londonguy40

Hi everyone,

I hope someone could give me some advise. I have just closed my clothing store in London last month due to recession. Jobs are hard to find and I cant sit around waiting for times to get better.

I would love to move to the USA (Prefer somewhere warm). I'm too old to get a job at 40 who only has GCSE's and no degree. Therefore I want to open a small clothing store. I dont have much money but need to know how much I will need to invest in the USA for me and my family (Wife and 3 kids under 10) to get visa's.

Please can someone tell me

How much money I need to invests to get visa's for my family too?

Where is best to open western clothing with a touch on India?

How would I start to look for stores that I want to rent?

How does rent work in the USA, (is it paid monthly, deposit etc)?

Please can you help me?

Thanks

tonrob

What makes you think that your new US store would succeed when your UK one failed?

You really are going to have to do your own market research on this, you do realise?

Wolfy

Last I heard, but can not confirm or deny..... Although there is no specific dollar amount required under U.S. immigration laws, the investment must be “substantial” and cannot be marginal. An investor can also buy an existing business or create a new business in the U.S.

I think if you are a small shop, you will struggle to get a foot in the door...

To apply for an E2 US treaty visa, you must first establish that the enterprise meets the requirements of law. You may also be required to provide evidence, which demonstrates that your stay in the U.S. will be temporary. Your E2 visa application must include: and there is a huge requirement list

May be worth looking at

londonguy40

I dont know if the store will be a success or not, but I would like to try. It's been my dream to live in the USA, but never followed it up, maybe this is my chance while i'm not doing anything in London.

londonguy40

Thank you I will check it out. Thanks again

Bob

Half a mill in cash plus.

You've also got to figure out your start out cash needed you see, and having no US credit score and history, everything will be that much more costly and hassle. A couple cars, deposits on everything including a place, insurance etc, etc...medical insurance, especially for a family won't be cheap.

Commercial rent, don't know about else where, but my neck of the woods it is often annual up front which is why you can find sub let space to use.

The wiki is a good place to get your head around the visa situation as well as the immigration and visa section to this site.

penguinsix

Just to start you on your market research, there are more Indians living in the UK than the USA, and the UK is 1/5th the population of the US and 1/40th the geographic size of the USA.

The best place to start a store like that would be online.

Seriously, if you are looking at tapping the US market start something online to get a feel for US tastes and desires. You can do that from anywhere (look into Amazon fulfillment programs too) and if the business is there then think about a brick and mortar location to back up your online sales.

Take a look at the E2 requirements. It's a rough journey to get in.

Wolfy

I think you may find that the economy in the US is just as bad as it is here, they have much more unemployed as we do if not more

londonguy40

Thank you guys for all your help. I'm looking into everything you have advised. I wish I had half a mill, it would be great lol..