For people outside the US, E2 visa is a great opportunity to enter and live in the US almost as a citizen. People who establish or manage a business in the US get this visa.
Unlike other visas, E2 doesn’t come with a date of expiration. If you have one such visa, living in the US won’t be an issue as long as your company is running. There will be a temporary expiry date that you need to renew, but the process is really easy.
That’s why this visa is one of the most expected things for a lot of foreigners who want to live in the US.
If you’re looking for this visa, you must have an E2 visa lawyer to help you with the process.
Who is E2 Visa Lawyer?
E2 visa lawyer is the legal professional who helps you understand the terms and conditions regarding this visa, arrange everything you need for it, and go through the process of getting it.
They are actually immigration lawyers who help people with different kinds of visas. Among the immigration lawyers, the expert ones in E2 visas can be called E2 visa lawyers.
Requirements of E2 Visa
To be eligible for an E2 visa, investing in a business is not the only requirement. You need to fulfill some requirements strictly for this. They are-
- You must be a resident of a treaty country
- The business should be operating in the US
- You must own a considerable portion of the business
- It should generate a significant income so that you and your family can live properly in the US and have some savings too
- The investment fund must be committed to the business
- You must enter the US to direct or improve the business. In case you’re not the main investor, you can work as an executive. You won’t be eligible for an E2 visa if you’re a worker.
Besides these common conditions, you need to meet a few more. However, any condition can be added, removed, or modified according to the situation. So, discussing with an immigration or E2 visa attorney would be the best option to have a clear idea.
What do E2 Visa Lawyers Do?
Lawyers with expertise in visa applications help you apply for and obtain the visa. But that’s just the overall view. They perform a lot of things required to get the visa. Here are some common things they do for you.
Discussing the Requirements
You can’t get the visa you’re asking for without fulfilling the requirements. It is the most crucial component of the process.
Lawyers working with visa applications help you understand the requirements properly so that you can arrange necessary things easily. Also, they have the latest updates about everything. So, you can expect information about the latest requirements you need to fulfill.
Reviewing the Business Plan
You can’t get a visa with a random business plan. It should be a solid plan suitable for the US business environment that can positively impact the US economy. Visa lawyers can help you with that.
They review your plan and make sure that all the components of your business meet the requirement. If any change is necessary, they’ll suggest it.
Strategizing the Funds
For an E2 visa, lawfully obtained fund is required. You can’t invest the money you’ve earned through unlawful actions. So, handling the source of funds requires a huge concern. Layers help with this too.
They check your source of income to ensure that it goes with the law of the US. Your income source must be documented and easy to trace to keep things smoother.
Making a List of Documents
To ensure your financial capability of setting up and running a business in the US, you must submit a lot of documents. Also, you need to show the business plan, the probable output from the business, and more.
Lawyers help you with a checklist of documents to make things easier for you. You can arrange the documents based on the list.
Summarizing your Petition
As you’ll have a lot of documents and forms, there must be more than a hundred pages in the application. In this case, a summary helps everyone to understand the aim. Lawyers can help you with this.
They write a cover letter summarizing your application. The aim is to explain things easily with important points.
There are more tasks lawyers can perform for you when you hire them. In a word, they do everything to help you apply for an E2 visa perfectly.
How to Choose the Right E2 Visa Lawyer?
Choosing the right legal support for an E2 visa is one of the most significant steps to moving to the US. Someone capable of handling such visas for a long time can greatly help you in every aspect of the process.
The challenge is that you need to spend some time and effort to find someone efficient. Here’s the process for you.
Step 1- Looking for Options
First, you need to pick a few options and make a list. As you’re hiring a lawyer to start the process, I guess you already have selected a state. Look for E2 lawyers in that state.
Picking someone from the state you want to establish the business is important as the law has some variations based on states.
Ask search engines’ best e2 visa lawyers in (state name)’ to look for the names you can start with. Then, pick around 10-12 names from the search results.
If you’re already there, check the local bar community to look for some names who work with this visa.
Step 2- Online Evaluation
I know you’re ready to talk to them, but there’s another step before that. Discussing with 3-4 efficient lawyers will be more effective than discussing with everyone. So, check their websites, see success stories, and have a look at the experience and other information available there.
Also, check service review websites where previous clients have reviewed them. You’ll find some important information there.
You can cut 5-7 names from the list based on this online evaluation.
Step 3- Direct Discussion
Once you have only 4-5 names, schedule consultation sessions with them individually. Try to make it through a video call if you can’t visit their office directly. This would help you build better communication and understand their personality.
Discuss your plan and ask how they can help you. Note important suggestions.
