Todo lo que un emprendedor necesita saber
Angelica Rice • September 1, 2022
Click here to read this article in English and Portuguese
Las visas E-2 son una de las visas de negocios más populares para los empresarios que desean comenzar un negocio en los Estados Unidos.
Son ventajosas porque no hay cantidad limitada para ellas (siempre que uno sea elegible para la visa, se puede otorgar en cualquier momento), se pueden renovar o extender una cantidad ilimitada de veces y el costo de inversión es mucho menor que el Visa EB-5, mucho menos de $500,000. Por último, la cantidad de empleados que se espera que la empresa admita para una visa E-2 es de aproximadamente 3-4, no un mínimo de 10 como el EB-5. El único inconveniente es que no son un camino directo a una tarjeta verde (Green Card o Tarjeta de residente permanente).
¿La visa E2 es adecuada para usted? Sigue leyendo para averiguarlo.
¿Qué es una visa E-2?
La visa E-2 es una visa de comerciante e inversionista por tratado para los Estados Unidos. Es una categoría de visa de no inmigrante de Estados Unidos y se emite para inversores individuales o empresas inversoras de países que tienen un tratado con los Estados Unidos. La inversión puede ser en cualquier industria o negocio.
¿Mi país tiene un tratado con los EE.UU.?
Para ser elegible para una visa E-2, su país de origen debe tener un tratado con los Estados Unidos que le permita ser elegible para la visa. Se puede encontrar una lista completa de los países del tratado en el sitio web del Departamento de Estado, consulte el enlace a continuación.
¿Cuáles son los requisitos de elegibilidad para una visa E-2?
Para ser elegible para una visa E-2, hay varios criterios que debe cumplir, tales como:
- Si es un inversionista individual, debe ser nacional de un país que tenga un tratado de inversión con los Estados Unidos.
- Si el solicitante es una empresa, debe ser propiedad de al menos el 50% de un país con tratado de inversión.
- Si una empresa envía a un empleado con una visa E-2, el empleado debe ser nacional de un país con tratado de inversión, así como estar en un puesto de supervisión, gerencia, ejecutivo o conocimiento especializado (empleado esencial).
- El inversionista (individuo o empresa) debe tener la intención de invertir una cantidad sustancial de capital en un negocio de buena fe, existente o nuevo. Una empresa de buena fe es una empresa real que produce productos o servicios y es rentable.
- El inversionista (individual o empresa) debe asegurarse de que el negocio genere más ganancias que solo para ganarse la vida. Las nuevas empresas están exentas del requisito de beneficio marginal, pero deben cumplir este requisito en un plazo de cinco años.
- El inversionista (individuo o empresa) debe tener el objetivo de desarrollar aún más el negocio a través de esa inversión.
- El inversionista (individuo o empresa) debe colocar los fondos en una cuenta bancaria o un agente hasta que se apruebe su visa.
- El inversionista debe tener la intención de regresar a su país de origen una vez que termine su trabajo.
El último requisito es uno de los más importantes, ya que la mayoría de las personas tienden a tener problemas con esto a medida que continúa su estadía en los Estados Unidos. Esto se convierte especialmente en un problema y es una posible violación del estatus de la visa E-2, cuando uno desea solicitar una visa EB-2 mientras se encuentra en los Estados Unidos. Visite nuestro artículo relacionado sobre las visas de negocios EB-2
de Kyle Huffman
para obtener más información sobre las visas EB-2.
El monto de inversión objetivo para una visa E-2 suele oscilar entre $ 100,000 y $ 200,000; sin embargo, en ciertas circunstancias, una inversión más pequeña a veces es suficiente para cumplir con el requisito. Lo contrario también es cierto, ya que una inversión superior a $ 100,000 - $ 200,000 ciertamente cumple con el requisito, en caso de que el negocio sea uno que necesite dicha financiación.
¿Por cuánto tiempo es válida mi visa E-2?
La duración de la validez de su Visa E-2 depende de su nacionalidad y puede variar de 3 meses a 5 años. Esto también se conoce como el "período de reciprocidad". Esencialmente, el período de validez de la Visa E-2 está establecido por el Tratado entre su país y los Estados Unidos.
