What if you could move from Mexico to America far quicker than you ever imagined?
The E2 visa provides a great opportunity for those in other countries to start a new life in America. And all they must do in exchange is start a successful business.
Of course, not every country qualifies for this visa program. If you live in Mexico, it’s natural for you to ask: “do I qualify for this program?”
If you’ve been wondering how to get a visa from Mexico to USA, don’t worry. We’ve put together this comprehensive guide to answer all of your questions!
What Is An E2 Visa?
We put together this guide to answer a basic question: can you get an E2 visa if you live in Mexico? Before we answer that question, though, we need to answer the question of what, exactly, the E2 visa is.
The short answer is that the E2 visa is designed for entrepreneurs from select E2 visa countries who would like to set up a business in America. Basically, if you have a thorough business plan and sufficient starting capital, then setting up a business in America can help you get an E2 visa.
If you are already an entrepreneur and wish to live in America, then the E2 visa is likely your best bet. But if you’re on the fence about whether to pursue this option, it’s important that you understand the benefits of using the E2 visa.
The Primary Benefits of An E2 Visa
The E2 visa is a great way to move to America, but it is not your only visa opportunity. Because of this, you may be asking yourself another question: “why should I go out of my way to pursue an E2 visa?”
One benefit is that there is not a minimum investment amount required of you. While the American government will want to verify that you have sufficient capital to start your dream business, there is not a magical dollar amount required for your business to startup to get your desired visa.
Another benefit is that the E2 visa makes it easy for you to bring your immediate family to America. You can bring children under 21 over and they can attend the public or private school of your choice. And you can bring your spouse along, and they can work at the business you are starting or even start their own separate business.
But the biggest benefit of the E2 visa is the travel flexibility that you get. It’s possible for you to your home country and back at any point due to the travel freedom of the program. Additionally, you can renew this visa indefinitely so long as your business is successful, allowing your family to start a long-term life in America instead of constantly worrying about how to move out of the country.
Is There An E2 Visa For Mexicans?
Now you know a bit more about what the E2 visa is and what its benefits are. But if you’re wondering how to get a visa from Mexico to USA, you likely have a more basic question: is it possible to get an E2 visa if you live in America?
The short answer is “yes.” While not every country benefits from E2 visa benefits, Mexico is one of them. So long as you follow the other E2 visa requirements, you can get an E2 visa from Mexico to America very easily.
The rest of our guide will help you learn more about both the benefits and requirements of getting an E2 visa. Make sure to review all of the regulations carefully before you invest any money in the E2 visa program.
Recent Changes
If you are interested in learning about getting an E2 visa for Mexicans, this is one of the best possible times to do so. That is because recent changes to the E2 visa program have made it more beneficial than ever for Mexican nationals.
For example, both E1 and E2 visas for Mexicans were originally limited to 12 months at a time before they needed to be renewed. But recent changes allow Mexican nationals to get a visa for up to 48 months rather than the original 12 months.
Of course, this change comes at a fairly literal cost. Originally, the cost for this membership was lower, but now you need to pay at least $296 for the privilege. On the bright side, while a higher initial cost may be annoying, it is good that you can wait that much longer before you must renew your visa.
Aside from these changes, other rules and regulations surrounding these E2 visas still apply. To decide whether this type of visa is right for you, it’s important to understand the other regulations concerning these visas.
The E2 Visa and Business Ownership
The entire point of the E2 visa is that you can move to America so long as you open a successful business. But do you know the specific rules concerning this requirement?
On the most basic level, you need to have at least 50% control over the business you want to start. Because of this requirement, it’s important for you to either start a business on your own or choose a partner that can help you create a successful Amercian business.
Because you only need to have a 50% ownership of the business, it is possible for you to find a partner ahead of time. This is particularly useful if you don’t have enough startup capital on your own or if you want to both get the E2 visa benefits that you can extend to your family.
Before you do so, though, it’s important to know how these rules work when it comes to your family.
