What are E-2 Visas?
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, lists the E-2 Visa as a way for a "a national of a treaty country (a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation) to be admitted to the United States when investing a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. business."
Why a E-2 Visa?
E-2 Visas are often a faster or more sure method of gaining access to the United States and it's booming economy. By using an E-2 Visa, you are able to start a business in the United States, still one of the best places to start and own a business. An E-2 also allows a person to bring their family with them, and perhaps other friends and family members as employees of the business.
E-2 Visas and Franchising
E-2 Visas and franchise are often used in tandem. A part of the E-2 Visa process requires the applicant to show a business plan that is sound and will produce jobs for American workers. Franchises are known for their solidity and franchises in the service industry often necessitate hiring American workers. Meaning, it is often perceived that working with a franchise may make the E-2 Visa process easier for the applicant.
E-2 Visas from South Africa
South Africans do have a hurdle in obtaining an E-2 Visa. To obtain an E-2 Visa, an applicant needs to be from a country that has an ongoing trade treaty with the United States. South Africa does not have such a treaty. As such, a South African with aspirations for an E-2 Visa must be a person who also has citizenship with a country that has such a treaty. A list of said countries can be found HERE.
South Africans in America
There are less than a hundred thousand South Africans living in America, and there aren't any condensed areas of migration. South Africans looking for similar weather may look to Texas or southern California that have warm weather and less rain than say Florida.
If you are a South African with a passport for a treaty-country, we at You've Got Maids would love to talk to you about a franchise in the United States. We have open territories in many metropolitan areas and have experience with E-2 applicants.
