E2 switch to L1

[pags]

I know several people on here did the E2 to L1 switch/reapplication. Can anyone explain how they did it and what is involved, timescales etc

thankyou

[mark]

Hi Pags


Not sure of the time scale but I do klnow that the first L application can be expeditied. You pay something like $1500.00 and once the application is with the service centre and they give you an answer in 15 days.

What I cannot understand is why someone would come on a E visa if they could have come on a L visa. Unless they bought a business in the US, then set up an overseas company they applied for an L 1 inter-company transfer

To get an E visa you have to purchase a business or invest a sustaintial sum and set up a business from scratch with an excellent business plan and contracts in place

To get an L visa you must have a corporation trading outside the USA the rules are getting tougher. You must employ approx 6-8 people full time on payroll. It is possible to get an L1 and transfer to the US even when there is no US company but you intend to open a us subsidery. Again the USCIS is getting really tough and regulations and rules watched very closely

[DavidL]

I know several people on here did the E2 to L1 switch/reapplication. Can anyone explain how they did it and what is involved, timescales etc

thankyou

Pags,

I don't know of any members on this forum, but I do know of others who switched from E2 to L1. Not one to mince words, they were mickey mouse companies, shams or in plain speak, companies which were fictious! OR they were on the payroll of a company and then passed the money back to them. People who do this run the risk of being found out and then booted out as I know of one who was. It's a risky play and even I wouldn't go down that route and because the nature of my previous job, risk sits quite comfortably with me.

[JulieC]

Im sure I have answered this already or was it on another forum? Pags have you asked the same question elsewhere as I dont want to waste my time typing it again.
We did it but only because the company my husband used to work for decided they wanted to market their products here, it was nothing to do with our original E2. We did it by change of status. We have traded ok for a year but only got one year wheras we had five on E2 and are having heaps of problens getting throiugh renewal and green card as they are really strict perhaps because of the fraud David mentions and perhaps because people who should really be H1b are using L1 to bypass the cap. It isnt for the fainthearted as there are significant disadvantages of being L1 over E2 unless you can get through the green card process.

[pags]

ok--if its not that straight forward looks like we will have a crack at EB5!!!

Anyone know about the regional cwentre $500k route?

[JulieC]

Yes know someone doing it. You have a choice --warehouses into offices in Seattle, almond tree growing in California, developing a ski resort in Vermont. There is a firm packaging the investment and visa for you or you can do the arrangements yourself and cut the commission out. The leading visa consultant who does this is Lincoln Stone, google him, must have website, Costs come to about $25000. The interest rate is quite good and I believe once released the investment opportunities go quite quickly as it is becoming popular,. The big problem comes if you get your green card and then want out and your money back. As with any investment the value can go down as well as up and you have to get someone to buy you out.

[Ray10]

EB-5 ..think cows ..and being promoted by the State (south Dakota)
and not a fancy consultant with overpriced fees ...

And who stole my name ...