E1 Visas and US Company Registration

Many foreign nationals dream about traveling to America to setup a small business. This article was written in order to shed light upon the American E1 visa process and the US company registration process.

Company Registration in the United States and US Immigration might seem, at first glance, to have no relationship. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Since recent economic problems have created significant investment opportunities in the United States many individuals from countries with strong currencies seem to be looking for investment opportunities in America. This could be due to the increasing availability of cheap internet services in countries outside of the United States. Whatever the reason, foreign investment in the United States is a positive trend as foreign capital can provide economic benefits to the United States as a whole and also produce jobs for Americans in communities where foreign businesses choose to operate.

Those researching the E1 visa for the first time are usually quick to note that one of the main requirements for US visa issuance is the existence of a viable enterprise in the United States. Many foreign nationals who conduct business in the United States do not realize that one of the best ways to protect both personal as well as corporate assets is through use of limited liability. Limited Liability can be generally summed up in lay terms by quoting Wikipedia.org:

"Limited liability is a concept whereby a person's financial liability is limited to a fixed sum, most commonly the value of a person's investment in a company or partnership with limited liability. To put it another way, if a company with limited liability is subjected to a lawsuit, then the plaintiffs are probably bringing suit against the company, not its organizers, managers, or investors."*

Limited Liability can provide an extra layer of legal protection for those in the United States on an E1 visa who conduct trade or business through a corporate entity incorporated in the United States.

With this in mind, those thinking of applying for an Employment based visa to the United States are well advised to bear in mind that Employment visas should be bona fide. This means that individuals and companies should be seeking visa benefits based upon genuine business imperatives. An application should not utilize legal entities pretextually in an effort to gain visa benefits. That said, even those with a bona fide need for immigration benefits may find legal consultation advantageous as the visa process can seem somewhat convoluted for those who are not accustomed to dealing with the American Immigration system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_liability

About The Author Ben Hart is an attorney from the USA, the Managing Director of Integrity Legal (Thailand) Co. Ltd, and the International Director of White & Hart Ltd. Contact information: 1-877-231-7533 (US Toll Free), +66 (0)2-266-3698 (Thailand), +44 203-002-3837 or info@integrity-legal.com. See further information on the Web at: E-1 visa or American LLC .