The advent of the internet and its continued and unending proliferation has changed the world forever, and in many ways that is a good thing. The world got “smaller,” in a sense, allowing people from all over the world to communicate and exchange ideas. This is very important in a social sense, but it’s also important in for business and collaborating on ideas.
When it comes to business, this “smaller” world is quite helpful — but there is still a need to have a physical presence in numerous countries. Connecting over the internet can only go so far. So when people from other countries want to establish themselves in the United States, what are their options from an employment immigration standpoint?
There are four visas that investors or people of business need to know about:
- E-1 Trader Visa: Someone receiving this visa needs to be involved in “substantial” trade between his or her country of origin and the U.S.
- E-2 Investor Visa: You can buy or start a company in the U.S. with this visa. However, the amount of investment must be, again, “substantial.”
- EB-5 Visa: This gives someone from another country a green card, on the condition that they invest $1 million (or potentially $500,000) in the country and that the investments results in 10 jobs for U.S. workers.
- L-1 Visa: A simple visa that allows people to work in the U.S. as a “transferee.” The visa lasts for up to seven years.
No matter what visa you are considering, our law firm has the experience and know-how to ensure your application is compliant with all rules.
