View Full Version : L-1 possible?
Hope someone can help me with this....(particulalry aimed at esprit and other regulars)...
I own a small business in the UK (marquee/tent hire). It is a Limited Company. Only employees are myself and my wife (we use casual labourers to erect the tents, but cannot prove this on paper). This is a tough business to be in right now in the UK - we had a turnover of only £98,000 in 2003. If what I have read from esprit is correct (i have no doubt that it is) then this business in the UK will NOT qualify me for an L-1 visa. Can someone please confirm this (yes, I know only a lawyer or immigration expert will be able to do this with any degree of certantcy, but from what I've read on here over the last few months I would value your opinions).
That only appears to leave me the E-2 option. A few questions...
Would a home-based business qualify, if it generated enough profit (i.e. the $60k+ that seems to be the minimum)?
Would something like a lawn maintenance business (don't laugh) qualify if it made sufficient profit? Although I have an Honours degree in Marketing I love to work outdoors (like I do now in the UK)and would love to do something like lawn or pool work for a living.
If I bought something like a lawn business, I would do so with the intention of shipping my stock of tents to Florida and expanding the business in that direction, using the lawn business money simply as a safety net. Will this get me any good-will from the visa people if I mention it in my business plan?
FYI my wife and 5-year old son would plan to remain in the UK until the business is generating enough money for us all to live comfortably on (we do not see any need to sell our home in the UK and all move to Florida uuntil we can see that we will have a better life). My wife has a very well-paid job and could comfortably afford to keep things running at home and probably send some cash over to Florida for me to live on while the business gets to where we want it.
Your views and opinions on the validity/stupidity of this plan would be very welcome.
LEE
Sorry, forgot to ask an important question....
Does the $100,000 investment in an E-2 qualifying business have to be in cash?? Could some of the investment be in the form of capital equipment? For example, say I wanted to purchase a business for $70,000 but was willing to ship over my stock of tents (market value would be at least $200,000)and use these as business assets, completely owned by the US business, would this cut any ice with the visa authorities (or do they insist on cash in an escrow account)?
florida4sun
25-01-2004, 00:52
L1 would be out of the questions as you need to leave behind a manager and staff.
E2 is fine and beleive you would not enjoy doing lawns and pools. Not in the quantity required to make money. It is hot hard work and weather causes havoc to schedules. Can you honestly say you would enjoy cutting 20+ lawns a day or brushing 20+ pools day in day out.
To live a reasonable life style here you need to earn way more than $60k per year.
As for the tents. No one uses them. Its hot and the mossies would invade them (I am presuming its for parties and weddings etc).
Find a good business broker and see whats on offer.
quote:Originally posted by Lee J
Hope someone can help me with this....(particulalry aimed at esprit and other regulars)...
I own a small business in the UK (marquee/tent hire). It is a Limited Company. Only employees are myself and my wife (we use casual labourers to erect the tents, but cannot prove this on paper). This is a tough business to be in right now in the UK - we had a turnover of only £98,000 in 2003. If what I have read from esprit is correct (i have no doubt that it is) then this business in the UK will NOT qualify me for an L-1 visa. Can someone please confirm this (yes, I know only a lawyer or immigration expert will be able to do this with any degree of certantcy, but from what I've read on here over the last few months I would value your opinions).
That only appears to leave me the E-2 option. A few questions...
Would a home-based business qualify, if it generated enough profit (i.e. the $60k+ that seems to be the minimum)?
Would something like a lawn maintenance business (don't laugh) qualify if it made sufficient profit? Although I have an Honours degree in Marketing I love to work outdoors (like I do now in the UK)and would love to do something like lawn or pool work for a living.
If I bought something like a lawn business, I would do so with the intention of shipping my stock of tents to Florida and expanding the business in that direction, using the lawn business money simply as a safety net. Will this get me any good-will from the visa people if I mention it in my business plan?
FYI my wife and 5-year old son would plan to remain in the UK until the business is generating enough money for us all to live comfortably on (we do not see any need to sell our home in the UK and all move to Florida uuntil we can see that we will have a better life). My wife has a very well-paid job and could comfortably afford to keep things running at home and probably send some cash over to Florida for me to live on while the business gets to where we want it.
Your views and opinions on the validity/stupidity of this plan would be very welcome.
LEE
You dont seem to fulfill the L1 requirements any more than we did but we chickened out of trying for this visa and have met people on L1 since we got here who seem to have been no more qualified than we were. I think it comes down to who it comes up in front of. I know of someone who got an L1 from Texas and then the London enbassy turned him down at interview. I know of others with businesses that you wouldnt have thought had any chance at all and they got it.
