1.  Failure to hire the right team of professionals (lawyers/CPAs/financial advisors/banking and financing professionals/cross-border tax advisors).

SMART PEOPLE use the talents and experience of other SMART PEOPLE to give themselves every possible chance of a successful outcome to the task at hand. Would you have a complicated medical or dental procedure done by a classical musician or a barista? OF COURSE NOT! That person might be the greatest violinist in the world, or might make the most delicious specialty coffee of all time, but you would never have them perform your heart bypass surgery. Why should it be any different in the international business world?

Most business leaders are not experts in the many social, governmental, economic and legal aspects of cross-border business transactions (or of domestic transactions for that matter). Expertise in many of these areas is particularly essential in identifying and developing new markets and investing in foreign countries. The most experienced and sophisticated global business leaders regularly use cross-border consultants, such as the vetted team of experts at e-Council Global, to provide crucial planning advice and development guidance.

To name a few, the e-Council Global team can:

• Assess an organization’s future activities in foreign markets, such as opening a new facility or identifying a new business partner. 
• Work closely with management and executive teams to develop strategic plans for both existing and emerging markets.
• Collaborate across disciplines within an organization, including accounting, legal, human resources, IT, market research, and other business-line leaders.

Complicated business issues such as choosing the most advantageous business structure, understanding tax issues at home and abroad, and evaluating crucial legal and immigration business factors all require professional and experienced guidance. The right international business consultant can ensure successful navigation of the red tape, rules and regulations that are integral components driving business success, freeing you and your team up to RUN YOUR BUSINESS!

It is finding the right consultant that can and does make all of the difference in your success. Lauren Cohen, Esq., and her team of experienced professionals at e-Council Global have years of international legal/business expertise and immediate access to a seasoned collaborative group of ancillary tax, banking and finance experts to meet all of your cross-border consulting needs.

To access the professional team of experts at e-Council Global to ensure your smooth path to cross-border expansion, investing and visas, contact e-Council Global at Founder@ecouncilglobal.com or toll-free at 1-866-724-0085.

e-Council Global/e-Council Inc.com’s website, newsletter and other forms of communication contain general information about legal matters. The information is not legal advice, and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from your attorney or other professional legal services provider. If you have any specific questions about any legal matter you should consult your attorney or other professional legal services provider.

The post Learn About the Top 10 Mistakes People Make when Investing Across Borders! appeared first on E-Council Global.

The ability to Invest Across Borders is just one step away, and here’s how you can invest, live, work, and play – whenever and wherever!

What Exactly is Investing Across Borders?

In case you’re uncertain, Investing Across Borders means exactly what it sounds like. When you Invest Across Borders, you use your capital (or borrowed capital) to purchase assets in a country that is beyond the border of the country in which you currently reside. Another means of Investing Across Borders could involve investing in growing your own business enterprise on a global scale in another country.

Eventually – if things go right – you’ll be able to generate increased income from a broader base, grow your business, achieve passive revenue and eventually sell the asset or business for a much higher price than what you paid or invested in its growth.

Investing Across Borders can take on a variety of forms. These may include:

• Real Estate
• Tangible assets
• Stocks
• Options
• Bonds
• Your own business
• Joint Ventures
• Other businesses

Some Benefits of Investing Across Borders

Investing Across Borders offers a plethora of benefits that can elevate your personal and/or business life and opportunities to new levels! Here are just some of the more relevant benefits that are often realized when Investing Across Borders:

• Profits — Profit is the most obvious benefit, and that’s why we’re listing it first. If you invest wisely, you’ll be able to reap lucrative benefits. This could put you in a financially secure spot so that you can do the things you’ve always put off or dreamed of doing.
• Less competition — Especially if you live somewhere like the United States, it is virtually impossible to compete with the big-box, billion-dollar companies. By Investing Across Borders, you can achieve a bigger stake in the marketplace that can often be secured at reasonable prices. With less money, catch a bigger fish in a smaller pond!
• More opportunities — By accessing an entirely new country, not only are there more investment opportunities — but amazing potential strategic partner connections and networking possibilities as well.
• A chance at a Visa — This is actually a surprise for many people, but citizenship-by-investment programs are available for nearly 100 amazing countries! That includes the likes of the United States, Canada, Australia and Portugal. Additionally, you may have access to a non-immigrant visa, which, although not a direct path to citizenship, can offer you amazing opportunities to live, work and build your portfolio, business and wealth in a new land. If the visa factor appeals to you, make sure to work with a team of professional experts to ensure that the process goes smoothly. 
• Market diversification — In a new country, the market(place) is bound to be different — posing both challenges and opportunities. In a nutshell, you’ll have access to diverse investment portfolio options and increased chances of making a profit.

