Sunspear17

Hi guys,

I have been looking into moving to the US for a while. I was offered the chance to invest some money into a business with a friend. The friend has dual citizenship, but he moved to the US a few months ago due to his fiancee being American.

I wouldn't mind investing, but honestly I'm not sure about partnering with this particular individual. We are friends, but he's more of an "associate" than a true friend and I'm not sure I could trust him fully. I would be open to investing within in the US, maybe even into a business by myself and have been looking at my options.

It's not even that I dislike being in the UK, but it's just wanting to experience somewhere different and try to start a life someplace else other than solely the UK. I recognise how difficult it can be to obtain a visa in the US, so it's not something to be taken lightly.

What would you suggest I do? Should I build a business here in UK first and then go from there, eventually looking to move to the States (assuming all goes well) or look into a different route? I have a decent nest egg which is why I was considering starting a business in the US asap, but with immigration protocols, i'm not sure how possible that would be.

Jack8602

Have a look at Sir Pulaski's thread first - always a good start to figure out where you fit if at all - Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA : British Expat Wiki

Ray

https://www.uscis.gov/working-united...eaty-investors

Pulaski

Building a business in the UK would only help if you built it to a critical mass where you could hire a manager to run it and then operate a branch location in the US, as that would qualify you for an L-1 visa, which is relatively easy to get, but which requires a "head office" to remain operating outside the US.

Alternatively you could get an E-2 and buy or build a business in the US. It must be substantial and/or growing - it cannot be a "subsistence business". If your business is stagnant and not contributing to the local economy in any significant way then your visa is likely to not be renewed after the initial period which I think is usually 2-3 years.

There may be better options if you have $500k-$1m to invest.

zzrmark

I believe it is internet fact that you'd need a figure above $100K for an E2 to have any chance of being granted...

scrubbedexpat099

What do you do, what is your knowledge of how the US operates.

Very different to the UK.

Pulaski

I'd say $200k in most cases, plus another $100k to set yourself up until the business is making steady income, and for contingencies.

And I say $200k is a good starting point because to make a return of 30% per annum on an investment is pretty good and yet 30% on $200k is only $60k, and you aren't going to be living high on the hog on $60k.

Some businesses of course are much less capital intensive, such as "consulting" but it is more difficult to create a dynamic growing business that hires US citizens/ legal residents with a consulting business.