Lawncare would qualify but it is very hard work in the summer months, I would say OK in the winter. Pool care slightly easier but still hard in the summer. They wont let you come at all unless the business is making enough to support a family ( $60,000-70,000) so why leave your wife and child at home?? After 6 months here, she could get dispensarion to work here provided she gets an E2 or l1 dependants visa and could do the same job here as there. If a child is going to live in the US, better they go to US school form the beginning rather than changing. I dont think you can do this half heartedly. You are trying to hedge your bets which to me means you are not wholly committed to the move. You need total commitment to this, believe you me, no half measures.
You could base your visa partly on a business purchase and partly on a business plan ( I did that actually) I ma not sure whether goods imported from the UK would be an investment in the US but you need to ask a specialist that. Part of your investment can be in vehicles and equipment but purchased here.
Thanks for the info..
Martin, you said "To live a reasonable life style here you need to earn way more than $60k per year." To me this seems rather excessive. With an average UK income of £30,000 people can live a reasonable life - what is it that makes Florida so much more expensive than the UK to live, since homes & cars are much cheaper (esprit says insurance & healthcare are real killers though). In your opinion, what income do you need to live a "reasonable lifestyle"? The average earnings for a household in the Orlando area is listed as being $41,311 in 2001 (U.S.Cencus Bureau), much lower than the $60,000 specified.
OOPS...just re-read that last posting of mine and it appears to be a bit ungrateful or even questioning of Martins knowledge....this is NOT my intention...sometimes typed messages just don't seem to come across in the way they were meant. Thanks once again for your valuable input guys.[msnembarrased]
I think what Martin means is that you get some things that are cheaper in Florida and others (you've already mentioned insurance and healthcare) but you can add all types of insurance (like cars, houses, life), property taxes, electricity (and some other utilities), entertainment, etc too, are much more expensive than in the UK.
I haven't even mentioned workers' compensation if you're running a business with employee(s), one of which you must have to obtain a visa.
florida4sun
25-01-2004, 18:40
Ok here are some of our expenses per year:
Healthcare 2 adults 2 children with a good providor (you can get cheaper but at yopur own risk): $7800 - Does not include co payments which can add up to $1000s if you dare to bill ill (we just had a bill for an ambulance to bring our son home from hospital 26 miles for $900).
Insurance for 2 vehicles with a good company is $3000 per year (you will pay more first time round).
Mortgage/escrow $15600.
utilities $5000
Food family of 4 - $10400 ($200 per week - easily done for a family of 4)
Thats nearly $70,000 with taking into consideration, decent eductaion for your kids, buying vehicles and maintaining them, day to day living, clothes fuel and general everything. Also dont forget taxes, social and all that. You ahve topmpay these even though you cannot claim them.
Also does not include all the nice things like visiting the coast for w/e or dining out. Then you have to factor in your flights when you visa needs renewing (possibly every 12 months).
I am sorry but I cannot see how anyone can have a decent standard of living on a combined salary of $30k (once established yes but not starting from scratch).
Anyone who knows us will tell you that we do not live a luxurios life style. We do enjoy ourselves and occasionally splurge. We have an average 4 bed home with typical home comforts
At the moment you are probably looking at in pounds and converting to dollars. Dont as you will be earning in dollars, the comparison means nothing.
The average earnings as you say are very low in florida. This is a problem and there are many below the poverty line. Any family earning around $40 per year will more than likely be living in trailer park.
Ill repeat what I have said beofre, Florida is great place to live in you have money, its not place where you can simply get by. Dont forget if you are on an 'e' vise you cannot retire here. My one regret is that we do not have property in the UK (Julie if your listening dont sell the one you have or at the least buy something small). If we ever decide to leave we are just tourists again. Not much future in that. So you have to cost in a contingancy for that. We are at the moment trying to correct this issue ourselves.
Come her with your eyes wide open, buy a sound business and dont think you make a life out of cleaning pools and cutting grass (a living yes - a life no). If that was the case I would be riding around on John Deere all day long.
I know I make it sound rough. I just want to make sure people understand the issues that noone told us about. If things go wrong you have nothing to fall back on. Healthcare will take your house (unless its you homestead and then they will lein until you sell) and their is no social security for E or L visa's.
Push the sunshine and palm trees to one side and look very hard at what you are considering. If you think you can hack it on the equivilent of 30000 quid, forget it you are way off target. Sorry.
quote:Originally posted by Lee J
Thanks for the info..
