US VISAS

If you are an investor seeking to run a business in the United States, you will need to obtain the appropriate visa to do so. We will briefly explain these to you and we can arrange a meeting with our Immigration Attorney at your convenience to discuss all options in more detail.

Visa requirements from 2003

All passengers to the USA need a machine readable passport (Red UK issue) Full 10 year or 5 year for children, and children CANNOT be named on the parents passport they must have their own or apply for Visa's which is a very lengthy process.

All passports issued by the UK Passport Service are machine readable and can be read by any country that has the equipment to do so. As long as they have not been badly treated.

Please be advised that there will be a change in the documentation requirements for passengers entering and transiting in the United States effective 01 October 2003. From this date all passengers travelling to and from the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) are required to hold a machine readable passport (MRP).

Any person who is a citizen of a VWP eligible country eg: UK and who's passport is not machine readable will need to obtain a U.S. non-immigrant visa prior to arrival. This applies to all persons including infants and children. Children who have been added to a parent's passport will also be required to have a MRP issued in their own name or have a U.S. visa issued to them affixed into the passport in which their name appears.

Please ensure any passengers are aware of these new documentation requirements for entry into the U.S. This law was fully implemented on 01 October 2003. Passengers will be refused entry if documentation is not correct.

Visa Information

Visitors to Florida from Britain, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland traveling on valid national or EC passports do not need a visa for holiday or business travel of 90 days or less. However, all visitors must hold round-trip or return tickets especially if they enter the US on an airline or cruise line that participates in the no-visa travel program. For longer stays, all international visitors should obtain a B-2 (non-immigrant, pleasure tourist) visa, which is valid for six months.

Citizens of visa exempt countries may visit Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, as well as the Caribbean islands and then re-enter the US by any mode of transportation without needing a visa.

Citizens of countries other than those listed above will require a US visa, which can be applied for through the nearest US embassy or consulate.

In the case of loss of documents, report the loss promptly to your national embassy or consulate in the US, and local police. It is advisable to make photocopies of your passport and other documents, leaving one copy with someone at home, and carrying the other. Replacement of original documents is generally quicker if you can supply photocopy data of the originals.

Do you qualify for a visa?

If you can answer any of the following questions you may qualify for a visa.

Do you own a business or have a share in a business?
Has that business been in existence for more than a year?
Are you working in a managerial / executive posistion for a company, and have been continuosly employed for 12 months in the last three years?
Do you have in excess of $100,000 to invest in a existing business or a start up business?
Do you have any secondary income e.g. pension / rental property etc.?

Types of Visa
We have specialised in four categories of immigrant and non-immigrant visas, these are :

L-1A & L-1B Non - Immigrant - intra company transferees
E -2 Treaty Investment Visa
Green Card Alien Registration Card - permanent residency
H-1 & H-2 Non - Immigrant - Specialised and seasonal visas