The Different Types of Foreign Investments

There are four primary types of foreign investments that you will need to consider. Each carries its own pros and cons and can all be lucrative if used right. The 4 primary types of foreign investments include:

• Direct foreign investment
• Indirect foreign investment
• Commercial loans
• Official flows

Direct Foreign Investment

These investments are physical purchases made by a company (or sometimes an individual) in a foreign country.

The purchase of real estate, buildings and land are generally considered as direct foreign investment which in turn yield long-term investments. As a rule of thumb, e-Council Global considers this to be the “best” type of foreign investment for all levels of investors.

Indirect Foreign Investment

More often, investors and especially individuals are purchasing indirect foreign investments. This form of investing occurs when corporations and private investors buy stakes and positions in foreign companies. An example of this would be buying and selling stocks.

Commercial Loans

At one time the largest source of foreign investment, commercial loans are less popular now but can still generate excellent outcomes. How do commercial loans work? Banks and private lenders offer financing through loans. You’ll be required to submit a down payment of roughly 20-30% of the investment purchase price. Then, the bank or other lender will issue you a loan to cover the balance of the investment price — but payments will be due with interest.

Official Flows

The last type of foreign investment comes in the form of official flows. These official flows refer to the different forms of developmental assistance that a nation is offered. You or your business would be investing your resources to help a nation and eventually get a return on investment. This is admittedly not a very common form of foreign investment, although that may well change in the post-COVID world.

How to be Safe When Investing Across Borders

Along with the many benefits to foreign-based investing, it is reasonable to anticipate that certain risks must be considered as well. Challenges such as currency volatility and lack of transparency are threats. However, there are safety mechanisms that can be adopted in an effort to minimize your risks and maximize your rewards.

The most common safety mechanism is just to do your research. The research should primarily focus on the economic background of your foreign country — but should not neglect the other facets either.

These facets include cultural, social, political, and legal aspects of the subject country. Knowing these facets can ensure that your investment is secure and that potential far exceeds any potential risk. The more research and consultation you have done prior to taking the plunge —  the better off and more sound and “safe” your investment will likely be.

The Push of a Button: A Professional Team

Understandably, it is impossible to simply sit in front of a computer and do as much research as necessary. People are busy, and there are simply not enough hours in a day to get everything done. That’s where the e-Council Global professional team comes into the picture.

While you’ll still have to put in the effort, having a team to guide and answer any of your questions – that’s vital to success. But, more than that, doing every aspect of your investments can be overwhelming and an impossible hurdle to overcome.

The hardest part is your first foreign-based investment, but you don’t have to face the challenge alone. From lawyers to tax experts to capital advisors, having a diverse team of experts goes a tremendous way.

When working with a cross-border advisory company, make sure that you’ll have access to all these professionals:

• Banking and currency exchange experts
• Legal team
• Due diligence or deal analysis
• Tax, financial, and accounting
• Logistics experts
• Financing and capital advisors
• Real estate professionals (or whatever investment you are attempting)
• Cross-border experts

To Wrap Up

Opportunities to Invest Across Borders really are just a step away. Even though foreign investment is a multifaceted and daunting process, you no longer have to learn everything by yourself. There are experienced professionals available, such as the e-Council Global harmonized team of experts, to navigate your path and guide you every step of the way.

You deserve to have the freedom to invest, live, work, and play across borders – so do yourself a huge favor and work with a professional team that is truly ready to help make your dreams come true!

The experts at e-Council Global are experts at INVESTING ACROSS BORDERS. To find out about our range of services, please contact us at founder@ecouncilglobal.com or by phone at 1-866-724-0085.

e-Council Global’s website, newsletter and other forms of communication contain general information about legal matters. The information is not legal advice, and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from your attorney or other professional legal services provider. If you have any specific questions about any legal matter, you should consult your attorney or other professional legal services provider.

Resources

The post Opportunities to Invest Across Borders are CLOSER than they Appear! appeared first on E-Council Global.

A Business Health Assessment

Assessing the health of your franchise business helps you see where your business is doing well and where it needs to improve. Therefore, understanding your company’s health status can give you an idea of what needs to be done for your business to grow.

