1. Whether to admit you at all;
2. If the officer admits you, for how long you will be admitted.

Your visa determines the maximum length of stay the officer can give you, but the document you need to pay attention to is Form I-94. Form I-94 contains basic information such as your full name, passport number, nationality, visa category of admission, and for how long you can stay.

If you’ve been traveling to the United States for a long time, you may remember filling out a white paper with your name and passport number on it. That paper was then stamped by the CBP officer together with your passport. Well, since 2013 that paper is no longer used much. Instead, nowadays you’ll find the I-94 online on this page. Here you can also find your travel history to the United States.

Make sure to review the I-94, and do not go by the passport stamp date. What matters is the I-94 as that is what stays in the system. So check it right away, and if you see a mistake contact the pertinent CBP port of entry or deferred inspection office to correct it, here.

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OVERVIEW

The E2 Visa is an excellent instrument for investors willing to live and have their own business in the USA.

As an E2 Visa investor, you would be also able to bring your family with you.

The USA immigration laws allow certain treaty countries citizens to apply for an E2 Visa. To see if your country qualifies, click here. If your country is not on the list, consider other options like an E-B5 or L1 visa.

OTHER KEY ADVANTAGES:

• Unlike other visas, the E2 is known for requiring a smaller investment. There is no investment required for this visa, although the law requires a substantial amount, usually at least $75K+, depending on the type of business.
• The E2 visa process is also known for being faster than other investor visas. Depending on the consulate, an E2 can be approved within only a few weeks. Other visas can take a year or more to be approved
• With an E2 visa, you can also bring employees from your own country.
• While E2s are non-immigrant visas they nevertheless allow investors to own their own business and ultimately their own lives.
• E2 visas can be renewed indefinitely as long as you continue to meet the requirements. Many countries grant them in 5-year increments.
• E2 visas do not have annual caps or waitlists, as opposed to an EB-5 visa.

If you think this could be your case and are ready to start a new life for you and your family, please feel free to call us and schedule a consultation by clicking here

The post E-2 Investor Visa, A Great Vehicle To Start A Business In The United States With An Affordable Investment appeared first on DGO Legal.

Often times clients satisfy many of the E-2 requirements, such as being a citizen of a treaty country (see treaty country list here) or having a substantial amount of money to invest. Yet a common issue is not knowing where and how to invest the money. For such cases, investing in a franchise can be the perfect solution.

 Franchise key advantages:

• Consular officers will analyze that the business is operative, viable, and non-marginal. By choosing an established franchise, it can be easier to establish these requirements because franchises usually have a record of success with a proven business plan, and therefore consular officers may be already familiar to them.

• Setting up your new business can be a complex and stressful endeavor. However, among other benefits, franchises offer management assistance and training to the investor, offering solutions and guidance in a business that can be otherwise challenging.

• Franchises exist in diverse industries, are flexible, and can adjust to different budgets

But because investor franchisees usually have to pay royalties to the franchisor and follow their directions, thorough research should be conducted before choosing your perfect franchise.

We can help you in every step of the process, from verifying your eligibility for an E-2 visa to helping you find the best franchise for your needs.

CALL 213-278-4073 TODAY TO BEGIN YOUR AMERICAN ADVENTURE.

If you think this could be your case and are ready to start a new life for you and your family, please feel free to call us and schedule a consultation by clicking here

The post E-2 Investor Visa: Is A Franchise The Best Way To Develop Your Business In The Us? appeared first on DGO Legal.

It is a non-immigrant visa for people who possess extraordinary ability in
the sciences, arts, education, business or sports, or who have demonstrated
extraordinary achievements in the film or television industry with national or international recognition.
The specific visa for artists is the O-1B and has significant benefits in respect of
of other types of work visas.

What are the characteristics and advantages?

This visa has the advantage that it allows the spouse and unmarried children under
21 years of the artist get the same visa, known as O-3. While they will not be able to
work, they can study.

In addition, an assistant to the artist who is essential to the project may be granted
the visa as well. The assistant must have skills and experience that cannot
be found in an American worker.

The visa is granted for a maximum of 3 years. Subsequently, USCIS (United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services) may grant 1-year extensions at a time,
as long as the art project continues and requires more time.
Furthermore, the O-1B visa has the advantage over other work visas that it does not have a
the annual limit on the number of visas that can be granted.
While the O-1B visa is in the “non-immigrant” category, once you have obtained t it is much easier to get
the EB-1 visa.

What are the criteria for obtaining it?

The artist must demonstrate extraordinary ability as evidenced by national or international
acclaim and with the intention of temporarily migrating to the
United to work in their area of extraordinary ability.

Extraordinary ability is understood as a level of expertise only found in a small percentage of artists.

The artist must demonstrate distinction, in the sense of a level of recognition evidenced by skills
significantly higher than the average artist.

What evidence do I need?

A letter written by a group, association or union of artists should be obtained
(such as a stakeholder association) or a person with expertise in the skill area
of the artist. If there is no such association, the artist must prove it. It is
recommended to file the original versions – if possible with letterheads, brands
of the documents so that there is no doubt as to their
authenticity and thus avoid delays.

The artist must have a concrete offer of work before applying and have an
American agent. The agent may be the artist’s direct employer, representative
of the employer, and the artist or a person or entity authorized by the employer to
act as an agent.

The contract between the employer and the artist must also be filed. This contract may be
written or oral, in which case evidence must be provided to show it (e-
mails, chats, etc.).
In addition, an itinerary should be presented explaining the nature of the events or
activities with start and end dates. Ex: the itinerary of a tour or series of
events.
Evidence must also be provided that the artist has won or was nominated
for a recognized national or international award such as an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,
or Director’s Guild Award or, if not, evidence of at least 3 of the following
categories:

1. Performed and will perform services as a principal participant or protagonist in productions or events that have a distinguished reputation as evidenced by reviews, advertisements, publicity releases, publications, or contracts.

