Urgent E2 Visa Info Needed For Business Venture In Sf

[wfc]

Does anyone know where to get E2 visa information in San Francisco? I am a Canadian citizen looking to open a business in SF, and I need to know what the steps are for the application process. I have been told that i need to go to the Toronto U.S. embassy to apply directly, is this necessary?

Thanks

[visausagreen]

Hi there, yes I believe you need to apply at the US Embassy in your home country if you are out of the US. If in the US on another type of visa you can apply to change your status to E2. I do know an expert in E2 business in the US, if you are interested let me know and I will sen you his details. Thanks

[wfc]

Thanks for your reply. As a Canadian citizen, we don't require any sort of visitng visa to go to the U.S.A., I just require one so I am legally entitled to work. I am currently in SF already, and wondered if it would be necessary to go back to Canada to the U.S. embassy there?

If you can forward me your friend's contact information, that would great..i appreciate it!

[Dreams]

Hi, I am sorry that I don't know much about E-2 but I am in the same boat, Canadian citizen wanting to run a business in US. I wonder How long can E-2 visa last though. Can people live for 20-30 years on E-2?
I think from what I can gather from lot of past threads and discussions the minimum number is $100K.

[Triple Citizen]

Canadian do not need a visa sticker in order to request various visa statuses in the US. However, for K and E visas, Canadians need a visa sticker before they can approach a US POE for entry under that (K or E) status.

Thanks for your reply. As a Canadian citizen, we don't require any sort of visitng visa to go to the U.S.A., I just require one so I am legally entitled to work. I am currently in SF already, and wondered if it would be necessary to go back to Canada to the U.S. embassy there?

If you can forward me your friend's contact information, that would great..i appreciate it!

[SuperBogs]

I have learned that the is no expiration date for an E2 visa. You are considered a non-immigrant. There is also no minimum amount of money required to start a business but you have to be able to show that it will do more then take care of your famlies needs. The company also has to There is more to it then that. 50% of the company needs to be owned by a person that comes from a country that has a trade agreement with. An E2 visa has been obtained for less then $20,000 USD. Difficult at this low amount though so the more invested the better for approval. Once you have a business valued at $500,000 USD or more you can apply for an E1. An E1 gives you immigrant status as apposed to an E2. After a couple years you can apply for your green card. I got this information off of a immigration lawyers website.

[thevisaexpert]

I have learned that the is no expiration date for an E2 visa.

Not exactly true. If you obtain a visa stamp in your passport, your E-2 expires on the date of expiration. If you change your status in the U.S. to E-2 then your status expires as per your the date on your Approval Notice. In either case, you can continuously renew your E-2 visa or status as long as your business is operating usually.

Once you have a business valued at $500,000 USD or more you can apply for an E1. An E1 gives you immigrant status as apposed to an E2. After a couple years you can apply for your green card. I got this information off of a immigration lawyers website.

The correct category is EB-5, which is the green card category for investors, not E-1. 500k will work only if you meet the strict requirements for the under-served area, otherwise it is 1 million. There are other requirements as well, including number of employees.

[simsd]

I spoke to my lawyer about this last week and he explained that the E-2's for Canadians are being handled out of the consulate in Toronto. The wait time 6months right now and I believe he also said even with Premium processing. He also said that E-2 is the only visa where the State Department gets involved.

He said that the people approving them are making some very irrational decisions. ie: If you have a signed lease for 12 months they were only giving credit for one month for "At risk" funds. Remember, it's not just a question of having money in the bank - that's not good enough. It's more about how much is at risk. $ 100,000 sitting in a bank account is not the same as $ 50,000 spent on materials etc. with paid invoices to show for it.

And remember that the people making financial decisions on you business don't have a business background.

[Sarena USA]

Let me offer you some advice over non-immigrant visas obtained from Canada. What many don’t know about applying for a non immigrant visa is that a very important aspect of the visa application is the business plan. In the plan, the immigration officers want to see a detailed and well constructed report. It is an integral part of the process and should be done by a qualified and experienced company. Immigration Business Plan offers business plan services for E1, E2, and L1 visas. We collaborate with clients on the marketing and financial details of the plan so that they may emerge with a deeper understanding of their future business
Our experience in a variety of industries allows us to excel in writing a wide range of business plans and comprehend virtually any business model. This is paired with our understanding of immigration law, which sets us apart. Having created more than 250 business plans in the past three years, we have a 97% success rate and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. You can visit our website at ImmigrationBusinessPlan or contact us at (863) 578 4881.

[yellow211]

Long time lurker. Finally joined.

wfc - I am an E2 holder from Canada and have twice renewed since my original app. While I will not go into personal details about our investment, I can suggest that you follow the E2 application guidelines. Only a 'substantial' amount at risk may approve you. That could mean very little money but the bad news is that you will have to proof that the risk has been made prior to getting the visa.

As you are already interested in investing money and obviously must have some cash flow to apply for this type of visa, I strongly suggest you hire a good immigration attorney that has E2 knowledge. I can message you the name of a very good lawyer here in the NE if you like.

Also remember this...there is NO path from E2 visa holder to citizen despite what is mentioned above.

Also know that if you have children under 21 years of age, they must depart...back to Canada when they turn 21. Spouses may work with an EAD authorization for any company that will hire them. You may only work for yourself and the approved entity. Minor children may go to school but not work and once they are 21 they must depart. Think about that if you have kids.