It has never been easier to legally immigrate to the United States

For decades, the United States has been one of the most popular countries for immigration, and that has not changed to this day. The American dream is still alive, among other things because of some clear advantages the country offers: a huge domestic market, clear legal structures, relatively low capital gains tax in many states, and boundless optimism for starting businesses. Few countries will congratulate you more on your business idea than the US. With the current political changes, the situation is becoming even more interesting for entrepreneurs.

This is because, precisely for the self-employed, entrepreneurs, and business owners, the United States offers opportunities that are difficult to find in other Western countries, whether it be the ease of starting a business, flexible residency models, tax-optimized structures, or loans and financing. That is why forming a US LLC is one of our most popular services: in most cases, it is simply the best, simplest, and most favorable solution for the client.

Now we are going one step further and, in addition to the best LLC formation, we offer the easiest way to emigrate to the US.

The US visa system is considered one of the most complex and, at the same time, most efficient in the world. As a country with a long tradition of immigration, the US has developed numerous mechanisms to, on the one hand, limit unwanted immigration and, on the other, selectively attract talent and capital to the country. However, this also appears to be one of the biggest obstacles for those who want to emigrate to the United States: confusing visa categories, contradictory information on the internet, complex application procedures, and often prohibitive investments. It is precisely the manipulation of information by the media that causes many to quickly abandon their dream of emigrating to the United States, even though it is still relatively easy to emigrate LEGALLY.

This is precisely where our new offer comes in. In collaboration with our experienced local partner, we offer you a unique opportunity: with a minimum investment of around $80,000 in your own company, our partner has managed to obtain the corresponding visas for its clients, and the record time for obtaining an E2 visa is around two weeks. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a million dollars to establish yourself as an entrepreneur in the United States. What you need above all is a solid concept and a viable business.

And, of course, we don’t leave you on your own. From the business plan to the selection of suitable business models and the connection to proven franchise systems, we take care of the operational implementation together with our partner, adapting it individually to your situation and your goals. Fast, efficient, and much easier than it seems.

It has never been easier to legally immigrate to the United States than it is now

Don’t be intimidated by the news in the media. The United States is not a fortress that isolates itself from immigration. Furthermore, the country is not in turmoil, but in the process of redefining itself. This is a decisive advantage, especially for entrepreneurs, as the current political changes make things much easier from an economic point of view. Those willing to start a business or invest will find clear rules, efficient procedures, and open doors. At Denationalize.me, as always, you will benefit from our network of partners, which not only has more than a decade of experience, but has repeated and tested the procedure thousands of times. Take advantage of our solutions, which we can only offer thanks to years of experience and knowledge, as almost no one else has the combination of experience, practical insight, and access to the right structures. The United States under Trump is not in decline, but offers entrepreneurs a glorious future.

What we can offer specifically through our strong local partner:

• Faster processing: in a record time of approximately two weeks, you will obtain a renewable temporary residence permit.
• Visas already obtained with a comparatively very affordable investment of only US$80,000.
• Years of experience since 2015: not only us, but also our partner has been in the market for about ten years. You rely on tried and tested processes for reliable results.
• Support for more than 1,200 families from over 65 countries.
• For the investment, we have our own network of franchisors and specialized lawyers.
• Individualized and personalized assistance: whether for setting up a business, a franchise model, or another investment.
• Comprehensive assistance guaranteed, including on issues such as finding housing, employment, insurance, etc.

What about taxes as a resident of the United States?

Loyal readers of Denationalize.me will rightly wonder why the focus is now on the United States, especially considering that just by having a green card or, even more so, U.S. citizenship, you would be taxed on your worldwide income. But that is precisely the crux of the matter: with E1 and E2 visas, we do not automatically become tax residents.

Behind the acronyms E1 and E2 lie the Treaty Traders visa (E-1) and the Treaty Investors visa (E-2). Both are based on bilateral agreements between the United States and certain countries—fortunately, including Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, France and Australia—and allow the corresponding citizens to engage in commercial activities in the United States on a temporary (but indefinitely renewable) basis. With these visas, you do not automatically become a tax resident, but rather you are clearly making use of the privilege of your nationality. Specifically, they entitle you to live and work in the US within the framework of your own company or commercial activity and can be renewed as many times as you wish, provided that you continue to meet the requirements. In this way, you can remain in the US for decades, similar to permanent residence, but without a green card. As long as you stay less than 183 days in the United States and avoid the substantial presence test (calculation of the 3-year stay), you can also avoid U.S. income tax. To avoid this, you must have been there for a maximum of 120 days per year on average over 3 years.

