Jigthings

Hi
I am in a position where we have an internet company that sells in the UK and the USA.

The boss has made the suggestion that i go to live in America in the Jacksonville area of Florida and we run the business that we are running at the moment.

At the moment we sell on our own website and on Amazon and use a fulfillment center for Pick and pack but this i would do when/if i come over and also set up a fulfillment website for niche websites in the UK and do the same for US companies.
Now to the question which visa do i need to apply for? Wifes a nurse but it looks like she will have to take NCLEX test and see if she can get a job, Daughters 17 and son is 14.
Many Thanks
Pete (Jigthings)

Bob

Company transfer L visa or investment E visa.

You don't say enough to really give a good answer. How many people are employed, what kind of turnover etc.

With a 17 year old, you'd ideally want L1 visa as it leads to a greencard, which the other doesn't, but then again, the 17 year old might want to stay in the UK if she wants to go to uni there as you need 3 years residence in the UK prior to enrolling to get UK rates.

Jigthings

Hi Bob
Thanks for the reply i will have a read on those.

Its a bit hard to say really how many people we would need to start with it would just be me, if it took off and we where shipping containers both to the UK and from the UK then that would mean more workers, ideally me working the warehouse and the daughter working 20 hours a week for the company in the office to start.

If we went to the assumption that we just did our own products then between September and march we would need two people picking and packing per day and one in the office, during the warmer months there would be 60 hours a week between 2 people.
Regards
Pete

Noorah101

This doesn't sound like an L transfer, to me. Not sure working in the warehouse qualifies for the L visa, and also not sure children of L's can get EADs in order to work.

Something to check out more thoroughly.

Rene

meauxna

Time to read deeper than the stickies now.

Start on the Embassy website & descriptions of the various non-immigrant visas. Like this http://london.usembassy.gov/e.html:

The US Embassy in London has seen a dramatic increase in the number of applications for E-2 visas in the last decade. One cause of this increase has been the strength of the pound against the dollar; another has been the growth in value of UK real estate. Combined, these factors have resulted in large number of British investors with substantial capital who seek to invest in the United States. The US government welcomes such investment. However, it is important for investors to understand the purpose of the E-1 and E-2 visas so that they do not risk losing time and money in a lengthy visa process which may not result in an approval.

The Treaty Trader and Treaty Investor visas were established to facilitate and enhance economic interaction between the United States and other countries. They were not intended to serve as a means for foreigners to retire or merely reside in the United States.


Buying a FT job for yourself and a part time for one of your kids doesn't sound like it fits.

Jigthings

Not sure about that bit, but thanks for the information.

We have a guy over from the DTI tomorrow so i will have a read up on the info.

Pete

Bob

Your right, the kid if over on a L2 wouldn't be allowed to work, but if they already work for the company and it was set up as a E2, they could get a E2 visa to work for it, or presumably if in a management type of role, their own L1, but that doesn't sound likely.

Jigthings

Hi Bob
That sounds a better Solution
Had a Good chat with a guy from ANGLE this afternoon who has set up 3 companies in the US in the past,very informative.
Thanks for all the reply `s
Pete

Eric S

You may also want to check out http://www.thefloridaforums.com/. A lot of people who have gotten or are working on getting E-2's are on there.

- Eric S.

Bob

Thing with E2, it doesn't directly lead to a greencard and with all the other cons that are attached to the visa.

goldenstate31

dont mean to be negative here, sorry. Taking into consideration all your previous posts in this thread, a good attorney and a well drafted business plan will 'probably' get you a 'new office L1' but will it get you a renewal on what you have said? No.
you must manage (and uscis definition of manage isnt yours)
professional and managerial staff, not 'first line supervise' then those managers need to manage people etc etc, so 1 or 2 staff wont cut a renewal
the business must be substantial also to warrant a renewal. USICS will need to see your tax return to prove its grown enough.
L1 is not for people who want to transfer selling books etc on third party websites (ebay and amazon)
if you really want to live and work in the U.S go down the E2 route and buy a business
(although as bob has said there is no direct route to green card)

Jigthings

Hi Thanks for the reply.
goldenstate31
Let me explain about more about us.

At the moment we are turning over 500k a year in the USA with the one business.

We are hoping to bring in the 2nd business the Fulfilment side for US companies to break into America and the same for US companies to break into the UK.

And also a third business in 2012, this business includes a lot of images that we need to take ourself`s of items growing over a 8 week period and we have missed this years ideal time. This we think would lead to 500-1000 orders per week after a year trading.

Two years ago we sent over two pallets of stock to sell in the US as a trial and it really took off this year we will be sending 3 containers into the US we are also approaching several shops in the US to act as retailers for us 4 have come aboard all ready we are also approaching Mail order catalogues in the next few days.

We presume with the catalogues and the shops off and on-line selling for us we could double the amount of sales.

At the moment we spend over 30,000$ on ware housing and shipping in the US we thing we could cut this considerable by doing the fulfilment for ourselves and handling returns, we don't get many but a present have 2 years of returns in the warehouse when they could be sold on eBay as clearance.

As well as the warehouse we would be looking at possibly a shop, the main problems with our items is that they are large, the size of the puzzles that people make, our Jigmat 3000`s are the size of a door, we have found in the UK that the shops cannot dedicate that amount of shop floor space hence the need to sell on-line including Amazon and eBay

We have had one business approach us that has 12,000 lines here in the UK and they are looking to sell in the USA as they already ship there via international shipping but wish to have fulfilment centre in the US, at this moment in time we feel that they would be to big for us to handle straight away but give us a couple of years and i wouldn't see it being an issue.
Kind regards
Pete

scrubbedexpat099

How many employees do you have in the UK?

Is this something you have discussed with the Company's Immigration Lawyer?

Jigthings

Hi Boiler
One employee
We haven't discussed it with a Lawyer as yet
Cheers
Pete

scrubbedexpat099

So forget the L

Does not sound like the investment would meet an E2, E1? Maybe, can not think of anything else.

Why not just employ somebody locally to operate it?