To better gauge how your business is doing health-wise, you will want to look at three specific elements of your company: revenues, expenses, and systems. First, take a look at your revenues, or net income. How much is your business earning before expenses? How can you increase your revenues? Next, analyze your expenses. Are you earning sustainable profits—and are there any expenses that can be minimized? Lastly, evaluate the efficiency and efficacy of your systems, including accounting and supply chain.  

Money

As previously mentioned, money is a critical element to the health of a business, as well as a company’s prospects for growth and expansion. Getting started in your franchise required you to come up with a minimum cash requirement of tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds. Now, take the time to expand your budget by offering value-added services, or cutting unnecessary expenses. Furthermore, reach out to more investors by sending a short elevator pitch.

Brand Identity

Establishing a brand identity is essential to developing a steady customer following—an important step in growth and expansion as a franchisee. If you do not have a brand strategy, create one now. As part of creating a brand strategy, take the time to research your intended audience. If your brand strategy doesn’t cater to your intended audience, you are sure to waste a lot of money on unsuccessful marketing and development. You cannot grow unless you and your company establishes who you are.

Growing your business as a franchisee takes time, effort, and strategy. Do not neglect the essential, foundational areas of business development, including the overall health of your business, your business’ budget, and your brand identity. Improving these areas of business will ensure future success.

Read this next: How to Minimize Setbacks When Trying to Grow Your Small Business

The post What Does It Take to Grow Your Business as a Franchisee? appeared first on E-Council Global.

And while these changes may not be directly related to general changes in the immigration field, particularly since President Trump came into power, they are still part and parcel of the much broader set of changes and adjustments in interpretation in so many other immigration-related areas.

As of February 5, 2020, for example, the U.S. State Department applied new rules to citizens of the Netherlands seeking E1 (Treaty Trader) or E2 (Treaty Investor) visas. Specifically, the validity period was decreased from 5 to 3 years and the fees increase from $0 to $2,228 per person (plus the $205 filing fees per person). That’s a HUGE increase by anyone’s standards.

Also, as of December 23, 2019, without prior notice and of immediate effect, the Department of State (DOS) updated the reciprocity chart to reflect new visa fees and visa validity periods for Australian citizens. The affected visa types are E, F, H, L, and R. For example, the visa issuance fee for the E-1 and the E-2 was increased to $3,574 and the validity period was reduced to 48 months. It must be noted that there are no changes to the E-3 visa as there is still no separate visa issuance fee, and the validity period remains the same at 24 months.

Drastic changes were also implemented in 2019 for French and Israeli citizens seeking E-1 or E-2 visas. For French nationals, the E-2 visa duration was reduced to 25 months from the prior 60 months, which has already had a huge impact on the volume of French citizens applying for E-2 status; similarly, the E-2 will only be granted to Israelis for a maximum of 24 months! And, for French citizens, the maximum validity period of the L-1/L-2 visa stamp is now 17 months, whereas for Israelis the duration has been to reduced to 48 months!

The latest changes in the visa reciprocity schedule has also affected citizens of Austria, China, Italy, Brazil, Malta, Mauritania, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tajikistan, and San Marino. Please speak with our team directly to find out how these changes might affect you and/or your immigration plans!

While the news is not all bad, and postivive changes continue to be introduced, such as the addition of Israel and New Zealand to the E-2 Visa mix (despite the reduction in the reciprocity period for Israel), there is no doubt that changes will continue to often be introduced without notice or warning. We in the immigration industry are tasked with staying abreast of these changes so that we can properly guide our clients and colleagues, and also to provide solutions to those seeking to move to the U.S. from pretty much anywhere in the world.

To find out more or to explore your immigration options, please contact us by email at info@ecouncilinc.com or by phone at 1-866-724-0085.

e-Council Inc.’s website, newsletter and other forms of communication contain general information about legal matters. The information is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from an attorney or other professional legal services provider. For specific questions about any legal matter please consult with an attorney or other professional services provider.

The post 09 FEB WHAT’S UP WITH CHANGES TO INVESTOR IMMIGRATION THESE DAYS? THE ANSWER: A LOT! appeared first on E-Council Global.

