Is It Difficult & Hard To Get An E2 Visa In USA?

Many people who are running successful businesses across the globe have a dream to setup & operate their business in USA. The E2 Visa provides this opportunity for new entrepreneurs & existing businesses to come and run their business in the USA. It has numerous benefits for individuals & businesses however it does come with a long set of procedures in order to attain the E2 Visa.

To make the process easier to understand and smoother to process, Salinas Immigration Law Firm in Houston has one of the best Immigration Attorneys to help you with getting E2 Visa.

We have divided this article in 4 parts for better understanding:

1. What is the E2 Visa & Benefits?

E2 Visa provides Foreign Investors, Entrepreneurs & Businesses to smoothly conduct their business in the USA provided their native country has signed a treaty with the USA. Business & Individuals can start a new business or acquire a pre-existing business. Immigrants working in the USA can also apply for the E2 Visa to start their own business. However, the extension period will change to 2 years upon changing to the E2 Visa.

The Benefits are – With an E2 visa, one can stay in the USA for 2 years and can have unlimited number of extensions at 2 years intervals. The Visa itself is valid for 5 years allowing you to exit and enter USA freely provided an E2 stamp on your passport.

The treaty investor can bring their spouse along with unmarried & minor children. The E2 Visa allows their spouse to apply for a work permit and find employment in the USA. The E2 Visa allows the children to study in USA schools where they can attend classes from Pre-K to High School and even Universities.

2. Criteria

Individual or Existing Foreign Businesses should hold minimum a 50% stake in the business. If not, they are free to revise their business structure.

Businesses should be able to generate sufficient income in order to provide a living for the investor and their family, and also contribute to the USA economy.

There is no legal minimum investment. However, minimum of $100,000 investment is preferred in order to have good E2 case. The investment can be as low as $50,000 in case of a small business provided the investment is substantial in order to handle the costs & successful operation of the business.

The funds of the business should be lawful & well-documented. The investor can also apply for businesses and they need to provide proper documents for the same.

The investor shouldn’t possess prior criminal history or immigration violation history or undesirable traits identified by the USA government.

3. Procedure

For the individual already working in the USA under a different visa status can file an I-129 to get their status changed to E2 Visa as soon as their petition is approved. However, for someone living in foreign country, they need to undergo consular processing which involves making an appointment with U.S consulate or embassy in your home country to schedule an interview with a consular officer.

The consular processing may take at least 2-3 months depending on availability of your home US consulate or embassy. However, the time can be shortened to two weeks if filing an I-129 and by paying a premium processing fee of $2,500.

4. Documents

Let’s talk about the documents which will be required which include but not limited to:

• A filed Form DS-160, Non-immigrant Visa Application.
• Form DS-156E, Non-immigrant Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor Application.
• Your valid passport.
• Corporate documents.
• Evidence of substantial investment.
• Source of funds.

Proof that the business is in real, active & operating-

• Business licence and registration documents
• Financial statements
• Office lease agreements
• Organizational chart
• Tax returns
• Bank statements
• Contracts with employees and customers, etc.

Proof that the investment is substantial-

• Your personal or business bank statements
• Investment earning statements
• Assets

Conclusion:

You may be having different questions regarding whether my country qualifies as a treaty country or not, criteria regarding investment, procedure, documents and many more but at Salinas Law Firm in Houston we can provide answers to all your questions. Our Immigration Attorneys are here with you at each & every stage to make your process smoother and less complicated. Hiring a Top Immigration Lawyer in Houston from Salinas Law Firm will be there with you in this journey of attaining E2 Visa.

We offer E2 Visa services & many more services at Salinas Law Firm in Houston. Our lawyers are always available for you with just one call away 713.518.1711 to give you the right information & details which you will need.

Do visit our website to get assistance with E2 visa & other services as well. We at Salinas Law Firm in Houston make sure that our clients enjoy the peace of mind that their case is handled competently to ensure their stay in the USA. Contact us today by filling out our online form or call 713.518.1711

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