Sparkyhp5

Hi All,

I'm not sure what category I would fall under if any. I have family in the US that have been there for well over 80 years and have been running the family business for that long. The time has now come that my cousin (2nd cousin) is close to retirement and there is nobody else over there to pass on the business, This is where I come in. I'm currently in the UK (UK Citizen) and my Cousin would like to pass the business on to me and train me up to eventually take it on, There would also be accommodation for me there. However I have no idea what sort of Visa would cover this sort of thing from what I have read not very much. The business is a kennels and as said been in the family for many years so would be a shame to see it go. I don't have any experience working in that field so that would probably go against me also.

Any advice on the correct way to go about this would be very much appreciated, As I said it's maybe not possible to do anything about it.

civilservant

Honestly it doesn't sound like any of the work based visas will apply to you since they pretty much universally require a position that requires a degree. Not to mention that they are not permanent without undergoing certification to ascertain that no USC can do the job.

You say you have your cousin, is there any other relative in the US that is closer? Brother, Sister, Parent?

Do you have $500k that you could invest in the US?

Sparkyhp5

I thought this would be the case, my family are aunt and cousins noone as close as a parent brother or sister.

Oh Well at least I can enjoy holidays out there.

Thanks for the response.

Pulaski

As an established business, there may be the route where you could buy, or "buy in" to the business (think minimum investment of $50k-$100k, but much more would be more credible when applying for a visa) and qualify for an E-2 visa, but that visa has a lot of strings attached, and is both subject to a periodic renewal requirement and that you must leave the US when you sell or cease to manage the business - so you would never be able to retire in the US. Also if you have children they would have to leave the US when they reach the age of 21. There is no direct route to permanent residence or citizenship from an E-2 visa.

Even if you were to take over the business, it sounds like it would only continue until you retire as passing it on to a relative of yours (from the UK) would be equally problematic, so perhaps you and the current owners need to accept that the business will either be sold or shut down anyway.

scrubbedexpat099

When you say take over do you mean buy and for how much?

Sparkyhp5

Hi, no it's more of an inheritance

scrubbedexpat099

Assuming they are not dead, then a gift, what is its value, will be potentially taxable.