While the easiest and fastest solution to obtain a US green card (permanent residence) is through the EB-5 Program, we know that, for many people, this is currently not an option. Be it because they don’t currently have the necessary amount, or for so many other reasons…

Considering that, and because we’re interested in helping you have an opportunity to live in the USA, our Foreigner Relocation Concierge Service offers a strategic plan, tailored for every customer’s needs, since after all, “each person is unique”, right? 

With that in mind, and under the guidance of our immigration partners and lawyers, we provide below 3 alternatives and respective strategies for their implementation.

And, again, since each case is unique, we will need to discuss them in detail with you, in case you’re interested. As always, we will be at your service.

E-2 BUSINESS VISA:

The citizens of countries which have a trade deal with the USA may start or buy a company or business and live legally in the USA (with their spouses and children under 21 years old), for as long as they keep an active and productive business.

This is an excellent choice for someone who is entrepreneurial and has a small amount of capital available (recommended $100,000 or more).

In order to put this strategy into practice, the interested person must:

  1. Be a passport-holding citizen of one of the countries which have a trade deal with the USA (click here to get access to a full list).
  2. Have available capital of at least $100,000 to acquire an existing business or to start a new one. 
  3. Preferably employ American citizens (the more, the better).
  4. Be part of the company’s management, not having permission to work anywhere else but his own company or business.

How Florida 360 and its partners can help you, if that’s the best choice for you:

  1. One of our immigration partners will take care of your visa application and will guide you as to the documentation and everything else that is needed for submitting the application.
  2. By helping with search and brokerage of a business that is for sale and which is qualified for the E-2 visa. As an alternative, we also have partners who can establish new companies and commercial spaces, getting them fully operational.
  3. By formalizing and preparing a business plan, developed by experts in business plans that have immigration purposes, which will be presented along with the investor’s visa application.

The good news is that there’s no limit for the issuance of E-2 visas and their approval is very fast (3 months, on average)! The bad news, on the other hand, is that some countries, like Brazil and Venezuela, don’t have any treaty with the USA.

So, what would be the solution for these citizens?

Depending on the citizenship of your maternal or paternal grandparents, whether it is from one of the countries which has a trade deal with the USA, you should firstly obtain your citizenship of that country so that you can subsequently apply for the E-2 visa.

Italy and Spain, for example, both have treaty with the USA. Portugal, on the other hand, no longer has one.

This process shouldn’t take longer than 6 months (with a few exceptions), and you will need to have an original identity document of your grandfather/grandmother. In case that’s not possible, you may try to obtain it directly from the family notary office of the respective country.

F-1 STUDENT VISA

For those who have completed their education a long time ago, and for whom studying is out of the question, we strongly suggest that you reconsider your view. Firstly because, according to scientists, keeping an active brain and challenging it by acquiring new knowledge and skills is essential for keeping it healthy and avoiding illnesses such as Alzheimer, for example.

And, secondly, because it is quite possible that you may need to perfect your English, or even learn it from scratch!

So, let’s get to the bottom of it. How will this strategy help you?

First of all, this is one of the most affordable alternatives for those who want to stay legally in the USA.

Secondly, as a student, you may take with you, as companions, your spouse and children under 21 years old.

Thirdly, once you’re studying in the USA, you will be, step by step, establishing yourself in the country. Some people are hired by companies while they are taking a university course or a master’s degree, such as an MBA, for example.

Still, not all is easy… There are a few conditions:

  1. The interested person (or their spouse or children) cannot, in any way, work while studying. They may be a business owner, but cannot be actively working in the company/business.
  2. The interested person will have to prove, when applying for the visa, that they have the financial resources needed to support herself/himself and the family members, during the whole time as he/she undertakes the studies. 

How Florida 360, through its Foreigner Relocation Concierge Service, can help you with this strategy:

  1. One of our immigration partners will take care of your visa application and will guide you as to the documentation and everything else that is needed for submitting the application.
  2. We will help you find and get enrolled in the course that better suits your profile and objectives.
  3. In case it is part of your strategy to start or buy a business in the USA in order to support yourself during the course, and subsequently to open the doors for other possibilities in the US, we will offer search and brokerage assistance to help you buy and/or establish your business.

Now, how much will that option cost?

It will depend a lot on the school, location and course. It may cost between $12,000 to $40,000 per year.

