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View Full Version : E2 Visa's in Belgium - Easier than UK?



Belgian
12-12-2007, 17:45
I am having trouble finding any experiences relating to E visa applications being processed in countries other than the UK. I hear lots of nightmares and horror stories about the UK. Is this the same all over Europe? Does anyone know about Belgium? Or is it because so many people from the UK are applying for E visas now? I see on Paris embassy website that it takes 4-6 weeks to get the interview for E visa's.

I am 24, investing $440,000 of own cash (no loans) into a business in the US. I was denied entry in May this year for spending 4 years straight (never out of status, always left before status ran out) in the US on a B1/B2 visa. They didn't believe that my father supported me financially and said I was living there illegally (immigrant on non immigrant visa) so revoked my B2. I think that having $440,000 cash to invest into a business will clear up the issue of financial support and not having had to work in the US to support myself. But I am still worried that they will hold age against me, and hold my denial of entry against me when adjudicating my case.

I have a solid business plan, and have done everything I possibly can without being present in the US, including purchase of a$350,000 property ($140,000 down payment), which I will "lease" from my father, since mortgages don't count toward investment, and the mortgage had to be in my fathers name for financing reasons. I plan on having 4 employees in the first year, with 6 more in the 3rd year. The $440k investment is enough to sustain the business for the first 12 months at a complete loss. The business cannot start until a building is constructed. I am working on building permits now, I have architectural plans and an estimate from the builder. I will put $150-$200,000 into escrow for the builder to show commitment to investing into the business. It should take 3-4 months to have the building erected and ready for occpuancy after construction starts (which will be immediately upon visa approval).

I am also working with a great attorney on this. He says with a little luck I should get the visa. I think this is where being in Belgium will be the deciding factor. This is why I am trying to find out the details about the consulate in Belgium ;)

Ideally I would like to have a way to enter the US on B2 again so I can make the business more "ready to run", but after a B2 is revoked I hear it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get another one. Also if the B2 is denied, then I will not only have a denial of entry on my record but also a denial of a visa. My attorney says to not apply for the B2, and that as said before, with a little luck they will understand the 3-5 month startup period to finish construction and get everything set up.

esprit
17-12-2007, 00:56
There is a person on another forum who is Belgian, he obtained a 5 year E2 from the Belgian embassy having first been turned down by Madrid ( he lived in Spain) so that makes me think it must be a lot easier as Madrid is supposed to be easier than London. I got 5 years through Lisbon as I was living in Portugal, I think it was much easier than London. Go straight for the E2, quite apart from anything else there have been so many people doing B to E change of status that it has fallen out of favour with the embassies somwwhat, and if you stay on E2 status and never bother going for the visa you will be landlocked within the US.