Both Get an E2 Visa

Tom: We've got emotionally involved in our decision. We are going to come as a family. We know to look for a business that will be a part of the family. Not something that is going to be some chore that we are going to have to do while we are over here. We can look for something that is going to be a good extension of the family so it makes the lifestyle here worth having.

Then we have to identify a good business broker that's qualified and will also pre-qualify the businesses we are looking at. That's where we are at so far.

Roy: When you talk to a business broker make sure he knows what he is doing in respect to E2 visas to all their requirements and everything that you are going to have to go through. Not only selling you a business or helping you buy a business that would qualify for an E2 visa.

The broker should train you, hold your hand through all the processes, from registering the corporation in the state of Florida, getting the corporate books, doing the resolutions, the corporate resolutions, issuing the shares so that husband and wife from the UK own 50/50, 50% each. Because the husband and wife owning 50% each, will each get an E2 visa. If the husband owns 100% he is the one getting the E2 visa and the wife gets the B1 visa which is surrogate or dependent on the E2 visa.

For whatever reason if the husband loses that capability of the E2 visa, everybody is sent back to the UK. That has happened in the past for whatever reason. That's one of the things: you have to make sure you are well advised.

The easiest way for a broker to do this is to say 'I have a lawyer that knows all about this and he can advise you on all this.' However, the lawyers, I believe it is the same thing in the UK, are not paid by you in order for them to educate you on what to do and how to do it. They want to charge you for them to do whatever they want to do, what they think they should do for you.

One of the things you need to do is learn exactly what you want the broker to do for you and the lawyers to do for you so you can order the lawyer to do specific things instead of leaving it to him to bill you through the teeth for whatever he wants to do. I think that's universal, that lawyers do that.

Tom: I think there is a lawyers' group for that!

Roy: Yeah, they learn how to screw you, how to screw everybody, and this is on the record!