Posted at 07:02h in Business by Lauren C0LikesShare

Every business is constantly on the lookout for more business opportunities and chances to gain sales. However, this isn’t easy or self-explanatory. You have to work hard in order to reach a point where you are seizing every business opportunity. There are many ways in which you can work to identify those changes. Here are three tricks that will help you find ways to grow your business.

NETWORK NOW

While it is true that nothing beats face-to-face networking event, during challenging times such as the current global COVID19 crisis, online networking is the way to go – and the beauty is that you can network just as easily with someone down that street as with someone across the ocean! When you network with people, you give yourself an opportunity to meet new individuals, learn from each other, gain insight, and, potentially, make a new sale. Keep in mind that networking doesn’t mean selling. It provides a chance to expand your business network and meet more people. Yes, that might turn into a sale or it may turn into you introducing someone to someone else. Either way, there is a great utility to networking, and it often will lead to a growth in business opportunities.

MARKET YOURSELF

You can’t find any business opportunities if you don’t market yourself. As such, you have to identify the right channels to market and execute accordingly. You should still engage in omnichannel marketing strategies. Furthermore, remember that different businesses need to market differently. Business-to-consumer strategies are typically more broad-based than business-to-business strategies, which tend to be more targeted and geared towards a more specific audience.

BE A RESOURCE

Business opportunities will become available to you if you present yourself as someone with intelligence, knowledge, and value. As such, make sure you fully understand your field. From there, you can present yourself as a resource and connector within it. This means that people will view you as an expert in your field and someone to whom they can turn if they have a question. As a result of this positioning, other people will understand your value and be more likely to turn to you for a sale when they need the services of someone within your industry.

No one has ever gotten rich or grown their business by sitting around waiting. If there is any commonality in all of these tricks, it’s this: they all require concerted effort. If you want to be able to seize on business growth opportunities, you have to be willing to put in a good amount of time and effort. There is no shortcut to success.

It can be complicated running a business. Click here for all the resources you need to formulate your business plan today!

The post 07 APR 3 TRICKS TO HELP YOU ENGAGE MORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES appeared first on E-Council Global.

Set Reasonable Goals

When running a business for the first time, it can be quite difficult to resist overdoing things, and this includes setting unrealistic goals. The fact is that you might not be able to do everything you want as soon as you wish. You may not be able to obtain 100 clients by the end of the month or get a certain number of responses from a marketing strategy. So, what can you do to truly make your goals realistic and reasonable? Creating S.M.A.R.T marketing objectives can both define and encourage your success. This acronym will remind you that your objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. It’s a great way to keep goals attainable in the future while aiming for successes that are above and beyond your present circumstances.

Fix Problems Before They Get Worse

When you’re running your business, you will soon find out that you have more than enough responsibilities on your plate. However, ignoring issues or putting them off for a while can be detrimental to the life of your company. The best way to avoid problems in the near future is to fix them before they get any worse. For example, inventory is often one of the first things to go awry. Instead of simply hoping it will fix itself, it is your responsibility to quickly implement a system that restores order and prevents any assets from being lost.

Prioritize High-Value Clients

The reality of business is that you will, at some point, face an economic downturn. The best way to avoid losing too much of your monthly revenue is to always concentrate on your high-value clients. Often, these accounts are enough to see you through an economic upheaval. You should, however, avoid waiting too long to make these strong connections. It takes time to build them properly.

There’s no doubt that running a small business can be difficult. However, with the right approach, the path to success can become a lot easier. Simply adhere to the concepts outlined here to help your company weather the storms.

Want to bulletproof your business? Contact us to get started! ScaleUPCheckUP is here and it is a game-changer. The game is about to change – are you ready?

ScaleUPCheckUP’s blog, website, newsletter and other forms of communication contain general information about legal and related matters. The information is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from your attorney or other professional legal services provider. If you have any specific questions about any legal matter you should consult your attorney or other professional legal services provider.

The post How to Minimize Setbacks When Trying to Grow Your Small Business appeared first on E-Council Global.

Wheelchair Maneuverability Inside

Individuals in wheelchairs have to be able to get into your store. However, if they cannot move within your business, you are not ADA compliant. This means that aisles must be wide, that you have appropriate turning radiuses at corners, and that people can access all parts of your establishment. You also have to remove steps or any other potential wheelchair hazards.

