To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Hi there all,

After reading and doing a hell of a lot of research, I would like to clarify a few points, your knowledge guy will be very much appreciated! :o

Basically the story is that at the moment I run a small beauty salon in the UK, it serves me well in that I get a small salary for myself. I do not employ anyone. I've only been open 18 months and i get busy, and I can say im earning more that when i was a secretary/administrator, if you get my drift.

My plan is to try and hopefully sell here, and open up in LA (my experience makes me believe I would prosper more in America).

Im getting few conflicting stories from lawyers about the l1 E2 visas.

L2.
Would Ii be accepted to open another salon in the US, given my salon here a small business?

E2, If I sell my business here, (I have no idea what i could get for it) but say for example £20,000 would it be considered enough of an investment? I know I could open a very charming little boutique on that amount of money.....

thank you :fingerscrossed:

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Respectfully, have you done a market analysis? You might be in for a huge and disappointing shock! I'm guessing that you mean Los Angeles rather than Louisiana (abbrev. LA).

Ian

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

L-2 is a derivative visa of an L-1 holder. Did you perhaps mean an L-1 visa? Basically you would be transferring yourself to the USA branch of the existing UK company. The UK branch will have to remain open and functioning, which goes against the first few things you said in your post, above. If you don't employ anyone, and you are hoping to sell up in the UK...the L-1 won't work for you.

That's only $32,000. I doubt that will be enough of an investment. I also don't think that's enough to open and run a business in LA. My husband works in LA and is self-employed. He rents a workshop space for $1,300 a month in West Hollywood, so he's paying almost $16,000 just in rent. Not including job supplies, transportation, utilities, groceries, and any personal expenses.

Rene

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Hi Ian,

No not yet, but have spoken to alot of salons in LA. My decision being (before I do proper market analysis) is that I would probably be doing better than I am now. I will be doing all my research though!

So, really wanting to know at the moment if anyone has any answers to my visa questions?

thanks!

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Hi there Noorah, yes I meant L1.

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Noorah, thanks for this.

I have a very close family member who would run the salon and pay me portion of the earnings? Would it be ok?

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Noorah, sorry I should have made clearer- my mistake, I would be looking to open up more in the suburbs, ideally Pasadena, I would be opening up a small business.

Not sure if im doing this cutting and pasting correctly, excuse me.

Rene

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Hi Rene, yes meant L1.

Basically the situation is that Im trying to assertain which visa would be better. Given my business is small would I be granted an L1 visa? I would get someone to run the business and pay me a portion.

thanks for your time!

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Sorry, I honestly don't know the details of the L-1 visa, such as how big the company has to be or anything.

Rene

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

I wouldn't say Pasadena is a suburb, really. It's all part of the Metro Los Angeles area...it's all connected. Pasadena is also very expensive; I still don't think $32,000 is going to be enough.

Regarding how much you need to show as an investment to gain the visa, I honestly don't know...but just from knowing how expensive it is for my husband to own and run his business in LA, $32,000 does not sound anywhere near enough.

Rene

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Before we get carried away there is no realistic basis for a L.

Maybe E2 but we are talking a big chunk of change as an investment.

Plus this sort of business does not usually have direct employees in the US.

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

Not even if she opens the shop and hires 3 people in the USA?

I don't know how realistic that is, I realize she's a 1-person operation in the UK. She might only want to be a 1-person operation in the USA also. Not sure if that works on an E-2.

Rene

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

agree with Boiler, this seems a not ideal scenario for an L1. all the hassles we have had and with all respect my business is probably 10 times bigger, cant see it working.

E2 - the guideline figure has alwyas been $150k, people say it can be done on less BUT how much less ???

My OWN opinion $20k is nowhere near enough,sorry to be blunt.

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

I (vaguely) remember that for the L visa, one needs to have been the "employee" of the overseas business for 5+ years. so the oversees company is now sending this established employee to work on the business in the USA. You will have to show payroll as a well as a UK company organisation chart.

For the E visa, as far as I know there are no minimums for investment. One has to show a viable business and that "real" jobs are being created for US workers, and that will take whatever it takes $ wise.

So I think the comments re the $32K are relevant only from a business point of view, which then indirectly will affect the visa. If you can realistically make the 32K work and prove to immigration that it works (viable business and you employ US workers, sorry I don;t know how many) then immigration doesn't care if it is 32K or 100K.

Re: To open small beauty salon on L1/E2
 

I don't think this is true. I think one has to have been employed at least 1 consecutive year out of the past 3, in order to qualify.

Rene