Other than that, you have to consider the cost of supporting yourself and/or the availability of capital for buying or setting up a business/company.

L-1 EXECUTIVE TRANSFER VISA

The L-1 category is the one by which, as you work for a company in your mother country that has a branch in the USA (for example, an American multinational company), the company offers you a transfer opportunity, in which you get to work in the USA. The company then becomes your sponsor, filing for your visa application with the US Department of Immigration.

Unfortunately, not everyone has this chance, but if you do own a company in your country and if it has shown a positive cash flow in the latest years, the L-1 visa may also be a solution for you.

How this solution would be structured:

           You need to have available funds to:

    1. Start a branch of your company in the USA   OR
    2. Start a new company in any field or industry, but which becomes a branch or affiliate of the one that you hold in your country   OR
    3. Acquire an existing company or business in the USA and make it a branch or affiliate of the one that you hold in your country

You can come as the owner of that company, or even as one of its executives. This means that the company in your country may even not be yours, but you will have to have worked there for at least one year in the past 3 years, and prove how qualified you are to open and keep the other company in the USA. This is a more complex visa application, but it might work out well in several cases. For example, if you already work for the company or business of a relative of yours, you may become partners in the company that is to be started in the USA.

This option has quite a few nuances, so don’t discard it yet in case you don’t feel like it fits you. The company that you will start in the USA does not need to be large, but it does need to be fully operational and employ a few workers, among other requirements.

Florida 360 can assist you not only in the execution of the immigration plan agreed with the immigration attorney, but also on the planning and execution of everything that you will need to get yourself organized. On this note, we would like to remind you that our Foreigner Relocation Concierge Service can also help you with:

  • Offering guidance and assistance to obtain local documents (when you’re already in the USA)
  • Getting your children enrolled in good public schools
  • Getting you enrolled in free English courses offered by public schools
  • Helping you set-up utility services, such as water, electricity, cable TV, cell phone, Internet and phone

And, of course, we’re real estate brokers who can search for your ideal residential or investment property – which is one of our expertise areas!

As always, we’ll be at your service for whatever you need, as we hope to see you soon, enjoying Florida’s freedom, safety and quietness!

 

FLORIDA 360 INVESTMENTS & REALTY, LLC

Offices: Miami – Weston – Fort Lauderdale – Delray Beach – Orlando – Sao Paulo

Tel: +1 (954) 449-2529

Tel: +1 (954) 325-2625+1 (atención en Español, Português y whatsapp)

E-mail: [email protected]

Skype: florida360realty

 

The content herein is informational only and is subject to changes, variables & interpretation.  It is NOT intended to replace legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Always consult with an immigration attorney before making any immigration decision.  Florida 360 partners with qualified and recognized immigration attorneys to assist our customers and to provide a “360o immigration solution” and will work with any attorney of our customers’ choice as well.

 

This communication is not intended to constitute any offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Offers of securities or investment advisory services may be made only pursuant to appropriate offering or other disclosure documents, and only after prospective investors have had the opportunity to discuss all matters concerning the prospective investment or engagement with their adviser or the issuers of the securities.  It should be noted that past performance is not indicative of future results.  This communication is confidential and intended only for the addressee.  If you are not the intended recipient, you may not copy, disclose, or distribute this message to anyone else; any such actions may be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please contact the sender of the message to inform him or her of the error.

 

No part of this e-mail or its contents is intended to provide immigration, tax, financial or legal advice, and any statements referring to these areas are to be considered opinion only. All recipients are encouraged to take independent advice from duly regulated sources.  As a Transaction Broker, Florida 360 Realty, LCC and Florida 360 Investments & Realty and its agents provide a limited form of representation to a buyer, a seller, or both, that allows Florida 360  to facilitate a transaction but does not represent either in a fiduciary capacity or as a single agent. Any information concerning the sale of a business contained in this e-mail has been provided by either the Seller or Buyer to Florida 360 (“Broker”). Broker and its agents have not and do not verify the accuracy or completeness of this information, and the recipient of this information is advised to conduct its own independent due diligence investigation as to the accuracy of the information provided herein. The information contained in the e-mail message is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above.  If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message.  Do not deliver, distribute or copy this message and/or any attachments and if you are not the intended recipient, do not disclose the contents or take any action in reliance upon the information contained in this communication or any attachments.