Martin, you said "To live a reasonable life style here you need to earn way more than $60k per year." To me this seems rather excessive. With an average UK income of £30,000 people can live a reasonable life - what is it that makes Florida so much more expensive than the UK to live, since homes & cars are much cheaper (esprit says insurance & healthcare are real killers though). In your opinion, what income do you need to live a "reasonable lifestyle"? The average earnings for a household in the Orlando area is listed as being $41,311 in 2001 (U.S.Cencus Bureau), much lower than the $60,000 specified.
steph_goodrum
25-01-2004, 18:50
Another thing that you made no mention of Martin but I would imagine is equally important is funds for retirement (on an E2 I don't think you can retire there can you but presumably if you come back to the UK at some stage you will need to have some sort of pension in place as you may not qualify for even a basic state pension if you have been out of the country for any length of time, and also college funds for children.
florida4sun
25-01-2004, 19:14
I did mention it, you probably could not see it due to all my typos[msntongue]However I did forget about college. i have no idea on costs but $30 - $50 has been suggested to me.
quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
Another thing that you made no mention of Martin but I would imagine is equally important is funds for retirement (on an E2 I don't think you can retire there can you but presumably if you come back to the UK at some stage you will need to have some sort of pension in place as you may not qualify for even a basic state pension if you have been out of the country for any length of time, and also college funds for children.
steph_goodrum
25-01-2004, 19:33
Sorry Martin I've just reread and you did mention you can't retire there, I was looking for pension contributions and couldn't see anything.
:)
Agree with all Martin says though our healthcare is only $3000, with a high excess but we dont have his familys health problems so we are risking a bit more. Martin, I was told NO homestead exemption without a green card, I couldnt get it. Car insurance about the same as Martins. Supermarket food really dear, it is cheaper to eat fast food. Clothes and electronics are cheap. But how often do you buy those.
College. Help!!!!!!
I had no idea when we came here that my son would be claased as an international student for college even though we live here. He even has to do an affidavit to say he is a native English speaker to avoid having to do TOEFL !!! Mad or what!. This is an example. For a 2 year associate degree course of 72 credit hours, you ae looking at $50 a credit hour as a Florida resident and $210-220 per credit hour as an international student. No access to students loans or a scholarship. If you get a green card, you are classed as a resident. Visa holders are international students.
Doom and gloom. Maybe. But it was glorious here today, warm with pure azure blue sky. We walked into town and sar with a coffee by the lake. And do you know, what I thought? In spite of everything, days like this make it worth it!!!
kevinprewett
26-01-2004, 23:41
quote:Originally posted by esprit
Agree with all Martin says though our healthcare is only $3000, with a high excess but we dont have his familys health problems so we are risking a bit more. Martin, I was told NO homestead exemption without a green card, I couldnt get it. Car insurance about the same as Martins. Supermarket food really dear, it is cheaper to eat fast food. Clothes and electronics are cheap. But how often do you buy those.
College. Help!!!!!!
I had no idea when we came here that my son would be claased as an international student for college even though we live here. He even has to do an affidavit to say he is a native English speaker to avoid having to do TOEFL !!! Mad or what!. This is an example. For a 2 year associate degree course of 72 credit hours, you ae looking at $50 a credit hour as a Florida resident and $210-220 per credit hour as an international student. No access to students loans or a scholarship. If you get a green card, you are classed as a resident. Visa holders are international students.
Doom and gloom. Maybe. But it was glorious here today, warm with pure azure blue sky. We walked into town and sar with a coffee by the lake. And do you know, what I thought? In spite of everything, days like this make it worth it!!!
Hi,
Glad to hear we are not the only parents with a son in college in the US-fees!!!!!! wow- Andrew is now a sophomore in Monmouth College Illinois. We are verrrrry lucky! Andrew is an exceptional soccer(football) player & they wanted him so they were willing to come up with some funding. If we had to pay it all, fees,board,lodging etc. It comes close to $28,000/year. Hope Lee heads your warning! But as you so rightly say it's still agreat place to be!
Kevin[msncool]
Thanks for the reality-check everyone. Wow, it does seem to be an expensive place to live if you want to make sure you're covered for every eventuality (having a young family I wouldn't make the move without this).
Esprit - I can see where you're coming form with your comments about going into this half-heartedly. We just don't see any point in my wife giving up a £90,000+ career until the business in Florida is cutting it - this isn't a job she would find at all easy to get back if things don't work out immediately. We just see this as being prudent rather than reckless. I 'm sure you're right about needing 100% commitment though.
