Q. Do I actually need an E visa to reside in the United States if I own a US business?

A. Unless you are a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Green Card holder, you must be in possession of a valid have a visa in order to enter the United States in Treaty Trader or Treaty Investor status. Further, all successful E visa applicants and their dependents are expected to present valid passports in order to be issued the visa, regardless of nationality.

The relative strength of the British Pound against the US Dollar recently has led a large number of Brits to liquidate their assets in Britain and relocate to the balmy climes of such US states as Florida and California. Some have chosen to make the move as investors via the E2 Treaty Investor visa program. Others have made the move by establishing US subsidiaries of their UK companies and transferring themselves to the US as L-1A multinational executives.