For a lot of Indians and other people around the world, the U.S is the ultimate destination not only for the Average Joe, but for many wealthy individuals as well. While most people want to live in the U.S because it provides many opportunities not offered elsewhere, others want to want to provide a better future for their children, or a more stable environment in which to grow their businesses.
There are several ways you can enter the U.S legally. If you are a business owner in your home country or have the capital to invest in a business in the US, among the easiest approaches available to you are the L-1, E-2 and EB-5 visas, which are also called investment visas. Every year thousands of people from around the world, including India, enter the U.S using these visas and many end up becoming permanent residents or citizens.
L-1 Visa Eligibility
The L-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows businesses that operate both in their home country and the US to transfer certain employees to the US for a period of up to seven years. To be eligible for the visa, the employee must have worked for the parent, subsidiary, affiliate or branch office of the company outside of the US for at least one year in the last three years. The L-1 visa is given for up to three years.
The L-1 visa is available to two types of employees: managers/executives and specialized knowledge staff. The USCIS has a very strict and specific definition of the term manager/executive. The manager or executive should have supervisory responsibility for a key function in the organization. If you are an investor, your company must operate both in the US and your country of origin and you must be in an executive or managerial position in the company to qualify for the L1 visa.
E-2 Visa Eligibility
The E-2 visa is a non-immigrant visa given to citizens of treaty countries who have invested a substantial amount of capital in a new or existing US company that has successfully created employment for a specified number of US workers. The visa is initially given for two years and can be renewed every two years as long as the company is operational.
Unfortunately, India is not a treaty country. So, this investment visa is not available to Indians. However, Indians with dual citizenships may qualify under their second nationality.
EB-5 Visa Eligibility
The EB-5 visa, also known as the immigrant investor visa, is given to foreign investors who have invested $1 million, or $500,000 in a high unemployment or rural area, in a new or existing business that will create full-time jobs for 10 US workers. This visa is initially given for three years and allows you to apply for permanent resident status in the US, which will ultimately lead to citizenship. It is the most flexible and expedient path to US citizenship.
The success of your application depends on the documents submit to prove that you have invested the required funds and that your business has or is able to create the specified number of jobs. One of the most crucial documents you need to submit is the visa business plan, which covers topics like company description, products and services, industry analysis, market and competition analysis, and your personnel plan. This document is the cornerstone on which your application relies. The most effective sure-fire way of increasing your chances of approval are to have the business plan written by a professional business plan writing company.
