Client Stories14 min read

E-2 Visa Case Study: How to Turn Rejection Into Approval

In this E-2 visa case study, discover how an Indian entrepreneur, applying with his Singaporean passport, turned a visa rejection into success—and launched his AI business in Texas with Visa Franchise's help.

E-2 visa case study

Written by

Facundo Bermudez

Published on

12 May 2025

E-2 visa case study

As Donald Trump begins his second term in office, fear and misinformation are spreading fast—especially among those considering moving to the U.S. on an investor visa. This E-2 visa case study comes at a time when entrepreneurs around the world are hesitating. Headlines warn of immigration crackdowns, social media stirs panic, and many believe they’ll be denied or even deported. The result? Some never even start the process.

But the truth is far less dramatic—and far more hopeful.

This is the real story of Nitin Mahajan: a seasoned entrepreneur, an immigrant with global roots, and the founder of Quick Ads, an AI-powered marketing company now expanding from Singapore to Dallas, Texas. His first E-2 visa application was denied. But what happened next is what makes this E-2 visa case study worth reading.

“There is no place like the United States for entrepreneurs,” Nitin told Patrick Findaro, co-founder of Visa Franchise, during a recent interview. Coming from someone who’s lived in nearly 20 countries, that insight isn’t just praise—it’s perspective.

If you’re wondering whether the E-2 visa is still a real, workable path in 2025—this E-2 visa case study is your answer.

Chapter 1: Meet Nitin – A Global Entrepreneur

To understand the real power of this E-2 visa case study, you first need to know who Nitin Mahajan is—not just as a business owner, but as a person.

Nitin is a self-proclaimed hacker at heart. Before diving into tech and startups, he was a table tennis player. He became an engineer—“a lousy one,” he jokes—and then spent over a decade on the “dark side” of strategy consulting. There, he worked with large corporations, helping them refine marketing strategies and understand customer behavior across markets. But something was missing.

“I realized that as much as it’s exciting, it is even better to use technologies like AI and generative AI to completely change the game for small businesses,” Nitin said.

And that’s exactly what he set out to do. His vision? Use everything he had learned in 25 years—tech, business, service delivery—to create a platform that could help small businesses thrive, no matter where they were in the world. That idea became Quick Ads, an AI-powered marketing engine designed to make digital ads better, faster, and cheaper for small business owners.

But Nitin’s journey didn’t begin in the U.S. Born in the Middle East, he’s lived in nearly 20 countries—from the icy winters of Finland to the tropical heat of Singapore, where he spent two decades building his professional career. Yet no place inspired him quite like America.

“There is no place like the United States for entrepreneurs, for dreamers who want to grow their businesses and build it to a global scale,” he said.

That’s what drew him to the U.S. market—and ultimately, what brought him to the door of the E-2 visa. As you’ll see throughout this E-2 visa case study, the process wasn’t smooth. But the dream? That never wavered.

Chapter 2: Quick Ads – Building A Business with AI

Quick Ads wasn’t just a startup idea—it was a response to a real problem that millions of small businesses face every day.

“Quick Ads is an AI-based marketing solution through which anyone and everyone can make their own ads better, faster, cheaper,” Nitin explained. Instead of pouring thousands into marketing agencies, entrepreneurs could now tap into Quick Ads and create high-quality digital campaigns on their own—or have it done for them at a fraction of the cost.

“We use proprietary technologies like AI and computer vision models to make it better, faster for everyone.”

What makes this E-2 visa case study unique is that Quick Ads wasn’t just an idea on paper. It was already operating in Singapore, with revenue and a growing list of enterprise clients in the U.S.

“Before I met you, ads were never like our primary marketing channel in terms of how we were acquiring clients and bringing clients on… but I liked your guys’ approach where it was really systematic and understanding any blockers and being agile to make shifts—to make sure that, you know, the return on investment was there,” said Patrick, reflecting on how Visa Franchise became one of Quick Ads’ own clients.

And the mission was never just about growing a company—it was about helping others grow theirs.

“We want to do it for 10,000 other small businesses out there. Let’s make them successful.”

As Nitin worked to scale Quick Ads, he knew he needed to be closer to the U.S. market. America was the next step—not just for access to clients, but to build a business that could operate on a truly global scale. And the E-2 visa case study took its next turn: from vision to visa.

Chapter 3: The First E-2 Visa Attempt – A Painful Denial

Every strong E-2 visa case study has a turning point—and for Nitin, it came in the form of rejection.

