Andyfonics

Hello everyone, im looking for some sound advice which im sure you will have no problem giving me as you all pretty much know what your talking about.

Right, I live in England with my partner and 2 year old daughter we bought a house 5 years ago for £55,000 which is now worth around £170,000, we still owe £70,000 on our mortgage because of consolidating a few loans.

We would love to be able to move over to the USA and live comfortable for the rest of our lives. We have been looking at some homes in Georgia on this website www.rightmove.co.uk. it looks nice there.

After reading alot on the subject I would have thought the best route would be to apply for an E2 visa.

This is what I was thinking about doing (Please tell me im crazy if you must and please don't hold back...)

I know it could be risky and we would not be able to move back into our lovely house (which by the way we cannot afford any more as I had an accident and hurt my back which left me on incapacity benifit, and my partner works in a call center selling insurance.)

I was going to.. ask my Mum and Dad to put us up for as long as it would take (they would not mind one bit) Sell our house for £170,000 and put that money in the bank, keep paying out £500 a month mortgage and invest the £70,000 in a business in the USA doing something we both like.
Keep the other £100,000 in the bank in the hope of buying a house if our visa is accepted.

We dont have any business experience but would love to learn. Where is a good website to look and buy businesses?

I know if we buy a business over there, the contract will need amending so if we get refused the visa we get our money back.

Any advice would be most welcome, I need to know if it would work, or if im just being a fool....am I....?

Duncan Roberts

You don't have enough money or experience. Oh, and the word "partner" sets alarm bells ringing when talking about US immigration.

JAJ

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulask...ork_in_the_USA

Even if you qualify for E2 (you probably don't), the pathway to a green card is difficult/impossible, so don't give up your good life in the U.K. if this is the best you can get.

Andyfonics

I read somewhere that all I would need was at least a $100,000 business investment with at least 2-3 US employees. I would be putting in $140,000.

I know I have no experience but I also read somewhere that it was not nessesary to have great experience. I could always take a course in business then try the USA route in a couple of years time?

Andyfonics

To be honest our life is quite s**t at the minute, struggling to live on what we get for income. After all the bills are paid we have about £200 to spend on us. Thats without food or clothes.

we can't live like this...

but looks like we will have to...

Ray

Sorry Andy you are totally undercapitilized... the minimum sum nowadays are mostly over the 150k-200k mark...then you would still need the money to buy house, car etc .. you should have enough money on hand to keep you going for at least a year without income ..and then after 2 years..if the business had nor reached the quoted status ..your visa is not renewed
Your children will be forced to leave at the age of 21 ..
the E-2 does not lead to a green card so if you go downhill your out ..

more info here
http://www.investorvisausa.com/index.html

E-2 visa holders forum www.thefloridaforums.com

JAJ

Lots of U.S. citizens are in exactly the same boat. Low wages, high healthcare costs etc.

Toontje

You want to sell the house, but keep the mortgage?

The bank gave you the mortgage because you had a house as a security. Once you sell the house, I'm pretty sure the bank wants to see its money immediately since the security is gone. So you won't have GBP 170,000 but only GBP 100,000. Think about it....

Sally

I don't think you will be able to draw British Incapacity Benefit here and what work would you suddenly be able to do?

Bob

You need a ton more money mate...that might be enough to buy in to a business, but you still need to live here, so money for rent or mortgage, plus cost of getting a car and all other living expenses.

E2 visa is also a steaming pile of crap for various reasons, listed in the wiki.

Try looking for another way in....especially as you have a kid.

Elvira

You took the words out of my mouth!

And does the OP have even the remotest idea of healthcare costs in the US...

Dan725

These two sentences do not jibe. The E2 does not make for a "Move over and live happily ever after" scenario.

NC Penguin

On an E-2, if your business tanks, I believe that you will have to return to the UK because you will not legally have residence in the US any longer. The E-2 does not convey permanent residence like a Green Card.

NC Penguin

If you think your life in the UK is shit right now, I can only imagine it'll be worse if you do manage to get an E-2 (and you won't be able to bring your partner).

fatbrit

Just to reiterate, yes, you are dreaming.