El período de validez es el período de tiempo para el que se emite la visa E-2: hasta la fecha de vencimiento de su visa E-2, se le permitirá ingresar a los Estados Unidos.
¿Cuánto tiempo puedo permanecer en los Estados Unidos después de ingresar con mi visa E-2?
Esto se conoce como el “período de estadía”, que es diferente del “período de vigencia” mencionado anteriormente. El período de estadía es la duración de su estadía en los Estados Unidos, independientemente del período de validez de su visa E-2. El período de estadía se le asignará a su llegada a los Estados Unidos y para la Visa E-2 será de 2 años. Si desea permanecer en los Estados Unidos por más tiempo, debe renovar o extender el período de estadía de su Visa E2.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre Renovación y Extensión?
La diferencia radica en si uno planea permanecer en los Estados Unidos para extender su visa, o si está dispuesto a viajar de regreso a su país de origen y renovar su visa en el consulado.
Si decide salir de los Estados Unidos y volver a ingresar, su visa E-2 se renovará automáticamente por otros 2 años.
Si desea permanecer en los Estados Unidos y extender su visa E-2, debe presentar una solicitud I-539 con USCIS. Las extensiones se otorgan en incrementos de 2 años y se pueden extender tantas veces como el inversionista desee. Se otorgarán extensiones siempre que el inversionista continúe cumpliendo con todos los requisitos de elegibilidad para la visa E-2 y continúe demostrando su intención de regresar a su país de origen.
Si un inversionista E-2 se vuelve elegible para otro tipo de visa, puede solicitar un cambio de estado ante USCIS.
¿Puedo incluir a mis dependientes en una visa E-2?
Sí. Los dependientes incluyen al cónyuge y los hijos solteros y menores de 21 años, del titular de la visa. Pueden aplicar al mismo tiempo que el titular principal de la visa o más tarde después de que ya se haya otorgado la visa E-2.
Con una visa E-2, los dependientes pueden estudiar y el cónyuge puede trabajar. A partir del 12 de noviembre de 2021, la capacidad de trabajar de un cónyuge E-2 depende de su estado E-2. Esto significa que si un cónyuge E-2 tiene los documentos para demostrar que tiene un estado E-2 válido (es decir, un aviso de aprobación E-2 y un I-94 válido), puede trabajar sin tener que presentar una solicitud de autorización de empleo. (Formulario I-765). Si el cónyuge todavía quiere una tarjeta EAD física y quiere tener documentación para mostrar la autorización de trabajo y su identidad, puede presentar una solicitud I-765 pero no está obligado a hacerlo.
Si los dependientes desean extender su estadía, deben presentar una solicitud I-539. No obtienen renovaciones automáticas si salen de los Estados Unidos y regresan. Además, si el titular principal de la visa cambia su estatus, los dependientes también serán elegibles para el cambio de estatus.
¿Cuál es el tiempo de procesamiento de una visa E2?
Los tiempos de procesamiento varían dependiendo de si presenta la solicitud en un consulado o dentro de los Estados Unidos con USCIS. Si presenta la solicitud con USCIS, el tiempo de procesamiento suele ser de 3 a 5 meses. Para conocer los tiempos de procesamiento más actualizados, visite la página web de tiempos de procesamiento de USCIS a continuación.
Si presenta la solicitud en el consulado, el tiempo de procesamiento varía según el país en el que presente la solicitud.
¿Cuántas veces puedo entrar y salir de los Estados Unidos usando mi visa E-2?
Ya sea que se emita una visa E-2 para una sola entrada o entradas múltiples, depende del tratado de su país con los Estados Unidos, específicamente la tabla de reciprocidad en el sitio web del Departamento de Estado. Vea el enlace a continuación.
Si desea obtener más información sobre cómo solicitar una visa E2, comuníquese con la firma de abogados Santos Lloyd y nuestro talentoso equipo de experimentados abogados de inmigración estará encantado de ayudarlo.
Este blog no pretende ser un consejo legal y nada aquí debe interpretarse como el establecimiento de una relación abogado-cliente. Programe una consulta con un abogado de inmigración antes de actuar sobre cualquier información que lea aquí.
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