“As easy as it sounds that E-2 visa has apparently 90%, 95% success rate, I was among the unlucky ones who did not get it through the first time,” he recalled. It wasn’t just a professional setback—it was personal. “It was a huge blow for someone who has been coming to the United States for almost last 20 years, countless times, 10 different visas.”

Despite holding a Singaporean passport that allows visa-free travel to the U.S., Nitin’s E-2 application was denied. That moment—filled with confusion and frustration—could have ended the journey. But instead, it became a critical lesson.

“In hindsight, that’s very, very important and I really encourage everyone to go through with the right lawyer and the right process,” he said.

The truth is, many people assume the E-2 process is simple because of the high approval rate. But as this E-2 visa case study shows, what matters most is how you present your case—and who you trust to help you build it. Nitin’s first attempt failed partly because of legal missteps.

“My previous lawyer was perhaps not the most experienced in E-2,” he admitted. “An experienced E-2 lawyer will make sure they draft your business case and the proofs of investment very correct, very accurately.”

The key mistake? The investment wasn’t clearly shown as being “at risk” or actively used in the business.

“It is not just a bank transfer because that’s not at risk. It has to be used. It has to be deployed—even small things like those.”

This part of the E-2 visa case study shows what many don’t see: behind every approval are months of preparation, strategic documentation, and legal accuracy. For Nitin, failure became the fuel to get it right the second time.

And that’s where Visa Franchise stepped in.

Chapter 4: Finding Visa Franchise – A Turning Point

After the sting of that first denial, Nitin had a decision to make: give up on the U.S. dream, or try again—with the right team beside him. That’s when he found Visa Franchise.

“You helped me also make that choice and saying you have E2 and you have O1 option and then later on we can do EB1 or EB5, etc. Even now, it was a process of elimination in a way, but it was also a right fit because E2 is meant for entrepreneurs.”

This E-2 visa case study took a sharp turn in the right direction. With the right immigration attorney, a clear strategy, and support from Visa Franchise, Nitin began rebuilding his case from the ground up.

“People like Visa Franchise who are so confident about the process… they offer you 95% assurance and a money-back guarantee,” he said. “That was very convincing. I must say that a person who believes in his skill set and is ready to say, ‘I’ll guarantee,’ shows the professionalism.”

This time, everything was documented with precision: not just the investment amount, but where every dollar was spent, how the business operated, and what impact it would have in the U.S.

“It is not a question of trying to deceive the system—it’s a question of answering the right questions for the system,” Nitin explained. “So that it makes it easier for the visa officer to understand the case.”

At Visa Franchise, we acted as the “general contractor,” orchestrating every part of the process—from connecting him with an experienced E-2 attorney to ensuring his intellectual property was properly valued and the financials were bulletproof.

As this E-2 visa case study shows, getting the right team is not a luxury—it’s the difference between denial and approval.

E-2 visa case study

Chapter 5: The E-2 Visa Comeback – Winning on the Second Try

Armed with a new legal team, a strategic partner in Visa Franchise, and months of preparation, Nitin filed his E-2 visa application again—this time with a watertight case.

“The first major step was to get in touch with the attorney that you appointed who was relevant. She reviewed the materials and gave us a very clear, crisp advice on: ‘In the next two weeks I need this, this, this,’ in a very structured documentation,” Nitin recalled.

Together, we built a compelling narrative—one that clearly showed the legitimacy and scalability of Quick Ads. Every dollar of investment was accounted for, including revenue, expenses, and intellectual property.

“So, out of the total investment that we showed, roughly one-third or half—if I remember it right—was the intellectual property,” he explained. That IP was valued conservatively using “revenue multiple” and the “actual people cost that has gone [into] building the IP.” The rest was tangible operating expenses: marketing, salaries, travel, office, and more.

But this E-2 visa case study was about more than numbers. It was about timing, documentation, and persistence.

“I still remember… literally 50 pages of the P&L and all the bank statements that you printed to give [to the] visa officer,” Nitin said. “And they explicitly asked that question: ‘Show me what are you spending on? What are your big ticket items?'”

Even with the case ready, the process took time. Embassy backlogs and IT system upgrades at the Singapore consulate delayed his interview for months.

“We got back in touch in July. We were ready in early September. We sent it to the Singapore embassy, but the appointments were not available till October or November,” he said. Still, he stayed patient. The interview was booked for December. He got the visa in January. He moved in February.

