E2 Visa Lawyer Immigration

Representing clients in all 50 states!

The United States remains one of the safest countries in the world for families to live and work.  For many, the goal of starting and owning a business has been a significant part of the American dream.  The E-2 investor visa offers foreign investors a pathway to freely conduct business in the United States by establishing a new business venture or purchasing an existing business.  The Salinas Law Firm is focused on meeting the E-2 visa needs of our business clients.  Choosing the right E2 visa lawyer Houston is critical to your success with your E-2 visa application.

Are You Eligible?

• If you are a citizen and/or national of a country that has a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States you may apply for an E-2 Investor Visa.
• You must present evidence that you are coming to the U.S. to develop and direct the operations of a business that you have invested in or are in the process of investing.
• The minimum investment for an E-2 visa can be as low as $60,000 USD depending on the type of business. The investment must be considered substantial.

To determine if your country is a treaty country, you can search the comprehensive list provided by the U. S. Department of State.

The E2 visa isn’t for just anyone who has a trade or investment. This visa class is exclusively for what the USCIS terms “treaty traders and investors”. If you are unsure whether or not you qualify under this requirement, speak with your E2 Visa Lawyer Houston.

What are the Benefits of the E2 Visa?

• You can stay for an unlimited duration of time in two-year increments renewable every two years.
• Your dependent spouse and unmarried minor children (20 years old and below) are eligible to accompany or follow to join you under an E-2 Visa.
• This E2 Visa also gives your children access to U.S. schools where they can attend classes from Pre-K to high school and even Universities.
• The E2 Visa allows you to legally work in the USA and enables your spouse to apply for a work permit. Once granted, your spouse can legally work for any employer in the U.S.

To get a better understanding of these benefits, it is recommended to speak with an E2 Visa Attorney Houston.

E-2 Investor Visa Procedure

Applications for E-2 visas are generally submitted at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence.  For those who are already working in the U.S. under a different visa status, you can file an I-129 and have your status changed as soon as your petition is approved.

However, if you are currently outside the U.S., you will need to go through consular processing. This involves making an appointment with the U.S. consulate or embassy in your home country to schedule an interview with a consular officer.

Fortunately, the investor visas have relatively short processing times.  However this also depends heavily on the caseload of the government office that processes your application.

If available, you have the option to expedite the processing time at the USCIS service center by choosing premium processing service. This optional service reduces your processing time to 15 calendar days. In the event that USCIS does not meet this deadline, your premium processing fee will be refunded.

For those undergoing consular processing, then your processing time will depend on the workload of your home country’s U.S. consulate or embassy.  Schedule an interview appointment and then wait until the scheduled date, which can range from a few weeks to a few months.  Your E2 Visa Attorney Houston will guide you through every step of the process.

Once your E-2 visa has been granted, you will be able to stay in the U.S. for an initial period of two years. While this may seem short compared to other nonimmigrant visas, the E visa allows you to apply for an unlimited number of E-2 extensions.

Speak with your E2 visa lawyer Houston to discuss which procedure would benefit you the most.

What are the E2 Visa Requirements?

• Must be a citizen or national of a treaty country and a real or corporate person;
• Must invest a substantial amount in order to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise; No set amount required for investing;
• Must invest into a real operating business either newly created or an existing business;
• Investment must generate a significant income more than one that merely provides a living for the investor and the family, or the investment has a significant impact on the U.S. economy;
• No secured loans with the assets of the investment company;
• Must have control of the funds and be at risk in the commercial sense;
• Must come to the U.S. to develop and/or direct the business if principal investor; if not the principal investor, must be employed in a supervisory or executive capacity, or have a highly specialized skill essential to the business; and
• Must be admissible into the United States; "admissible" means not having certain criminal or immigration violation history and/or undesirable traits identified by the United States government.

If you are unsure whether or not you qualify under these requirements, speak with your E2 visa lawyer Houston.

How can an E2 Visa Attorney Houston help you?

The E-2 Visa application process is complex. To increase your chances for approval of the E-2 Treaty Investor Visa, an experienced E2 Visa Attorney Houston at the Salinas Law Firm will assist you with every step of the application process and prepare you for the consulate interview. Our E2 visa lawyer Houston also has the corporate experience to give you the corporate support that your business venture will need to successfully maneuver the complex E2 visa process.  We also have established relationships with tax specialists and specialized immigration business plan teams to give you the best opportunity in acquiring an E2 visa.  Not many immigration firms offer this level of experience, support and training.  We have 17+ years of experience.

For assistance with the E-2 Visa, E-2 visa renewal, and E-2 visa extension, contact your E2 Visa Attorney Houston office at 713-518-1711 or submit an online inquiry.  We also offer online or phone consultations with potential clients who are unable to meet in our office.

Need assistance with immigration law in Houston or nationwide? Look no further than Salinas Law Firm. Our experienced Houston immigration attorneys excel in providing exceptional legal assistance, ensuring your immigration process is handled with utmost care and professionalism. Trust us to be your guide every step of the way.