Immigration through Investment

How to Go From L1 Visa to Green Card

Are you interested in living in the United States permanently? Do you hold an L1 visa, or are you intending to apply for one? If so, we can help you. The L1 to green card path is one of the easiest paths to permanent residency. 

What Are the Requirements for Going from an L1A Visa to a Green Card?

• You’ve been employed at a company outside of the US for at least one year from the past three years.
• Your position at your US employer is either that of a manager or executive, or you have specialized skills or knowledge.
• Both your foreign and US employer have a qualifying relationship.
• Both your US employer and your foreign employer will continue to be active through the application process.
• Your US employer has been in business for at least a year or more.
• If you have a criminal record, this could be grounds for inadmissibility.

Although the process may be time-consuming, it will be worth it and we are here to help guide you through the whole process.

The U.S. has long been considered as the ‘Land of Opportunity’. Foreign businesses often consider opening a company in the USA after achieving success in their homeland.

But, starting a business in the USA as a foreign company or non-resident, and moving key personnel to the U.S., can be challenging.

World Legal Advocates will help you apply for an L-1 intra-company transfer visa. This will let you start operations in the U.S., and move key personnel effortlessly.

L-1 visa also allows qualified executives and managers a faster path to secure a Green Card under the EB-1C category.

What Are the Requirements?

• Sufficient physical premises to house the new office have been secured;
• Beneficiary meets the one-year continuous employment requirement;
• Petitioner has the financial ability to commence doing business in the United States.
• The intended U.S. operation will support an executive, or managerial position within one year if the beneficiary is coming to the United States as a manager or executive.

World Legal Advocates is here to help you with:

1. A Business Plan
2. Obtaining An Office Lease
3. Company Registration
4. Organizational Charts
5. Hiring Personnel
6. Maximizing Chances of Getting The First Year Extension

The E-2 program is for investors who do not wish to invest $900,000 under the EB-5 immigrant investor program. Immigration through Investment.
The E-2 Treaty Investor program gives nationals of certain countries the right to migrate to the United States to open a business. There must be an existing treaty between the United States and the other nation before the visa can be granted. The investment used to qualify must be in an active and operating business that requires people to work in the business. If you are buying an existing business it may be possible to apply for E-2 registration based on a purchase agreement with the money being held in escrow, with the investment only going ahead if the visa is granted. The business needs to be registered as an E-2 Treaty investor business before you can apply for it.

You can even continue to be extended indefinitely as long as the business continues in the US.

The criteria used in evaluating an E-2 visa are as follows:

• The investor, either a real or corporate person, must be a national of a treaty country.
• The investment must be substantial. It must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise. The percentage of investment for a low-cost business enterprise must be higher than the percentage of investment in a high-cost enterprise.
• The investment must be a real operating enterprise. Speculative or idle investment does not qualify. Uncommitted funds in a bank account or similar security are not considered an investment.
• The investment may not be marginal. It must generate significantly more income than just to provide a living to the investor and family, or it must have a significant economic impact in the U.S.
• The investor must have control of the funds, and the investment must be at risk in the commercial sense. Loans secured with the assets of the investment enterprise are not allowed.
• The investor must be coming to the U.S. to develop and direct the enterprise. If the applicant is not the principal investor, he or she must be employed in a supervisory, executive, or highly specialized skill capacity. Ordinary skilled and unskilled workers do not qualify.

For more information and advice on the United States immigration law and U.S. visa applications please contact our partners of the Law Offices of Kameli & Associates at info@kamlei.com