Investor E2 visa and L visa and legal services in the United States

This type of non-immigrant visa is suitable for investors, essential employees, and their closest family members. An E1 or E2 visa is valid for five years, and if you follow your business plan – an important part of the application process – they are easily renewed in 2-year increments.

Applications for E visas are processed by the consulate in the country from which the investing entity or an individual comes. Your business expansion in the US will be evaluated on how likely it is that you will create a sustainable and profitable business while hiring local talent.  

Processing an E1 or E2 visa is not without fees and you will have to provide evidence of the following:

Once you are granted an E2 visa and you enter the United States, you can apply for a social security number (SSN), which will make your day-to-day life in the US much easier. Even though E1 or E2 visa as such don’t directly lead to obtaining permanent residency or Green Card, you can apply for an EB-1 visa after a year of working in the US. This visa type is for indispensable employees and their families and can subsequently lead to permanent residency. However, the requirements for EB-1 visa are much higher than for the initial E visa.   

We will guide you through this challenging process, including the preparation of all documents for the embassy or consulate, and provide all necessary legal representation.

This type of visa is mainly suitable for corporate employees being transferred to the US for longer periods of time. An L visa is granted for one or two years (depending on the age of the company) and can be extended in 1-year increments. The holder of an L visa has the possibility to obtain a Green Card, however, they have to meet many other requirements in order to do so.

L visas are not dependent on the employee’s nationality. However, one of the basic requirements is at least one year of employment with the overseas entity before the employee can be transferred to the United States. An employee’s indispensability and specialized knowledge are also assessed.

All L visa applications are reviewed by US federal authorities (USCIS), which can significantly prolong processing times. There is also expedited processing available for a $2,500 fee.  

An E1 or E2 visa application requires the submission of a business plan covering the next five years of your business in the US. Among other things, the US government values highly how many new jobs your business will create for local residents and how much money will your business spend in the country. You will have to prove that your expansion will be a long-term success, providing a lot more than just security for your company or family members. L visas also require a specific business plan with the application.

We have created many business plans across various industries, and know how to tailor them so they show your business in the best possible light. Our business plans include market analysis and competitor analysis, an assumption of the number of jobs created (spread over the next five years), financial projections, and an economic benefit to the US economy. All visa business plans have a very specific structure and certain countries have additional requirements.

As already mentioned, investment in the US market is one of the key requirements for granting an E2 visa. The business plan needs to clearly indicate the investment that you plan to make once entering the US market, and if you invest less money at the beginning of your expansion, you must provide evidence that the remaining sum is deposited in a US bank account. Even though the initial investment amount may seem high, it can include such costs as airfare, accommodation, travel within the United States (including car rental, fuel, and tolls), rent and office equipment, fees for obtaining visas, and many other items. We will prepare a list of potential expenses based on the type of your business. L visa plans are more concerned with the already functioning US company and the professional credentials of the applicants.

If you started thinking about entering the US market, you need to evaluate your odds of success. Expansion risks, market conditions, sales processes, competitor analysis, and target market will all be a part of the business plan and feasibility study drafted by us to help you proceed further. You will gain actionable insight, timelines, and estimated costs of your expansion.

A strong business plan will aid your application for business loans and to target investors in the US – helping to avoid misunderstandings based on cultural differences or a lack of clarity about your business. We can help you with an overall presentation of your company in the market as well. 

When expanding into the US market, you will find it necessary to discuss many topics with legal experts. We can help you here as well. We cooperate exclusively with certified law experts, and thanks to our long-term cooperation and outstanding relations, we can offer better pricing and a more personalized approach.  

Our clients most often require legal advice on labor laws and connected issues. That includes anything from the preparation of employment contracts for employees and help with compliance with federal and state laws to the resolution of damages caused by an employee or the termination of an employment contract. Find out more in our article about human resources in the US. 

We also cooperate with a variety of legal experts on FDA and DOT regulations, import and export issues, intellectual property, tax law and corporate mergers.