This article is based on a video originally recorded on Visa Franchise Youtube Channel.
Contents
E2 Visa Processing Time
It is going to vary a lot by country. We have been getting approvals from Mexico, Chile, and Taiwan. And processing times in those places have been as little as three weeks up to six months.
A lot of consulates have been processing E2 visas for less than six months, generally three to six months from the time you apply for an E2 Visa, and generally, drop off the E2 Visa package prepared by your immigration attorney until when you’re able to actually sit down for the interview, and then get the E2 Visa stamped in your passport.
It is taking anywhere from three to six months. There are some positive exceptions in some countries like Brazil, and Mexico, they have been processing them much faster, closer to the one-month mark. This is a moving target. You can check on the State Department website processing times for different nonimmigrant visa categories.
And the E2 visa, generally, it is processing under six months, whereas in some countries if you want to get a B1/B2, that tourists and work visa, it’s going to take two years in a lot of countries.
E2 Visa Processing Time Problems
We see E2 Visa is taking anywhere from 1 month, all the way up to 12 months to get that interview. There are some countries, like Nigeria, where it is taking about a year to get that interview.
And there are a select few consults around the world that are not even giving out interviews. In Barbados, as of a couple of weeks ago, you are not even able to schedule an E2 Visa interview. Unfortunately, there are some countries where you can not even get an E2 Visa interview. And this is where it comes down to strategy, working with your immigration attorney.
To give an example, it might be a Canadian national that resides in Singapore. He or she could apply in Singapore or potentially in Toronto. It could be based on where your residence is, and you apply from there, or you apply based on where your citizenship is. If you are a Canadian living in Singapore, you could apply either in Singapore or in Canada, and you should work with your immigration attorney to see what path might be fastest.
Change Visa Status
If you have another Visa, in the United States, you may be able to change your status. You are not going to get a Visa in your passport, but it allows you and your family to legally stay for two-year periods on the E2 status.
If you pay for premium processing, in two weeks you could get your E2 Visa status. You can not travel, or the next time you travel, you have to go to a U.S. consulate embassy to get your E2 Visa in your physical passport, so you can come back to the United States.
It is an option for especially parents that might want to be enrolling their kids in school and have a business that they need to be overseeing and operating, and they can not wait those six months to get the E2 Visa.
What is EB5 Visa?
The EB-5 Visa is less expensive and faster. If you want to get a green card right away, and you do not need to move to the United States, it might be a better option.
There are approximately 100 Visa categories. We recommend you to sync with an immigration attorney first, to see if the E2 visa is a good option.
And then, on our sister company, you will be able to explore franchise opportunities. Generally, it is easier to get the data that you need to make a decision. That is going to speed up the process of getting the business, or you could also start up your own business and you could buy a business.
Conclusion
When buying a business, the due diligence periods take a while, and you are going to have to look through four or five, or six businesses until you make a decision. If you’re looking to move here fast, and you are concerned about lengthy processing times with some of the consulates, you might want to consider the franchise approach.