Martin - wasn't expecting anything so comprehensive as a full breakdown of major expenses - very enlightening though - thanks very much.
In light of your comments I have now started to look at businesses which are generating significantly more than the $60,000 you specify. They cost more to buy iniyially, but what's that they say "speculate to accumulate".
Ta
$28,000 Kevin, my youngest is looking at doing medicine and wondering if she would get a scholarship. We though $40K a year was more likley but we may be wrong and he has told her we certainly can't afford that. It's going to be bad enough here[msneek].
Lee it is hard enough to do this as a family with your loved ones with you but to do it alone with those you love back home, well. I know loads of people who have come here with their spouses and are still homesick missing parents, kids, brothers and sisters in the UK acutely so how it would be to get on with all this whilst separated from and missing a wife and child, I dont know. A number of people here on visas are so homesick that they go back home each year. My business vendor did this and Martin says he knows quite a few who have done so.
It could be a long while before you feel secure for your wife to leave a job earning that much money. Most E2 businesses dont earn that sort of money for years if ever. So you could be separated for longer than you think. Think hard.
kevinprewett
27-01-2004, 13:42
quote:Originally posted by fiona
$28,000 Kevin, my youngest is looking at doing medicine and wondering if she would get a scholarship. We though $40K a year was more likley but we may be wrong and he has told her we certainly can't afford that. It's going to be bad enough here[msneek].
Fiona,
I sympathise about your anticipated costs for med.school. Andrew is studying in an excellent small college (private) in illinois. I,ve just checked for you but unfortunately they don't have a med.course.
Andrew also receives a scholarship from his school as in International student. Have you looked for schools offering monies for Int. students!
If you need any info. maybe I can help-don't wait to ask.
Kevin[msnsmile2]
Thanks for that Kevin, Pippa is in Yr 10 so we do have a couple of years to do our homework! She is scouring the net and has asked for a load of info from relevant ones. She wants to do pathology and thinks their courses are more interesting. We thought she might be better doing medical degree here and then PhD in USA. I think it is about time I did some research as well so will now look at all the ones she has earmarked! But there doesn't seem to be a huge difference in costs - unless the papers are just scaremongering here but I am sure everyone heard at the weekend the talk of med students coming out with debts of £64K:(. (What was that about Chris & I retiring in 10 years!!)
kevinprewett
27-01-2004, 23:56
quote:Originally posted by fiona
Thanks for that Kevin, Pippa is in Yr 10 so we do have a couple of years to do our homework! She is scouring the net and has asked for a load of info from relevant ones. She wants to do pathology and thinks their courses are more interesting. We thought she might be better doing medical degree here and then PhD in USA. I think it is about time I did some research as well so will now look at all the ones she has earmarked! But there doesn't seem to be a huge difference in costs - unless the papers are just scaremongering here but I am sure everyone heard at the weekend the talk of med students coming out with debts of £64K:(. (What was that about Chris & I retiring in 10 years!!)
Fiona,
I wish Pippa all the best and as I said before if you feel the need to ask for any info. please feel free anytime. I have to say Andrew did a year in the University of Glamorgan & couldn't wait to leave! Since his move to Monmouth COllege Illinois he has never looked back, The education he is getting is excellent,he is treated like a 'God' because he plays football for them, the fact he is an International Student has made him so many new and valuable friends-he is loving every minute of it. We would thorughly recommend it! If you haven't already done so check out www.collegeboard.com and run a search. Input Pippas strengths & interests and see wha comes up.
Let me know how it goes, don't forget I've been through all this so maybe I have some info that may be of help
Kevin[msncool]
Florida gives scholarships to students with a GPA over 3. Matss is higher than that but no scholarship not even state residents fees. He doesnt play football unfortunately. Sports scholarships are different I think. The schools are willing to do pretty near anything to get talented players for their teams. By the way, an interesting statistic is that 60% of the international students who choose to study in America never return to their home country.
kevinprewett
28-01-2004, 10:32
quote:Originally posted by esprit
Florida gives scholarships to students with a GPA over 3. Matss is higher than that but no scholarship not even state residents fees. He doesnt play football unfortunately. Sports scholarships are different I think. The schools are willing to do pretty near anything to get talented players for their teams. By the way, an interesting statistic is that 60% of the international students who choose to study in America never return to their home country.
Hi Julie,
Yes Andrew has already hinted that he may not return to the UK when he's finished.Of course he's been to Florida almost every year since he was born in 1982 on vacation with us so he's had a real insight into US lifestyle
Kevin[msnwink]