2. Obtained national or international recognition for achievements as evidenced by reviews or other materials published by or about the beneficiary in major newspapers, magazines, or other publications.

3. Has performed and will perform a leading, leading, or critical role for organizations and establishments that have a distinguished reputation as demonstrated by articles in newspapers, specialized magazines, publications, or testimonials.

4. A record of major commercial or critically acclaimed successes, as demonstrated by such indicators as title, rating, or position in the artistic field, box office receipts, film or television ratings, and other achievements reported in specialized magazines, major newspapers, or other publications.

5. Received significant recognition for his or her achievements from organizations, critics, government agencies, or other recognized experts in the field in which the recipient is involved, and the testimonials clearly indicate the author’s authority, experience, and knowledge of the recipient’s achievements.

6. A high salary or other substantial remuneration for services in relation to others in the field, as demonstrated by contracts or other evidence.
Other relevant evidence may also be accepted.

If you are interested in learning more about this visa or other ways to live in the U.S., contact us at +1 (213) 278-4073 or at info@dgo.legal to schedule your consultation.

***

This website and its blog constitute advertising for lawyers. Do not consider anything on this website or blog as legal advice and nothing on this website constitute the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Reserve a consultation with us before acting using any information you read here. Past results are not guarantees of future results and past results do not imply or predict future results. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

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The E-2 investor visa allows a person to establish a business and live in the United States with his or her family. Citizens of certain countries that have treaties with the U.S. qualify for this type of visa. As of October 20, 1994, Argentina is one of them and the process is carried out at the U.S. Consulate in Buenos Aires.

What are the advantages?

The E-2 visa allows the investor:

• To have his or her own business
• To bring his or her spouse who can obtain a work permit, and unmarried children under 21 who can study
• To invest substantially less than other investment visas
• To process it more quickly than other investment or work visas
• To obtain it for a term of up to 5 years renewable without limit
• To bring employees and their families from Argentina

How much and how do I have to invest?

Immigration laws do not establish a minimum investment amount. They require that the investment be substantial and commensurate with the business. It is recommended to invest at least U$S 100,000.

The law requires that the investment has already taken place at the time of applying for the visa. The investment may include the acquisition of movable and immovable property related to the business such as computers, machinery, the design of a website, advertising, hiring employees, office supplies, etc.

The origin of the funds must be legal and provable. It can come from personal earnings, inheritance or donations.

In addition, if a person is interested in a green card or citizenship, he/she can start by settling in the U.S. with an E-2 visa and then apply for a green card through an E-B5 visa, or another alternative pathway.

Thus, although many people are unaware of its existence, the E-2 is perhaps one of the best vehicles for Argentinians seeking to settle in the U.S. with their families and have their own business. It has substantial comparative advantages over other visas in terms of the minimum investment amount and speed of processing.

If you are interested in learning more about this visa or other ways to live in the U.S., contact us at +1 (213) 278-4073 or at info@dgo.legal to schedule your consultation.

***

This website and its blog constitute advertising for lawyers. Do not consider anything on this website or blog as legal advice and nothing on this website constitute the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Reserve a consultation with us before acting using any information you read here. Past results are not guarantees of future results and past results do not imply or predict future results. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

The post E-2 Visa for Argentinians appeared first on DGO Legal.

Now, what are the essential requirements to successfully apply for an E2 visa? For the purposes of making an analysis that is easy to understand, we will divide the requirements by business and petitioner.

Business requirements:

1. Nationality: At least 50% ownership of the company must be held by a national of a country that has an E-2 treaty with the US. See the updated list of qualifying countries by clicking HERE.
2. Active investment: The investor has invested or is actively in the process of investing funds that will be irrevocably committed to the business and are not derived from criminal activity.
3. Real and operating business: The business must be real and operating and must offer goods or services, complying with the legal requirements to conduct that type of business in the U.S. jurisdiction where it is planned to be conducted. Example: If a person wants to form a law firm in New York and work as a lawyer, he/she must obtain a law license from the New York Bar.
4. Substantial investment: The immigration laws do not specify a minimum amount of investment. However, they do state that it must be “substantial and commensurate” with to the cost of the business. For example, if a person wants to open a space shuttle factory, he must invest several million dollars. But if he wants to open a restaurant, the investment will be much less.
5. In addition, the investment should be sufficient to guarantee the financial commitment necessary for the success of the business.
6. The investment must not be marginal to the investor, in the sense that it must have the capacity to generate sufficient income to provide for the investor and his family – or the employee and his family. Or it must have the present or future capacity -within the term of 5 years- to generate a significant economic contribution.

Applicant Requirements:

1. Nationality: The investor must be a national of the country that has an E2 trade agreement with the US. If one wants to hire a manager or essential employee on an E-2 visa, they must possess the same nationality as the investor. This requirement does NOT apply to dependents (spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21).
2. Intention to return to his/her country: The applicant must clearly express his/her intention to return to his/her country once his/her E-2 status ends. Of course, it should also be noted that the E-2 visa can be renewed indefinitely as long as the business continues to operate.

If you are interested in learning more about this visa or other ways to live in the U.S., contact us at +1 (213) 278-4073 or at info@dgo.legal to schedule your consultation.

***

This website and its blog constitute advertising for lawyers. Do not consider anything on this website or blog as legal advice and nothing on this website constitute the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Reserve a consultation with us before acting using any information you read here. Past results are not guarantees of future results and past results do not imply or predict future results. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

The post E-2 Visa: Essential Requirements appeared first on DGO Legal.