Visa Options

USA Visa Applicants: Learn how buying a business in the US can help you come to live and work in the United States.

For USA visa applicants, we can assist you in locating a business that can qualify you to work and live in the United States. The most popular ways to remain in the US legally, when you want to own a business, are as an E investor/treaty trader or as an L-1A intra-company manager or executive.

E-2 Treaty Investor

To qualify as an E-2 investor, you must purchase an existing business or develop a new business. We can help you find the right business to qualify or the space to develop your business. The US and your country of citizenship must have an E Visa Treaty. The investment should be at least $100,000 and be able to support several workers. The number of employees will depend on the country you are from. Any type of business could qualify, with a few exceptions: real estate development or self-storage companies can be problematic with visa qualifications.

E-1 Treaty Trader

To qualify as an E-1 treaty trader, 50% of the trade or services must be between the US and your business outside the US. There also must be a E-1 treaty between the US and your country of citizenship. There is no set investment amount required or certain amount of employees for this visa type.

The E visa process can be complicated, but with the right team guiding you, it’s a great way to own and run a business in the US.

L-1A Intra-Company Manager/Executive

Sometimes an E visa treaty with the US isn’t in place with certain countries. In that case, an L-1A can be a great way to pursue your dream of owning a US business and living in the States. The L-1A visa requires that you have a foreign business that you have worked for either as a Manager or Executive. You must have done this for at least one of the last three years prior to applying for this visa. Both the US and foreign company must be owned by the same person or entities and in the same or similar proportions. The US and foreign company must be actively doing business. The company in the US that your purchase for your visa needs to be significant in size, enough to support an employee management structure with multiple levels. Shoot for a business with revenue of at least $1,000,000 per year.

Permanent Resident/Green Card

Both E and L visa categories could possibly lead to permanent resident status, also known as a green card. You will need an immigration attorney to advise you on the best strategies to achieve your long-term goals.

EB-5 Investor Immigrant

A foreign buyer often wants to reside in the US long-term. They would need to invest either $900,000 or $1.8 million in a US business. How much they need to invest depends on where the business is located and whether or not it is classified as a Targeted Employment Area. A single investor in a US business is called a stand alone EB-5.

Next Steps…

The first step in this process is buying the right business, so that you can live and work in the United States. USA visa applicants, we are ready to help you begin this process! We can also refer you to a qualified immigration attorney, who works with our team of brokers, to help you apply for a visa in one of the categories above. Contact Us today for more information!