View Full Version : Advice wanted
MichaelaJANE
04-07-2007, 18:43
Hi, my family & I are planning to move to Florida sometime in the near future.
Currently, my father runs a small digital printing/pre-press/graphic design business at home. He has been in the business for most of his life, hes now 43.
My mother who is 42, also helps in the business, looking after the accounts. She has also worked for banks previously part-time on and off while myself and my sister were younger.
I am nearing 18 and my sister is 21. We all work for that fabulous company Sky at evenings :P In Customer Relations/Customer Care dealing with the letters received. My sister used to work with my dad also in the printing industry. I am looking into doing a course in Hairdressing.
My dad has always been interested in either owning a coffee shop or a subway. So we are looking into buying a subway in Florida thats already established, hopefully. Arent Subways just the best? :D
However, none of us have any clue as to how to go around applying, what to apply for ect. Can anyone give any advice? All members of my family are looking to invest in the business.
There are basically NINE ways that you can get a visa to live and work in the US:
(1) Marriage (or engagement in anticipation of marriage) to a US citizen.
(2) You have skills that are in short supply in the US e.g. scientific or medical training. A degree is normally a must. Or you have superior specialist skills with at least 12 years experience.
(3) You have an Employer who is willing to transfer you - but even the employer has to make a good case for you - so you have to be a manager unless you fall under category (2) above.
(4) You may get a Green card in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland, are not generally eligible unless you, your spouse or parents were born abroad or held a different citizenship.
(5)You own or buy business (does not get you permanent resident status i.e. no green card)You must be a national of a qualifying Treaty countries
The business must have a minimum value of around $150k (more the better) bearing in mind you will need somewhere to live and with any startup business you will need at least 2 years living money as back up. So a figure of $450k would be a nearer minimum
(6)You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US $1m in assets to bring with you. half of that in a few areas. And your background will be investigated to the hilt.
(7)You have a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister and no further) who is an US citizen who would sponsor you, approx time this take 2-12 years?
(8.The R1 visa is available to foreign members of religious denominations, having bona fide non-profit religious organizations in the U.S., for entering the U.S. to carry on the activities of a minister or religious worker as a profession, occupation or vocation
(9)THE UNUSUAL You are in a position to claim refugee status/political asylum. or You get a member of Congress to sponsor a private bill with legislation that applies just to you.
The S visa issued to persons who assist US law enforcement to investigate and prosecute crimes and terrorist activities such as money laundering and organized crime
Recruitment agent will not take you seriously if you are not already in the US. Writing for jobs is really a waste of time; likewise US employers have no idea what foreign qualification are or mean (except Degrees) it may pay you to get your qualification translated into a US equivalent, there are Companies that do this ..
But if you are getting a visa under (2) above then you need a job offer before you can get the visa. Your Employer will be your sponsor this will cost them upward of $5k. So you can see you have to be offering something really special to get considered They may also have to prove to the Dept of labor that there is no American who can do the job if the position is to be permanent
Originator.. Pulaski
Updater.. Ray 7/23/05
As your sister is 21 and would not be considered a dependant on any visa, your best bet is purchase a business on E2 visa, either a trading Subway or a new franchise direct from the franchisor, the second is a little harder to get as you have to go on business plan not accounts and you need to put money for premises, equipment etc into escrow as the purchase price alone may not satisfy the substantial investment rules Your dad and your sister should buy the business 50/50 as that will give her a visa, with your mom as E2 dependant which will give her the right to work after she has obtained authorisation and you as E2 dependant with no possibility of work. I would suggest you go to college and do a qualification in business or catering, Mom and Dad need to build the business up nice and big so by the time you are 21 they can justify taking you on as an E2 manager and essential employee. Or they buy the neighboring franchise in your name and get you your own E2. Meanwhile you and your sister date every Yank you meet, marriage is by far your best way to getting green cards!!
I cannot post links but google Florida businesses for sale, franchises for sale, Florida business brokers or even Subways for sale.
As your father has an existing business the L1 route is possible, though it seems to me to be home run with just your mom as employee and he would need to take a manager and employees on and keep it trading for at least a year in order to justify an inter company transfer visa. This route would also not help your sister as at 21 she would not be included on an L1 visa.
MichaelaJANE
07-07-2007, 03:01
Thank you very much :)
Your information would be very helpful.
I have one question though. "and you as E2 dependant with no possibility of work." Does that mean that I cannot work at all? Because I do wish to make my own money, and ofcourse at this time my parents will be considering me as an adult fully being 18 I'll be required to pay "digs" :P.
No E2 dependant children dont get a social security number or permission to work. My son was E2 dependant and would have loved a job like his friends. He only finally got a social security number when he changed status to F1 international student at age 21 when his E2 dependant status expired and even now can only work on his university campus where he was lucky enough to get a job in the bookstore. If you change status to E2 manager, you will be able to work but only in your parents business. The only way for you to get a proper job is to go the college, sponsorship for a job and employment visa route, you will need to do something they need and will sponsor you for, nursing is the common one. Or if you marry an American..... As an E2 holder your sister will be able to work but only in your Subway. This aint easy, if it was everyone would be doing it!
MichaelaJANE
07-07-2007, 21:57
Thank you very much.
I've been looking into courses at The University of Central Florida, which I am informed is not too far away from where we'd like to live.
Can I change my status at any time? And does your son register as an international student or a Florida resident? Or does he pay resident fees or international?
