If you are a company founder or if you have a big business idea, the United States of America is still a good place to immigrate.
Are you looking to build your dream and create a better life for your family?
In this episode, Lindsay talks to Tahmina Watson of Watson Immigration Law and finds out what the best visas are for start-up entrepreneurs or highly-skilled employees.
Meet Tahmina Watson
Tahmina Watson of Watson Immigration Law is currently based in Seattle.
She is originally from the United Kingdom and has briefly lived in Bangladesh.
She met her husband when she was visiting Seattle and that’s where her story began.
When she got married, she moved to Seattle. Her husband sponsored her and she got her Green Card.
Tahmina was a barrister in the UK at that time and since she moved to the US, she had to figure out how to be a lawyer in America.
She took the bar exams again to be a lawyer in the United States.
Immigration Law is Tahmina’s Calling
Tahmina shared that in the process of her transition she found that immigration law was her calling.
She mentions that life really has a funny way of making you do things that you’re supposed to do.
She didn’t really like to be an immigration barrister when she was in the UK but eventually grew to love it when she migrated to the US.
Tahmina says that immigration law is a challenging yet very rewarding area of law.
She gets to see first-hand the impact it has on her clients.
It is absolutely life-changing.
She loves the change she can help bring to her clients, their families, and generations to come.
Tahmina went into immigration law kicking and screaming but it is all worth it.
Lindsay agrees that supporting people in making big life changes touches a deep place in their hearts.
Handling immigration has a big effect on where a person lives, their job opportunities, and whether or not they get to be with their families and loved ones.
Why America is Still A Good Place for Start-up Entrepreneurs
Tahmina encourages the All Ears English community to listen to the recent episode on her podcast where she talked about Start-up Visas.
Her podcast channel is called Tahmina Talks Immigration.
Also in the episodes, she interviews several thought leaders about the question of whether America is still a good place to have a start-up business.
All of them agree, including Tahmina, that the US is one of the best places to grow your business and here are a number of reasons why:
- It is easy to set up a business in America whereas there are a lot of other countries where it is very difficult to get your company up and running.
- It is true that if you work hard in the US, you will most likely reap the benefits of your hard work. Other countries may not be similar.
- In America, there are so many resources. There is a deep consumer base and with technology, you can easily tap into this. The world is your oyster in terms of customer reach. There is a lot of guidance, support, and funding. A lot of renowned people in the start-up space are based in the US.
Despite what you hear in the news, the American dream is still true.
There may be political divisiveness, but the American people as a whole are still very good people.
You may think twice about America due to some negativity you may hear but there are still more reasons to migrate to America and start your business.
Top 4 Visas Recommended to Move to USA for Entrepreneurs
The United States of America does not have a Founder’s Visa.
But it does have the following:
- The International Entrepreneur Program. This was created by President Obama. It was briefly taken down, but President Biden recently reinstated it. The US is always open to innovation and is willing to support any new technology and form of thinking. This is why all kinds of American finance professionals create funds all over the world to reach potential start-ups. If you get funded by an American investor, you can use the funds to migrate to the US. In order to be qualified for this visa, you have to:
Play a central role in a company that has a visible location in the US
Own at least 10% of the company
Have at least USD 250,000 worth of funding
Be geared towards rapid growth and be prepared to create more jobs in the US
- L1 Visa. If you are an executive and your company has a branch or is expanding to the US, you may apply for this type of Visa to get transferred.
- E2 Visa. If you are from a country that has a treaty with the USA, you can apply for an E2 visa and start your own new company. You’ll need an investment of USD 100,000 and own at least 51% of your company to maintain the validity of the visa.
- H1B Visa. This visa is for professionals who are highly skilled and want to work in the US with an employer. Usually the recipients of this visa are doctors, lawyers, researchers, and tech professional but they can also be self-employed founders. It is just a matter of how you present yourself.
You can visit Tahmina’s website and sign up there to receive updates and learn more about this topic.
Takeaway
We highly recommend that you work with an immigration lawyer to help you with whatever Visa you decide to apply for.
There are a lot of different paths you can take.
Tahmina shares that when there’s a will there is a way.
Start-up companies have a special place in Tahmina’s heart because she is fascinated with new ways of thinking.
She is amazed by the great minds and thought leaders behind innovative businesses.
Tahmina looks back at her journey and realized that when she started her law firm in 2019 she went through the same thing her clients are going through.
Every pain point she experienced is in the same trajectory start-up entrepreneurs face.
She has worked with so many start-ups and has guided them through immigration and her best advice is: “If there’s a will there is a way.”
Lindsay agrees with this and she appreciates the effort Tahmina puts into supporting and nurturing innovative businesses.
If you have an idea and you have the energy, there is always a way to make it happen.
Do you have a business venture you want to bring to America?
Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear about your entrepreneurial dreams.
