dylan&helen

I am very serious about moving to the US, and would love to know how anyone has got on with their move.

I would love to know the right answers.

I plan to sell my house, both our cars, money in the bank and everything we own to pocket around £200,000 ($325,000 approx)

I would like to look at maybe buying a business around the Tampa area. (I have always worked for myself, but I don't think it would be an ideal way to start in US)

As a family we have had our holidays in America for the last 5 years, and have spent around 4 months in total there. In December we are coming to Florida for 5 weeks to holiday and to look around - viewing houses and businesses just to get a feel for things.

is there any advice anyone can give me on which way to start the ball rolling. I can't decide which part to start on first, do I sell up? look for the ideal business first? apply for a visa first or just set off with my bags packed?

don't want to sound rude, but did an accountant check out the business you bought? (is this the way things are done over there)

thank you

Dylan, Helen & Oliver

(by the way I am 30 y/o my wife is 24 and my son is 3)

SeanH

I am assuming that neither of you are US Citizens ?

It will be far easier if you have relatives who are US Citizens - or one of you are - obviously.

You will need to get a visa first thing ( you cannot just get on a plane and lob over with the plan of staying forever )- and they are not easy to get.

$325,000 US is not enough for an Investor visa on its own - you will need more than a million at least for that.

You will therefore need some special work skills - to be able to get a visa.

Hope this helps..
~Sean

dylan&helen

Thanks for the reply Sean

I have read a lot of postings on this site, and some people are saying that investing around $100,000 into a business that employs Americans will be the correct way of starting the ball rolling.

i also looked on the US Embassy site in London, and they say the visa to apply for would be an E2

thanks for the advice

i am from the UK by the way

SeanH

Yes - but an E Visa is NOT an immigrant visa - it is a non- immigrant visa.

If you wish to stay permanently - or if you BOTH want to work - you cannot do that on a E Visa.

~Sean

dylan&helen

i appreciate the advice.

i think with the E2 visa i could live and work / own a business indefinately..... unless the business failed and i couldnt support myself. then i blatent terms, i would be kicked out

do you think this is correct?

Pulaski

In brief, yes.

The one "get out" from the "E2 trap" is if you can work the business up to where you have $1,000,000 of equity and employ ten or more Americans, then you would be eligible for a green card, ..... assuming that they haven't shifted the goal posts by the time you have grown the business that far.

SeanH

Partially correct..

You first need to show that your investment in a company in the US is significant and of value to the local community.
It has to be a substantial investment of funds that are all invested - and the money is not a loan from a bank.
Should that company fail or you take out that investment - you have to leave the country - whether you can support yourself or not.

You are not a legal immigrant - you have NO right to stay whatsoever.

Should your investment be so large as to be over a million you could then immigrate. But you would have to start a new visa process to do that.

~Sean

dylan&helen

i totally understand that an E2 cannot convert to a GC, but my two other questions that i would love to know the answer to are.


what if my wife has our next baby in America?

and, or, what would be the situation if she studied for a degree there, while i worked?

SeanH

Not sure about the studying situation but..

The child will be a US Citizen but as you neither of you will be - therefore will have to leave when you do I would assume.

Same as if you were in America on a visitors visa ( an E visa is basically a longer term visitors visa ) and your wife gave birth - the child gains no citizenship because of where it was born I would assume.

~Sean

candy wy.

the child would be amarican citizen through being born in the us, but it would be no advantage to you till the child reached 21.

SeanH

Yes you are right

Thanks for correcting me

~Sean

dylan&helen

i just read this on

www.usa-immigration.co.uk



E2-Visa

This visa is available to countries on the current 'Treaty List' with the
United States. This list changes periodically and needs to be checked
prior to proceeding with ones application. In recent years the E2 Visa
has been very popular and with good reason, to those of a business
inclination.

The E2 Visa is a long term visa issued to those foreign persons making a substantial capital investment (usually at least $100,000.00) in an
active US business which they will direct and manage themselves.
The amount of investment needed is usually the value of capital
required to buy an ongoing US business.

Key foreign personnel in these companies in management/executive
/special skill set positions essential to the owners business would qualify.

Crucial terms and requirements must be met before the E2-Visa will be
granted. Lacking understanding in this area could lead for example to
serious set back by perhaps acquiring the wrong type of US business
entirely inappropriate to furthering your quest for an E2-Visa.

This visa is initially given for between 2-5 years but may be renewed
indefinitely. Visa holders may remain as US residents subject to
them retaining their interests with the company.

Pulaski

As said above, under current law the child would be American but it wouldn't help you for twenty one years. Also the cost implications of a pregnancy and delivery in the US could be considerable - as I hope you are aware the cost of medical insurance here is frightening. You should buget a minimum of $400 a month for you and your wife, and probably another $150 for each child. I also understand that you should budget about $10,000 per birth for medical costs that most insurance schemes don't cover. :scared:
Your wife would need a separate visa (an F1, I think) to be allowed to study.

SeanH

Some other info...

E visa verses F-1: There is no requirement that the spouse and/or children of an E visa holder apply for a student (F-1) visa if they wish to study in the U.S.

Working on an E visa: As a result of a recent change in the law, spouses of E visa holders may seek employment authorization on derivative E visas. For further information, please contact the BCIS on your arrival in the United States.


Hope this helps..
~Sean

Jabba1

Good luck on your efforts to move to the US. I lived in Florida for a year during my childhood and it's really a nice place to bring a family to live. Hope you make it!