Resident fees are far more cheaper :P
You can go to college as an E2 dependant until you are 21. You pay residents rates as an E2 dependant, but only after 12 months in the US as there is a 12 month qualifying period for residency. I would suggest you look at Valencia Community college, you can do your first two years of your degree there and transfer to UCF for year 3, much easier to get into without previous US education,and cheaper, even American kids go this route if they have no scholarship. This is what my son did. When you turn 21, your educational establishment has to fill in forms to sponsor you as an international student and you change status to F1, you cannot stay as E2 dependant after 21 as your status just expires. As soon as this happens you start to pay international students rates as my son does, but you get a social security number and can work part time up to 20 hours a week but only on campus.
MichaelaJANE
11-07-2007, 18:14
Thank you very much for all your help.
I have just however had a private message on another forum from a guy stating that as I will be over 18 I will not qualify for an E2 visa therefore I will have to apply as a partner in the business kindoff thing or apply in my own right another way. Is this right? I thought it was until 21?
christhear
11-07-2007, 18:31
Espirit knows what she is talking about and she has been there and done it, i would think that her reply is the correct one.
MichaelaJANE
12-07-2007, 02:45
Yeah, I can tell from her replies that she seems very knowledgable.
As soon as I got that message i was a bit like . . . what? I just wanted to clerify that the information given was incorrect for sure.
You will be allowed in as a dependant over 18 providing you are in education of some kind, even courses at a community college will do. You will have to leave at 21 irrespective unless you change status to something else, such as international student, E2 manager. What you cannot do is work anywhere not even in your parents business. You can even enroll at high school in order to ratify your E2 dependant Status even at 18 or 19. My son actually did a year at high school at 18 having previously been at college in the UK. It was great for him, he made loads of friends and it established him in the US much easier than he would have done. He then went off to community college for two years. He had to change status at 21 and is now an international student at UCF. Someone on another forum is just taking her sons with her as dependants at 19 and 20, both are doing some community college courses.
Yer, I bought the tee shirt on this one!
MichaelaJANE
12-07-2007, 05:28
Hehe, thank you very much! I really appreciate all your help and knowledge :).
Look at Valencia Community college Orlando if that is where you are headed, there is a campus in Kissimmee ( Osceola campus) but if you take your driving test and can get to West Campus on Kirkman near Universal that is much nicer and more choice of courses. You can start community college either in August or January. E2 applications are currently taking 4-5 months through the London embassy. Good luck,
KerryandAndy
16-07-2007, 18:06
Hi everyone, i was interested to read that Ray seems to know about sponsorship for greencards, is it true that it could take only 2 years to gain a greencard if sponsored?
i am very interested if someone has more info?
can anyone help?
MichaelaJANE
16-07-2007, 18:24
Sorry to keep bugging with my questions.
Is it possible for someone under the title of an E2 Manager to go to University, even like part-time?
I did not know the answer to your question, MJ, but have done some research and this is what it says cut and pasted below. Please note that to qualify to take on a E2 manager as key employee a company has to be big enough to justify needing you, and you also need to be qualified for the post which is why i suggested a business studies course which you could do as an E2 dependant up to the age of 21. Seemingly you can attend college as an E2 manager though note if you are a key employee you could not do so full time as that would defeat the object of your key employment. Also it states that some colleges would consider you non resident for fees purposes, you need to check out individual colleges policies. Valencia certainly allowed my son to pay residents fees up to 21 ( he was E2 dependant.
" E2 visa Includes Key Employees
For those businesses with sufficient number of United States employees additional E-2 visas may be available for key managerial employees who are determined by the United States State Department to be necessary to the operation of the business in the United States. The number of employee E-2 visas depends on the size and complexity of the United States enterprise.
The dependents of the key E-2 employee are entitled to derivative status as in the case of the primary E-2 investor. These dependents may remain in the United States in E-2 visa status as long as the key E-2 employee remains employed by the E-2 business. The E-2 enterprise must continue to exist and continue to satisfy the investment criteria of the treaty. (For example the enterprise must remain owned 51% by the investors of the treaty country, must remain active in nature and must maintain a substantial investment in the United States.)
Dependents Permitted To attend School or College
The treaty investor and key employees may attend school on their E-2 Visa status. Their dependents are permitted to attend school or college until their twenty-first birthday without obtaining additional visas so long as they continue to qualify under the E-2 criteria. (Many colleges will allow attendance but will consider the E-2 students to be non-residents for tuition purposes.)
Kerry and Andy, sponsorship by whom for what? Employment or family?
MichaelaJANE
18-07-2007, 02:20
Thank you :).
Was just a thought going through my head as my sister and myself are both taking courses in photography this year and may wish to persue the interest further.
Also, would be a good way of making new friends and a social life, even if just part-time.
Many thanks for all your help.
Your an angel :D.
There is a website called imigrant2us.com forum there you will find more answers to your Qs
im a member of that site and been through with them all for over 3yrs now and learned a lot about all types of visas ect
i hope that helps you
nigel<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by KerryandAndy
Hi everyone, i was interested to read that Ray seems to know about sponsorship for greencards, is it true that it could take only 2 years to gain a greencard if sponsored?
i am very interested if someone has more info?
can anyone help?
[/quote]
sorry...[V] the site is caled immigrant2us.net and not .com
also there is another site called visajouney.com
There on both sites you can advise on all visas ect..
Hope that helps
Best wishes
Nigel