Philippine Practice Team for Immigration Solution Davies & Associates has a dedicated Philippine Practice Team composed of dual-qualified, well-credentialed and highly trained lawyers to address your visa needs. Based in Manila and the U.S., our immigration attorneys are focused on tailoring visa solutions to meet the personal, professional or business requirements of Filipino clients. Given the various options and the complexities of each pathway, Davies & Associates will determine the right visa for you and guide you every step of the way.


What is an E-2 Investment Visa?

An E-2 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows its holder to reside in the United States. There are three types of non-immigrant E-2 visa:

E-2 Investment Visa.

Enables and investor to direct and control the operations of a US business.

E-2 Specialist or Essential Skills Worker

The employee has specialized knowledge of the business which may be difficult to find in the US. The employee is necessary for the running of the principal trader or investor's business in the USA.

E-2 Derivative Visa for Spouse and Children.

The spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 are eligible of an E2 derivative visa. Using an E-2 derivative visa a spouse can work anywhere they wish to.

What are the benefits of an E-2 Visa for Filipino Nationals?

  • No visa caps or priority dates to deal with.
  • Small businesses with a low number of employees qualify.
  • Assist family members to live in the United States.
  • Spouse can work or study anywhere they wish to in the U.S.

What is the Best Business for an E-2 Visa?

All bona-fide businesses that meet the requirements of U.S. law potentially qualify for an E-2 visa. Examples of typical E 2 business include:
  • Food Franchises
  • Restaurants
  • Gas Stations
  • Nail and Beauty Spas
  • Hotels
  • Factories
  • Trucking and Logistics Businesses
Note on Franchises for E-2 visa purposes:
Not all franchises qualify for E-2 visa purposes. Historically some franchises have proven to pose more risk than others. Investors should also take professional investment advice before investing an any franchise or other businesses.

How Can I Help a Family Member Obtain an E-2 Visa?

You can help a family member become an E-2 Treaty Investor in the U.S.  With your financial assistance (which can be by way of monetary gift or a secured loan), your relative can obtain an E-2 non-immigrant visa to establish and run a business in the U.S.
By virtue of the treaty of commerce and navigation with the U.S., Filipino nationals can set up a business in the U.S. through the E-2 Investor Visa non-immigrant visa classification. Since the Philippines is a treaty country, the E2 Investor Visa is a viable option for the Filipino entrepreneur, corporation as well as for certain employees of the Filipino national or of a qualifying organization. With the E-2 visa, a Filipino national may be admitted to the U.S. by investing a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. business.

How Does a Filipino Qualify for an E-2 Visa?

A treaty investor qualifies for E2 classification if he meets the following criteria:
  • Is a national of a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation Follow this link for a full list of E-2 Countries.
  • Has invested, or is actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital in a bona fide enterprise in the United States.
  • The capital must be subject to partial or total loss if the investment fails.
  • Be seeking to enter the United States solely to develop and direct the investment enterprise.

What is a "Substantial Investment” for E-2 Visa Purposes?

A substantial amount of capital is:
  • Substantial in relationship to the total cost of either purchasing an established enterprise or establishing a new one
  • Sufficient to ensure the treaty investor’s financial commitment to the successful operation of the enterprise
  • Of a magnitude to support the likelihood that the treaty investor will successfully develop and direct the enterprise. The lower the cost of the enterprise, the higher, proportionately, the investment must be to be considered substantial.

What is a "Bona Fide Investment” for E-2 Visa Purposes?

A bona fide enterprise refers to a real, active and operating commercial or entrepreneurial undertaking which produces services or goods for profit. It must meet applicable legal requirements for doing business within its jurisdiction.

DOING BUSINESS IN THE U.S.

Take advantage of the E-2 non-immigrant visa classification that is only available to specific treaty countries including the Philippines. The Filipino enterprise or corporation has a unique advantage in doing business in the US primarily because of the substantial similarities of the government structure as well as laws of the Philippines and the US. Most laws of the Philippines are patterned after the US laws. Several examples are contract laws, securities regulation, and intellectual property laws.

With this advantage, the Filipino investor can tap the vast domestic market of the US and expect a transparent legal system as well as access to federal-level programs and services related to business investment.

You can start by checking on the wealth of resources in learning more about engaging in trade in the U.S. made available by the U.S. Embassy in Manila, as follows:

  • SelectUSA website for programs, incentives and industry snapshots
  • A dedicated US Embassy Commercial Team that can address interests and needs
  • Cluster mapping tool to learn about regional business strengths as well as case studies and toolkits in formulating business strategies.

These resources can be accessed through US Embassy in Manila

Take the crucial next step by contacting us at Davies & Associates. We will guide you through every step of the way to make your vision a reality.

OUR SERVICES

We offer flexibility to all our clients with the legal service options that we provide, as follows:

No Obligation Visa Assessment

Send us an email or give us a call and we will gladly address your basic questions and assess your current visa situation and/or eligibility for free.

Comprehensive Preliminary Consultation

After our initial assessment, we can schedule a 60-minute comprehensive consultation for a reasonable fee. We will address all other questions that you may have after our initial assessment and give you substantive legal advice and expert guidance. We will provide you with a questionnaire as may be necessary to review the strength and credibility of your case.

Should you decide to engage our firm, the preliminary consultation fee will be credited and will be deducted from the legal fees that will be determined for your case.

Expert Legal Representation

Once you decide to retain Davies & Associates for your case, you will get expert legal guidance from inception of the case to its completion. Our US immigration lawyer in the philippines will stay on top of your case and work with you to accurately accomplish all the required forms. You will receive prompt and accurate answers to your questions and concerns. You will also get complete access to your files throughout the process.

Corporate and Tax Services

For our clients applying for business visas, we also offer other related services i.e. business plan preparation, incorporation, compliance and tax advice. Our E2 lawyers hold degrees from the best law and business schools in the United and States and have acquired relevant experience from the top law firms and Fortune 100 companies.

US Embassy Location & Contact Information in the Philippines

US Embassy in Philippines, Manila
Address
1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines 1000

Non-Immigrant/Immigrant Visas
Via PLDT or SMART (with NDD or IDD access):
Tel. No. 1-909-101-7878 1-909-101-7878
The number will be available for GLOBE subscribers shortly.
Callers in the USA can also contact the Call Center at 1-888-877-9888 1-888-877-9888 FREE.
There is a fee assessed to callers by the call center for its services.


USCIS Field Office in the Philippines
Fax
From within the Philippines: (63)(2) 301-2208
From within the United States: 011 (63)(2) 301-2208
E-mail
[email protected]

Mailing Address from the United States
Field Office Director
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Unit 8600 Box 1575
DPO AP 96515-1575

Mailing Address from Outside the United States and Express Mail Address
Field Office Director
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Embassy of the United States
1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita
Manila, 0930 Philippines

Phone
(63)(2) 301-2000, extension 2224 (from within the Philippines)
011 (63)(2) 301-2000, extension 2224 (from the United States)


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