows her to demonstrate her plan to invest, but allowed her to regain the cash should her application not succeed.

E-2 Visa Eligibility

To be eligible for an E-2 Visa you must be a citizen of a Treaty Country. Click here to check the list of countries. If your country is not on the list, you can become eligible for the E-2 Visa by first obtaining citizenship by investment of Grenada. Grenada offers a fast and cost-effective route to citizenship. Processing has continued in Grenada during the Covid pandemic.

To learn more about the E-2 Visa, please contact Verdie Atienza, Senior Immigration Attorney and Head of E-2 & L-1 Visa Practice at Davies & Associates.

This article is published for clients, friends and other interested visitors for information purposes only. The contents of the article do not constitute legal advice and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Davies & Associates or any of its attorneys, staff or clients. External links are not an endorsement of the content.

Grenada Citizenship by Investment Programme

Grenada Reopens to Vaccinated Travellers

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Grenada is reopening to fully vaccinated travellers. And while you do not actually need to visit Grenada to obtain Grenadian Citizenship by Investment, many applicants do still wish to go and forge a personal connection with the island paradise in the Caribbean Sea.

Getting into Grenada

Grenada considers a person fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer, AstraZenaca or Moderna, or two weeks after the first dose of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine. What is the process for getting in if youre fully vaccinated?

  1. Book two nights of quarantine in an approved location before you travel
  2. Get a PCR test 72 hours before flying
  3. Prepay for a PCR test for your arrival in Grenada
  4. Obtain travel authorisation from Grenada
  5. Fly to Grenada
  6. Present proof of vaccination
  7. Take PCR test at airport
  8. Stay in quarantine for 48 hours while your PCR test is checked

Pathways to Citizenship in Grenada

Grenada offers two pathways to citizenship – a donation to its National Transformation Fund starting from $150,000 or an investment in real estate from $350,000 with a $50,000 government fee. There is also an option for a partial share of a real estate investment from $220,000. Investment opportunities must be approved by the government and tend to be hotels and villas on the island. There are a handful of approved developers who have a long history working with the CBI programme. Some developers offer the option for a buyback of your investment after Grenada’s CBI conditions have been met.

Benefits of Grenada Citizenship

Grenada has a strong and stable economy with a strong tourism sector. Tourism numbers inevitably fell during the pandemic, but the country is predicting a quick rebound. Reopening the border to fully vaccinated travellers is the first step in this process. The Grenadian passport is relatively strong offering visa free access to around 130 countries, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the People’s Republic of China.

Access to the E-2 Visa

Grenadian citizens are also eligible for the United States E-2 Treaty Investor Visa. This allows a person from a treaty country to move to the US to invest in and run a business or franchise. Only citizens of Treaty Countries are eligible, so that excludes India, Russia, China, Vietnam and more. We have helped clients obtain E-2 visas via Grenada and its Citizenship by Investment programme.

While the Grenada CBI programme does not require applicants to visit the island as part of the application process, it is advisable that anyone considering the E-2 option should visit the island and create local ties. The US embassy that is responsible for E-2 applications from Grenadian citizens is on the neighbouring island of Barbados and Grenadian E-2 applicants may have to visit Barbados for interview.

This article is published for clients, friends and other interested visitors for information purposes only. The contents of the article do not constitute legal advice and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Davies & Associates or any of its attorneys, staff or clients. External links are not an endorsement of the content.