Dessert Shop

Total expenses: $113,467
Working capital: $3,596
Citizenship: Canada

Our client started his E-2 journey with plans to launch a food truck business specializing in a dessert-based sweet.

However, to our surprise, our client used his amazing negotiation and entrepreneur skills to obtain a one-year contract, securing a coveted vendor spot in one of the country’s premier amusement park. The vendor spot was constructed, employees were hired, and impressive revenues began coming in.

It’s important to note that during this period, our client refrained from actively working within the business while in the U.S. As per U.S. immigration law, investors must obtain their E-2 visa before engaging in work within their business on while inside the U.S. However, hired workers may operate the business on the investor’s behalf.

Our client’s achievement posed a significant decision: should our client continue the food truck venture or rely solely on the contract with the amusement park for the E-2 visa application?

Despite the temptation to immediately pursue the E-2 visa based solely on the amusement park contract, we paused to consider how a visa officer might perceive the situation. We foresaw the perspective of a visa officer, two substantial concerns:

1. Our client’s business model had radically transformed, placing the entirety of the revenue stream at the mercy of the amusement park. This single reliance created vulnerability, risking the business if the amusement park terminated the contract.
2. The contract’s one-year duration raised questions about future sustainability. Uncertainty on whether the contract would be renewed after one year was a serious issue, adding volatility to the business model. It was doubtful that a visa officer would grant a 5-year E-2 visa based on a vendor contract that was only valid for one-year.

While the amusement park’s support was crucial to showing proof of business concept, the risk of relying solely on it became apparent. We advised a strategic approach to strengthen the E-2 application: expanding the business footprint beyond the amusement park.

Our client agreed and swiftly expanded into other avenues, participating in various festivals, fairs, establishing partnerships with multiple restaurants, and of course expanded to a food truck model as well. During these additional activities, he also managed to negotiate a multi-year contract with the amusement park, which further solidified the concept of his business.
Our client’s expansion of his business other avenues, allowed us to present a strong and balanced E-2 application that was successful even outside the amusement park’s contract.

We are proud to say that our client’s E-2 visa application was approved and we have no doubts about his continuing success as an entrepreneur.

For the purpose of protecting our client’s privacy, names of people and business have been omitted. Sometimes we may changee or generalize aspects of a story to also further protect our client’s privacy.