From first contact to final approval, the second round took about six months—but three of those were embassy-related delays. As Nitin said, “Within three months most people should be able to get their appointments.”

And when the big day finally came? He was ready.

Chapter 6: Life in the U.S. – Why Nitin Chose Dallas

An important piece of every E-2 visa case study isn’t just about getting approved—it’s about what happens next. For Nitin, that meant choosing where in the U.S. to set up shop and build his future. The decision? Dallas, Texas.

“Dallas is central to the whole North American region that we are trying to work with,” Nitin explained. “So for us it’s really important to fly and meet a lot of real, main economy businesses. So Dallas is a good hub for that.”

The choice wasn’t just logistical. It was strategic.

“It’s an upcoming top 10 city now with a good international connectivity and airport—major hub for American Airlines. So both from a logistics and more importantly from a client connectivity point of view, we felt it was the right choice.”

And there was also family to consider. “You also have family, extended family out there, so it made it even more easier to make that choice.”

Affordability played a role too. Compared to places like Miami or the Bay Area, Dallas offered more value.

“That’s a perception that Texas, with low state income tax, is much more affordable… not as expensive as Bay Area. But it’s run up a lot. But the schools are amazing, I must say that—the little I have seen so far.”

For Nitin and his family, it wasn’t just about scaling Quick Ads—it was about integration, lifestyle, and giving their children a strong foundation.

“The sense of community, the sports that we were looking for to get our kids integrated into that fabric—it’s been a super interesting journey so far.”

This E-2 visa case study shows that success isn’t just a legal status—it’s a life, one that starts the moment you step off the plane and begin building something real.

Chapter 7: Advice for Future E-2 Entrepreneurs

Every strong E-2 visa case study leaves behind a trail others can follow. For Nitin, this meant sharing the lessons that turned his rejection into approval—and his dream into a reality.

First, he stressed timing.

“I would encourage you to at least wait for a year or two years,” he said, speaking especially to online business owners. “You will have a track record of investments and revenue which makes your own business case to yourself and to the consulate more easier to justify.”

The second reason? Confidence in your own business.

“Honestly, for you to feel comfortable that this is a business you want to do for the next 5 years and you have seeded it—and now you want to grow in the U.S. market.”

As this E-2 visa case study illustrates, a solid foundation matters. When Nitin applied the second time, Quick Ads wasn’t just a concept—it was operational, profitable, and scalable. That made the business case much stronger.

He also offered a reality check: “Don’t get trapped into assuming that it’s 90%, so everybody will go through.”

Instead, he emphasized preparation.

“Make sure you have the right support. Make sure you have the right lawyer. And you also do your homework in terms of finding the right justification documents to be able to explain the business case well.”

And for those considering the visa purely based on headlines or fear of missing out? He recommended stepping back and thinking strategically.

“Don’t rush into it. Get your case right.”

This E-2 visa case study doesn’t glamorize the process—it demystifies it. With the right preparation, the right timing, and the right team, the E-2 visa is still one of the most powerful ways to build a business—and a life—in the United States.

E-2 visa case study

Chapter 8: Conclusion – What This E-2 Visa Case Study Teaches Us

In the middle of a political climate filled with confusion, fear, and uncertainty, this E-2 visa case study offers something different—clarity, hope, and proof.

Nitin Mahajan’s story is not just about a visa. It’s about getting rejected, then returning stronger. It’s about building a business not just with capital, but with purpose. And it’s about choosing to bet on yourself—even when the odds seem stacked against you.

“It gives your spouse and the kids the flexibility to not only live but also work and study in United States without any extra work authorization,” Nitin reminded others who may still be on the fence. “It gives you a good springboard to get started and continue with the business journey.”

His experience shows what’s possible when the E-2 visa is done right—with strategy, legal precision, and a partner who’s already helped hundreds walk the same path.

This E-2 visa case study started with rejection—but ended in Dallas, surrounded by family, building a business powered by AI and ambition. For anyone asking whether the E-2 visa is still worth pursuing in 2025, the answer lives in Nitin’s journey.

And if you’re ready to start your own journey—we’re here to help.

At Visa Franchise, we helped Nitin turn a denial into a new life. And we can help you too. Whether you’re just starting to explore the E-2 visa or you’ve already faced roadblocks, reach out to us. We’ll walk you through every step, connect you with the right professionals, and give you the guidance you need to succeed.

👉 Contact us today to get started—just like Nitin did.


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