Re: Florida Fact finding
 

The US is such a tough country to immigrate to, that checking to see if you'd even qualify for a visa would probably be the thing to consider first, before worrying about everything else.

Not sure if the attorney will be charging you for your consultation, but there are loads of very knowledgeable people on the forums who will be able to tell you if you've got a chance for free, maybe start a new thread in the US immi section of the forum and they can chat you through your visa options?

This Wiki article is a good place to start - Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA : British Expat Wiki

Best of luck.

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Sorry I should have mentioned we would be buying an already established business not a start up....... in less we relocate our marquee business which would be a start up in Florida

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Yes this is what we are doing but also don't want to start going through a process if we decide moving countries isn't for us so the above information is rather vital

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

With the sort of businesses you are considering, that is debatable - they are extremely competitive and as Rete said, many rely on questionable labour to make them viable.

Certainly some have posted on BE after a number of years "making do" in Florida with landscaping and pool cleaning businesses, and have headed home after basically using up all their capital. :(

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Which is great, for an E2, but that's probably the last visa route you'd want with a young child as there's no direct path to a green card and it's dependent on the business succeeding.

If you can do that, it would be much better as then you would at least have the option of staying permanently if you wanted. So if the business will continue in the UK with staff there, that's probably your best bet, but do get the advice of the visa pros in the immi section of the forum and they'll be able to help you.

Good luck.

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Thank you, your information and input has been most helpful x

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Do you want me to ask sis for the name of the company they used? As I mentioned they are in Ft. Myers. Don't know where the company was located.

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Have you thought about other states too? If you're thinking of going into pool cleaning or hurricane shutters then there are plenty to choose from. For marquees you could go pretty much anywhere. It might help with finding the right balance of good school, affordable places to live, low crime rates, etc.

We recently moved from the Seattle suburbs to the Cascade Mountains and there are plenty of weddings here in the summer. I imagine anything to do with weddings would be successful here in the summer. In other states it might be more of a year-round business.

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

But it is a problem for others. Outdoor events may or may not be popular with the humidity and bugs, depending on location/season.

Your biggest issue of labour intensive companies, you wouldn't be able to undercut other companies by using illegals or you'd not have a chance to keeping your visa going. The other issue, especially with landscaping/pool businesses, you go buy the business from someone, then they do start up a new company and take all their old clients with them which is the common "scam".

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Yes please Rete.

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Yes please that would be very helpful x

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

We are wanting to go into more all year work as out current business in mainly April-oct and minimal work in the winter months. Summer months can work 12+ hour days we are wanting more balance with the work load

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

Now, now you know that certain terms triggers some BE members.

But the point that the Business needs to be Visa friendly is a valid one and what works in the UK does not always work in the US.

Marquee's tend to be hired here from those larger companies that rent pretty much anything, and the season can be very short.

Where you need to show clean books for visa renewal etc, competing against those who do not is likely to be a fools errand.

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

The marquees I see here are nothing like the ones I am familiar with in the UK - these are full-blown temporary buildings with insulated walls, solid floors, air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter - putting them up and taking them down is no small feat.

And in one of those unforeseen consequences of new laws, that type of temporary structure has become quite big business as a result of the no smoking laws, which prohibit smoking indoors inside any business under almost all circumstances - but a marquee is NOT "indoors", :rolleyes: so hotels pitch a marquee in their grounds or car park for events where people want to smoke.

I presume that hotels and other venues have established relationships, so I think it would be hard to muscle in on that business. :unsure:

Re: Florida Fact finding
 

I agree. I looked at this as a possibility for my wedding a while ago and you can get them with ceiling fans and all kinds of stuff.

Rather than the village hall ones I put up a couple times in England with pegs in the ground.