Unlike typical work visas, such as the H-1B, a U.S. employer is not required as a sponsor here, as you create your own job through investment or trade. The E2 visa is intended for investors who wish to invest substantially in a U.S. company and actively manage it. The E1 visa is aimed at entrepreneurs who can demonstrate considerable trade between the US and the contracting country. Both types of visa are non-immigrant visas, meaning they do not automatically lead to a green card or citizenship and formally require you to leave the US when the visa expires. However, they are not only valid for two years, but can potentially be unlimited.

It is important to avoid the Substantial Presence Test.

But this is precisely where the decisive advantage lies: unlike green card visas, they do not automatically lead to tax residency in the US. The holder of an E visa is initially treated as a non-resident and is therefore, in principle, only subject to US tax on income earned in the US. Income earned abroad is not taken into account, provided that other tax liability criteria are not met. In other words, with a U.S. visa, income earned in the U.S. is taxed, while with a green card, worldwide income is taxed in the U.S. This difference is fundamental and offers enormous potential for tax savings.

The key lies in US tax law: as a foreigner without permanent residence, you are only considered a tax resident in the US if, among other things, you exceed a certain number of days of stay. The green card bypasses this rule on days of stay altogether, as it grants permanent residence status in itself, meaning that you are always considered a resident of the US, even if you have not spent a single day in the country. In contrast, an electronic visa only confers temporary resident status and does not automatically make you a U.S. taxpayer. Only when your physical presence in the U.S. is significant does the so-called substantial presence test apply. According to this test, even as an electronic visa holder, you become a U.S. tax resident if you have spent a certain number of days in the U.S. during the current year and the two previous years.

As always, the key is to take the right strategic approach.

However, the good news is that this trap can be avoided relatively easily. For example, an E2 investor who spends approximately four months of the year in the US (and the rest of the time elsewhere) would not meet the substantial presence test and would remain a non-resident for US tax purposes. Therefore, you would only have to report income earned in the U.S. (e.g., profits from your U.S. business or salary you receive from it), but not all of your assets abroad. This is precisely what makes the E visa so attractive. Even if you live and work in the US for several months at a time over many years, you can avoid falling under US worldwide taxation if you plan your stays wisely. However, it is absolutely essential not to make any mistakes in this regard and to rely on experts who have been working on this issue for years.

Set up correctly, it is also an ideal concept for perpetual tourists.

This tax advantage of electronic visas can be perfectly combined with a perpetual tourist lifestyle. They allow you to spend a significant portion of the year legally in the U.S. to do business or enjoy life without incurring full U.S. taxation. Thus, you can take advantage of all the benefits of residing in the U.S., from a commercial presence in the dynamic American market to the quality of life in Florida, but without the heavy tax burden of worldwide taxation. For many, this is the best of both worlds.

Of course, such a balance requires meticulous planning and compliance with the rules. First, you must meet the requirements for an E1 or E2 visa. However, for the citizens mentioned above, the hurdles are easy to overcome, as long as there is a serious business project behind them. In the case of the E2 investor visa, the key requirement is a substantial investment in a real U.S. business. US immigration law does not set a fixed minimum limit, but our partner’s experience shows that in many cases, around $100,000 is considered sufficiently “substantial.” It is important that this capital is actually invested in the business with some risk; it is not enough to simply deposit the money; you must create a business and manage it with the money or purchase an existing business.

You can set up various types of businesses: technology, gastronomy, consulting, or franchises.

Furthermore, it should not be a purely passive investment (such as just owning shares or vacant real estate). You have to actively develop and run a business. The authorities want to see that the company adds value to the U.S. economy. In practice, this means that the business plan must convincingly explain how revenue and employment will be generated in the U.S. Over the years, officials have increasingly expected that employees will be hired and the business will grow. On the other hand, the E2 visa is surprisingly flexible in terms of the type of business: whether it’s a tech start-up, a restaurant, a consulting firm, or a franchise, almost any legal business model can work, as long as the investment is reasonable. Take advantage of our experience and start your business with complete legal certainty.

Many E-2 investors opt, for example, for franchise concepts that can be realized with five or six-figure sums and that the US authorities accept as viable. One advantage over other visas is that you do not need to prove extensive previous experience abroad: in theory, you can set up a new company specifically to obtain the visa and invest immediately, without having run a company for years (unlike, for example, the L1 executive transfer, which requires one year of previous employment abroad).

