Investor visas are a way for foreign nationals to live in the United States as someone who is self-employed. The goal of these visas is to encourage trade between the U.S. and the treaty country. The United States has to have a treaty of commerce with the other country in order to permit this investor visa. This does not mean you are granted a green card. However, it still allows you to work here, travel and to make money. The two main types of investor visas are an E1 visa and an E2 visa.
What is an E1 visa?
In order for an individual to qualify for this investor visa, there are a few requirements. There must be a traceable exchange between the U.S. and the treaty country that the individual is coming from. The trade must be international and involve commodities, such as goods, services and money. It must be an existing trade between the United States and countries with ratified trade treaties.
The trade must be substantial in order to be granted access. There must be an ongoing flow of transactions over a period of time. A minimum of half of the international trade conducted by a trader must be between the U.S. and that treaty country. However, there is no minimum requirement for the volume or value of individual trade transactions. Although this is in place, large-scale and more valued transactions may have a more positive effect on the case.
Through this trade, the trader should be able to support themselves and their family. They may hold a managerial or supervisory position in the enterprise or possess certain qualifications that are essential to the business. The owner of the enterprise must also be a national of the foreign state and own at least half of the company.
What is an E2 visa?
An E2 visa is a bit different from an E1 visa. To qualify for this treaty visa, the investor must have previously invested or must be in the process of investing in a U.S. enterprise. The investment of capital is required to be placed at risk in a commercial enterprise with the expectation of making a profit. As the trader, you must have possession of the investment and control over it. The biggest requirement is that the investment must be committed to the U.S. enterprise and subject to a partial or total loss if the investment fails.
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