Bringing Over Your Family With This Visa
If you have a family, your first question about an E2 visa for Mexicans is likely pretty simple. You’re probably wondering whether or not you will be able to bring your family over from Mexico. The answer is “yes,” but there are some special rules you need to know about it.
When you apply for your E2 visa, it is possible for your spouse and children under 21 to apply for the visa at the same time. But what if your children are over 21? In that case, they can apply for an E2 visa as one of your employees or explore other visa opportunities.
For children under 21, you can pursue any number of public school and private school options. But if these children end up entering college in America, they may need to pursue other visa options that will allow them to stay in the country so that they dan complete their college degree.
The E2 Visa and Bringing Over Employees
The whole point of getting an E2 visa is that you can start a successful business here in America. To make starting such a business easier, you can potentially bring over others from your home country to serve as employees of your new business.
While this makes it easier for you to start your new business, the rules for bringing over employees for as part of your E2 visa process are stricter than the rules for bringing over your spouse and children.
The primary difference is that you must provide proof that the employee you are bringing over has special qualifications to help you run your business. In most cases, that means that the employee will hold some kind of administrative position in your business, though this is not a hard rule.
Because of this regulation, some E2 visa business investors pursue a business that makes it easier to bring over employees. For example, if you are starting a restaurant business, it is relatively easy to prove that your employees have the specialized training necessary to bring dishes from your native country to life.
Educational Opportunities For Your Children
Why do you imagine that most people want to pursue an E2 visa? In most cases, it is because those pursuing the visa wants to create a new life for their children here in America.
While that is a laudable goal, it creates a natural question for those pursuing the visa. Specifically, what are the educational opportunities available for your children after you get the visa?
Either after you receive the visa or when you first apply for it, you can apply for a visa for your children under 21. Once their applications are approved, you can pursue whatever public school or private school options that you prefer.
It may go without saying, but public school is going to be easier on your finances because it does not require an additional payment. But there may be better opportunities for both education and networking available via local private schools. We recommend carefully reviewing the different educational opportunities in a new area as well as how much such an opportunity will negatively impact your current finances.
What If You Want To Bring Over Other Family Members?
The E2 visa is designed to help you bring over your immediate family, including your spouse and children. But one of the most common questions we get is this: what if you want to bring over additional family members outside of your immediate family?
In most cases, your best bet is to name another family member as a partner in your business. Because the E2 visa only requires that you have a 50% share in the business, it is possible for someone else to share the other 50%. And this allows that person to pursue all the typical E2 visa benefits that extend to their own immediate family.
What if your children are over 21, though? In that case, you may not be able to bring them over as easily as you could when they were under 21. But as long as your children have the right qualifications, you may be able to bring them over as specialized employees for your business.
What Kinds of Businesses Should You Start?
Obviously, the core idea behind the E2 visa is that you must start a successful business in America. Because of that, you may be asking a simple question: what kind of business should you focus on starting?
Strictly speaking, the E2 visa process does not make any restrictions on what type of business you end up starting. Realistically, though, some business opportunities will be better than others.
For example, unless you have a lot of money stuck back in savings, you may be better off focusing on the kinds of businesses that will generate a profit sooner rather than later. This is important because some businesses may take a year or longer to begin generating a profit.
Beyond that, one thing you should consider is that it is easier to start a business in an area you have expertise in. For example, if you run a successful restaurant in your home country, it will be that much easier to start a restaurant here in America.
The Benefits of Franchising A Business
When we discuss starting a business in America, most people assume that you must start a business from scratch. But if you would like all the benefits of a business and few of the drawbacks, you should consider franchising a business.
When franchising, you have the advantage of selecting a business with a proven track record of success. This means your franchise will be likelier to succeed rather than you gambling on an entirely new business idea.
Finally, franchising will give you an opportunity to get important information and advice from the franchisee. If you are worried about starting a business in America, being able to pose your questions to an authoritative source can make the whole thing that much easier.
Your Next Move
Now you know how to get a visa from Mexico to USA. But do you know who can help you establish a successful business?
Here at Advanced Franchising, we specialize in helping you franchise a successful business. To see what we can do, just contact us today!