The US is also a good option for those who need a compliance address

On the other hand, having a compliance address in a country as prestigious as the US, without actually being a tax resident there, allows you to avoid paying taxes while projecting an image of solidity when it comes to banking KYC. Those who, for example, are present in the US on an E2 visa but are structured there in such a way that they do not generate a full tax liability (e.g., through a specific length of stay below the substantial presence test threshold) benefit from reputable residency without having to bear the disadvantages of paying US taxes on worldwide income. This not only significantly improves international reputation, but also facilitates, for example, access to banks, brokers, payment service providers, and others in the US. Residence in the US can be considered reliable and “serious” for certain business partners, investors, or authorities. You appear compliant with tax rules, tangible, and structured, even though you remain flexible globally.

The E-2 investor visa: a great option that is often underestimated

The E-2 visa is one of the easiest and most flexible ways for citizens of treaty countries to legally immigrate to the US. The US basically distinguishes between non-immigrant visas (for temporary stays) and immigrant visas (e.g., green card to live and work permanently). Depending on the objective, whether it is your own business (E-2), a network of business partners (E-1), exceptional skills (O-1, EB-1A), a job offer (H-1B), or studies (F-1), there are clear criteria and requirements.

The E-2 investor visa is particularly attractive to entrepreneurs, as it allows legal residence in the United States with a moderate capital investment. Family members also benefit: spouses can work and children can attend school. It offers attractive opportunities for investors with relatively low start-up capital.

Why the E-2 visa is particularly easy to obtain for citizens of Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, France and Australia, among others

• The bilateral investment treaty between these countries and the United States allows for simplified admission.
• The US authorities generally recognize a realistic investment of between US$80,000 and US$100,000 through us and our partners as “substantial.”
• No employer sponsorship or labor market assessment is required, which greatly simplifies the procedure.
• Processing times are considerably shorter compared to other visas.
• The visa is renewable and allows for long-term business activity in the US.
• The visa offers favorable conditions for families, in particular a work permit for the spouse.

The E-1 business visa follows a similar principle

The E1 business visa is similar in principle, but instead of an investment, it is based on proof of intensive business activity between the US and the country of origin. It is suitable for entrepreneurs who already have an export/import-oriented business. The requirement is that more than 50% of the company’s international trade volume must be with the United States. This can be exports of goods (e.g., machinery, consumer goods, etc.) or cross-border services. In the case of the E-1, there is no minimum investment amount required; the decisive factor is the continuous flow of trade. Thus, if a German company, for example, regularly supplies goods to the US or purchases them there for several hundred thousand euros per year, the German owner or manager could obtain an E-1 visa to expand this trade on site in the US.

The advantages of the E-1 are similar to those of the E-2: no specific employment contract in the US is required, the terms are flexible and renewable, and your spouse can also work. In this way, an export-oriented German entrepreneur with an E-1 can work in the US for years without having immigrant status. In many cases, the decision between E-1 and E-2 is already predetermined by the business model: those who want to establish a branch in the US will opt for the E-2 (investment); those who want to engage primarily in trade will opt for the E-1.

If you are interested in all this, please contact us!

Your move to the US does not have to involve a lot of red tape. With the right help, a vague idea can become a clear and realistic plan. Anyone thinking about starting out in the “land of freedom” today will find us to be reliable partners with experience who not only use proven procedures but also consider each case individually, for example, when it comes to specifically taking advantage of the benefits of a stay in the US without incurring worldwide tax liability.

Together with our local partner, we offer precisely this type of tried-and-tested solutions: proven, legally secure, and tailored to your personal goals. We accompany you every step of the way, from the initial consultation to successful implementation. This turns uncertainty into a clear path forward. We are happy to help: contact us.

Overview of the most important visa categories

Temporary visas:

E-2 visa (investor visa)

For investors who establish or acquire a company in the US, already granted from around USD 80,000. Ideal for franchise models.

E-1 visa (trade and business visa)

For entrepreneurs who conduct intensive trade between Germany and the US. Particularly suitable for business models based on export or import.

O-1 visa (exceptional abilities)

For internationally recognized artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, or athletes.

L-1 visa (executives and managers)

For executives, managers, or specialists who are transferred by a foreign company to a branch of the same company in the US.

Green card visas (permanent residence)

EB-1A (green card for exceptional abilities)

Immigrant visa for highly qualified candidates, no employer required.

EB-2 NIW (national interest waiver)

For entrepreneurs or experts whose activity is of special interest to the US, without a job offer.

EB-5 visa (green card for investment)

Based on an investment of $800,000, includes a green card for the family.

Trump Gold Card (planned)

For investments starting at $5 million, currently under discussion for future immigration benefits. It is expected to be accompanied by a tax exemption on foreign income!

Of course, we will keep you informed about this.