Your Website

Changes to modern technology have necessitated changes to the interpretation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. As noted by Harvey Agency, websites must be compliant from auditory and visual perspectives. Indeed, there has been an increasing number of lawsuits filed against websites that are non-ADA compliant. This means that your website must have options to interpret text and images in ways that are appropriate for individuals who may have seeing or hearing disabilities. THIS WEBSITE REQUIREMENT IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE AND MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED – CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO ENSURE YOUR WEBSITE IS COMPLIANT TODAY (OR FACE FINES OF UP TO $10,000 PER INCIDENT!)

Mental Illness

A common mistake that business owners make when it comes to the Americans with Disabilities Act is only thinking of it as it relates to physical disabilities. This is not the case, and in many cases, mental illness is included within the act. What does this mean for employers? Many things. First, according to the Job Accommodation Network, if someone suffers from a mental illness, you have to give that employee “reasonable accommodations.” This may mean different things to different employers, and you have to consult with your attorneys to specifically determine how this will actually impact your business. Additionally, you cannot fire an employee solely because they have a mental illness, although you can still terminate them for job-related reasons.

The ADA is a complicated piece of legislation. There is no question that it helps preserve access for individuals who may have trouble with public services or businesses. However, it also can push a significant burden on businesses. As such, make sure you consult with proper authorities and do everything you can to ensure compliance with this landmark piece of American law.

Successfully navigate the business growth maze with ScaleUPCheckUP! See what we can do for you here.

ScaleUPCheckUP is here and it is a game-changer. The game is about to change – are you ready?

Contact us at info@scaleupcheckup.com or 1-866-724-0085 for more information.

While the above is not and should not be considered legal advice, since circumstances vary, ScaleUPCheckUP monitors these rapidly developing issues, as enforcement of the law switches into high gear. Instead, the foregoing is intended as an overview and not legal advice, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. However, contacting an attorney to steer through the maze of bureaucracy to register and defend a mark may very well be necessary to consult an attorney.

ScaleUPCheckUP’s blog, website, newsletter and other forms of communication contain general information about legal and related matters. The information is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from your attorney or other professional legal services provider. If you have any specific questions about any legal matter you should consult your attorney or other professional legal services provider.

The post Often Overlooked Aspects of Your Business You Need to Make Sure Are ADA Compliant appeared first on E-Council Global.

Here’s what to keep in mind when creating a business card.

Business Cards During COVID19 and in the FUTURE!

In the current global pandemic environment where we can only network remotely via Zoom and other resources, and certainly into the future, we are strong proponents of virtual business cards. Our Founder’s own virtual business card can be accessed at this link – the beautiful thing about virtual business cards is, beyond the fact that they are social distancing-friendly, that they can be changed and modified at any time, without extra expense or printing requirements – you simply visit your back office and poof you have an updated business card!  This is an amazing way to not only keep your contact information current, but to update any changes in your business’s focus, your product or service offerings, or your publications and other changing details – ensuring that your business card remains current and up-to-date!

Information to Include

To start creating a business card, you need to figure out what information needs to go on it. While it may be tempting to put as much detail as possible, it’s important that you keep things detailed, but not too much.

Business cards aren’t like brochures, so they can only house so much information. Information like a professional email address is fine, but you don’t want to clutter your card. There are several benefits of getting a professional email address and including it on your business card.

Design and Style

The next thing to consider with a business card is the design. You want the design of your business card to show off the nature of your business. Consider what your business caters to and what you’re trying to represent. Most business cards have their info in a fancy font with their company logo at one of the corners.

If you feel like that’s too boring for your business, you can always add a little color to it. Instead of a plain, white card, you could make it black, blue and red. The idea is to personalize your business card while making it professional and enticing to clients.

Who to Give It Out To

Speaking of clients, you need to know who to send them to. While you may be tempted to send them out to everyone, that’s not something you should do right away, especially if you’re new.

Instead, you need to send them out to your target audience. Your target audience are people who are your ideal buyers. They’re your best bet to gain recognition fast, so focus on them first. Only once you’ve garnered enough attention is when you should branch out to those outside of your niche.

A business card is one of the many ways to help your business grow. Not only does it help gain awareness for you, it also helps maximize profits. Make sure your card represents your business well and stands out. A card that catches the eyes is more likely to be seen.

If you need help bulletproofing your business, try our Global Success Plan!

ScaleUPCheckUP’s blog, website, newsletter and other forms of communication contain general information about legal and related matters. The information is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from your attorney or other professional legal services provider. If you have any specific questions about any legal matter you should consult your attorney or other professional legal services provider.