Also, talk briefly about their previous clients, success stories, major drawbacks, etc. Overall, make every second valuable trying to understand how much value they can offer you.
Don’t forget to discuss fees. It is an important aspect. Spend a few minutes talking about fees to have a clear idea about it.
Step 4- Choosing One
Direct communication with all your remaining options will help you know whom to pick. Pick someone based on their experience, expertise, communication skills, etc.
The right E2 visa lawyer must know a bit about businesses too. So, make sure to choose a person who is fluent enough in the discussion.
Common Questions to Ask Your E2 Attorney
While talking to the E2 attorney, you must ask them some questions to know your position about getting the E2 visa. The most common questions to ask are-
Tell me about your success rate.
A high success rate allows you to have confidence in the lawyer. They know this too. So, you can ask this question without any hesitation. Ask them about a complex E2 visa they’ve worked on, if possible.
How many US citizens do I need to hire in my company?
If you don’t hire any US citizens, it might be counted as a negative factor. Again, there is no instruction about the proportion of US citizens to hire. So, things are pretty confusing here.
Experienced lawyers must have an answer to this question. As keeping yourself clean from every angle is crucial in this case, ask this question to the lawyers you discuss the E2 visa.
Is there any other document I need to arrange?
Before discussing with the potential lawyers you’ll hire, it is better to check the requirements and be prepared. So, arrange as many documents as possible. Then, ask if you have to arrange more documents. If so, note the documents you need to add.
What type of business do I need to start or invest in?
Asking this question is necessary as they don’t allow E2 visa for any business. Also, there is no clear guideline about it. While meeting the lawyers for the first time, ask this question so that you have a clear idea about the validity of the business you’re going to start.
What is your fee?
Lawyer’s fee has an impact on your decision. So, asking about fees is a must. Have some time to chat about the fee. You can negotiate it if there is any scope. Know the amount and how to pay it properly to avoid any awkward situation later.
How Much do E2 Visa Lawyers Cost?
The fee your E2 visa attorney may charge depends on several factors. Based on the state you want to go to, it varies. Also, the attorney’s expertise and success rate are among the main factors influencing this.
The kind of business you want to launch or invest in also matters. If you have any additional requirements, it’ll cost you more. Also, you need to pay more than the regular amount if you want them to do it faster.
If you don’t have any important documents, the application is risky. For this, you may have to spend some more though the chance of getting the visa is low.
Based on all the factors, the common E2 visa lawyer fee range is around $4,000-$8,500. For additional requirements or exceptional cases, you may have to pay more. Some may ask for less than $4,000. You can try their service, but make sure that you’ve researched them before hiring.
Is it a Must to Hire Legal Support for E2 Visa?
If you think the cost of hiring a lawyer is high, you can avoid this. Hiring legal support for this visa is not a must. You can avoid the high cost by handling the documents by yourself.
As an E2 visa requires you to fulfill several requirements and submit a handful of documents, hiring a lawyer can help in the process. But it is not a must. You can spend some time and arrange the documents by yourself.
Also, the internet is full of resources. You’ll know the requirements you need to fulfill. Visit the E2 visa official website (https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-2-treaty-investors) to know everything about it.
Still, if you need support, book a consultation session with a compatible lawyer to discuss the requirements and what you can do when you’re stuck. Such a meeting won’t cost you much.
Typically, a one-hour meeting will cost around $500-$550. So, know the process, arrange everything necessary, note all your confusion, and then book a meeting. Doing this will help you clear all the confusion within one or two sessions, spending at most $1,100.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I need to hire a lawyer from the state I want to move in?
Yes. All laws and rules are a bit different from state to state. So, to get the best out of it, you need to hire lawyers from the state you want to move in. They can help you with the latest information about E2 visas based on that specific state.
Do I need to live in the state where I set up my company?
The answer is yes. If you live in a different state than the state where your company is, it won’t be trustworthy that you’re going to run your business. So, the overall situation will seem suspicious, and the chance of getting a visa will be low.
Can the lawyer help me set up the business?
It depends on the lawyer you hire. Some law firms offer you to help set up the business so that you can avoid some workload. But you need to spend extra bucks for that.
Also, you’ll find some agencies to help you set up the business. Your lawyer may suggest you some. It all depends on the lawyer you hire and how you want it.
Does the lawyer’s fee include the application fee?
No, the lawyer’s fee doesn’t include any application fee. It is solely the charge for what the lawyer does for you. You need to pay the application fee while applying. The overall fee is around $700-$1,000.
If you want the procedure to be faster, you’ll have to spend an additional $1,225 as a premium processing fee.
Also, when you want it fast, you need to add some bucks to the lawyer’s fee too.