scrubbedexpat099

Well they age out, so either make their own way, marriage seems common, or head back home.

E2 to residency, well the trailing spouse can get an EAD and hopefully be sponsored by their Employer, grow it to meet EB5 requirements, think that is fairly uncommon, E2 is basically valid as long as the business is.

robtuck

Can't speak for Covington, but if affordable and 30 minutes to Atlanta are the order of the day, I can vouch for where I live currently, Newnan, and Peachtree City plus Fayetteville, which are all in a line below Atlanta. Peachtree is cute, if a little odd - they all drive around in Golf Carts, it's about as Stepford Wives as it gets, but that brings a very well designed set-up for those that like it.

All three of them have OK schooling (I am not sure good exists in Georgia :-) )

4/5 bed houses in decent areas for around $300k.

Easy access to the airport and Atlanta (airport is 20 minutes drive for me)

A bit bigger than Covington it seems - basically, the South side of Atlanta is a lot less expensive than the North, where the IT world migrates to. Around the airport itself is not great, probably due to the industrial nature, but a few miles away gets rather pleasant. Any further South than me, and we'd be talking villages and little more.

civilservant

I would be very wary of the E2. No direct route to a green card, which age out at 21, if you are denied the visa extension you have to pack up and move immediately. As stated, frequently referred to as 'the visa from hell' on BE.

steph0scope

Do you have any experience of any of the fields that these options are in? COVID has been the toughest of all for the small business owner. It’s definitely “survival of the very fittest” here now among small businesses.

StevieP

We have been in Alpharetta since 2007 and has been a great safe area for our daughters to grow up (now 16 & 9). Very multicultural, some of the best schools in Ga, good city recreation programs & activities. North Georgia mountain are also only a short drive. Avalon, Halcyon and new downtown area (upscale mixed use developments)
House prices have become an issue over past 2-3 years, and I would probably be looking at Cumming if we were coming to Ga now which just north of us. More reasonable housing costs, but still close to Alpharetta and downtown Atlanta still only 30 mins or so on 400.

Cazrock

hi thank you for your lovely reply. This is an area we are looking at also so good to know what it’s like on the ground. We’re desperate to come for a recce but not easy at present. At a later date I may pick your brain a bit more if that’s ok. 😊

upnorth78

Hi Cazrock,

We are over in the USA on an E2 visa- we are always eager to share our experience as it is a difficult visa. But then again, i am pretty sure they all are! it took us about 2 years start to finish. It was a long and adventurous journey and it continues to be.... but we do love our new life! We are in the NW.