The post What to Keep in Mind When Creating a Business Card appeared first on E-Council Global.

Network Now

While it is true that nothing beats face-to-face networking event, during challenging times such as the current global COVID19 crisis, online networking is the way to go – and the beauty is that you can network just as easily with someone down that street as with someone across the ocean! When you network with people, you give yourself an opportunity to meet new individuals, learn from each other, gain insight, and, potentially, make a new sale. Keep in mind that networking doesn’t mean selling. It provides a chance to expand your business network and meet more people. Yes, that might turn into a sale or it may turn into you introducing someone to someone else. Either way, there is a great utility to networking, and it often will lead to a growth in business opportunities.

Market Yourself

You can’t find any business opportunities if you don’t market yourself. As such, you have to identify the right channels to market and execute accordingly. You should still engage in omnichannel marketing strategies. Furthermore, remember that different businesses need to market differently. Business-to-consumer strategies are typically more broad-based than business-to-business strategies, which tend to be more targeted and geared towards a more specific audience.

Be a Resource

Business opportunities will become available to you if you present yourself as someone with intelligence, knowledge, and value. As such, make sure you fully understand your field. From there, you can present yourself as a resource and connector within it. This means that people will view you as an expert in your field and someone to whom they can turn if they have a question. As a result of this positioning, other people will understand your value and be more likely to turn to you for a sale when they need the services of someone within your industry.

No one has ever gotten rich or grown their business by sitting around waiting. If there is any commonality in all of these tricks, it’s this: they all require concerted effort. If you want to be able to seize on business growth opportunities, you have to be willing to put in a good amount of time and effort. There is no shortcut to success.

It can be complicated running a business. Click here for all the resources you need to formulate your business plan today!

The post 3 Tricks to Help You Engage More Business Opportunities appeared first on E-Council Global.

And while these changes may not be directly related to general changes in the immigration field, particularly since President Trump came into power, they are still part and parcel of the much broader set of changes and adjustments in interpretation in so many other immigration-related areas.

As of February 5, 2020, for example, the U.S. State Department applied new rules to citizens of the Netherlands seeking E1 (Treaty Trader) or E2 (Treaty Investor) visas. Specifically, the validity period was decreased from 5 to 3 years and the fees increase from $0 to $2,228 per person (plus the $205 filing fees per person). That’s a HUGE increase by anyone’s standards.

Also, as of December 23, 2019, without prior notice and of immediate effect, the Department of State (DOS) updated the reciprocity chart to reflect new visa fees and visa validity periods for Australian citizens. The affected visa types are E, F, H, L, and R. For example, the visa issuance fee for the E-1 and the E-2 was increased to $3,574 and the validity period was reduced to 48 months. It must be noted that there are no changes to the E-3 visa as there is still no separate visa issuance fee, and the validity period remains the same at 24 months.

Drastic changes were also implemented in 2019 for French and Israeli citizens seeking E-1 or E-2 visas. For French nationals, the E-2 visa duration was reduced to 25 months from the prior 60 months, which has already had a huge impact on the volume of French citizens applying for E-2 status; similarly, the E-2 will only be granted to Israelis for a maximum of 24 months! And, for French citizens, the maximum validity period of the L-1/L-2 visa stamp is now 17 months, whereas for Israelis the duration has been to reduced to 48 months!

The latest changes in the visa reciprocity schedule has also affected citizens of Austria, China, Italy, Brazil, Malta, Mauritania, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tajikistan, and San Marino. Please speak with our team directly to find out how these changes might affect you and/or your immigration plans!

While the news is not all bad, and postivive changes continue to be introduced, such as the addition of Israel and New Zealand to the E-2 Visa mix (despite the reduction in the reciprocity period for Israel), there is no doubt that changes will continue to often be introduced without notice or warning. We in the immigration industry are tasked with staying abreast of these changes so that we can properly guide our clients and colleagues, and also to provide solutions to those seeking to move to the U.S. from pretty much anywhere in the world.

To find out more or to explore your immigration options, please contact us by email at info@ecouncilinc.com or by phone at 1-866-724-0085.

e-Council Inc.’s website, newsletter and other forms of communication contain general information about legal matters. The information is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from an attorney or other professional legal services provider. For specific questions about any legal matter please consult with an attorney or other professional services provider.

The post What’s UP with Changes to Investor Immigration These Days? The Answer: A LOT! appeared first on E-Council Global.