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I have been using these forums and reading many of the posts over the last month, and have found it very helpful. The problem i am experiencing is that i have a very unique case. I am looking to move a fairly successful business to the USA from Canada, thus the only real visa that applies to me is known as an "L1A" which is a VISA designed for exec's and upper management to move to the US to start a new DIVISION of their company in the US, during this time the Canadian company still has to operate a be profitable.
Ideally i want to just move to the us, me, my girlfriend and the company. The L1A visa, as i said, requires the Canadian business to still run and allows NO WAY for my girlfriend (who is a dental assistant but also assists in company operations) to move there as well.
Is there some alternate process through the US consolate or local US government to faciliate this process without going through the "L1A" visa channel?
It just seems a little stupid to me that the US will let in poverty stricken foreigners who get to move in because they have relatives in the US, but puts up a huge wall to allow a successful corporation to move in free and clear.
Is there any previously canadian, now US based entrepeneurs that can help?
Yes, what you want to do is fly her down to Mexico. It's much easier to enter the US from Mexico. There are many tunnels or she could just cross the river or desert. Then simply drive to Santa Ana and ask anybody on the street where to get a fake social security number. Then go to the DMV and get her a drivers license. Don't worry about all that red tape. If you try to do it legally it'll just be a hassle. Oh and then you might want to get to work on your anchor baby. Good luck with that.
LOL, i cant tell if you are generally trying to be funny or if i sense some hostility in your response. Maybe I came across to strong with the foreigners vs. profitable company comparrison, but after all the us is a capitalist society is it not?
We need people like you! I don't know why the U.S. makes it so difficult. My advice (because I know nothing about how to go about it) is to seek legal advice. This must be fairly common. You might also post in the "Canada" forum now so that you can attract the attention of Canadians who may know the answers.
There's a way I'm sure. It's just a question of finding it. And if you do get legal permission to live here, sponsor ColdCanadian too please. That poor man suffers from temperatures under 75F and desperately wants to live in the Carolinas or somewhere that has mild winters and hot summers in the U.S.A.
Check out the Canada forum and do a new posting. You might get a lot of responses there and links to other websites that deal with similar issues!
I wish you luck!
If your business is that sucessful, I would consult with a US immigration lawyer that has corporate experience to see what options are available to you. I doubt this is really something the lay person around here has a lot of reliable legal experience with. Maybe also with a tax accountant.
I think it is worth mentioning that it takes sometimes upwards of 15-20 years for some foreigners to come over just because they have relatives in the US PARTICULARLY from poverty stricken hellholes. Only spouse, children, parents, and siblings are allowed. All other relationships are out. It isn't a fifteenth as easy for me to bring my relatives over from a foreign country to the US as it is for you to bring them to Canada. Apples and oranges.
Hi... well that is the issue, the immigation lawyer said its possible, but only for me, not my GF, thus making it harder. in addition, the canadian company STILL has to run.... any other thoughts from anyone?
hey, youve probably done reasearch on this subject, and im currerntly looking to relocate to the US. But unlike you i dont have business, but i need someone help to tell me in a general view what i need to move from Canada to the US Green Card etc, and i dont know what a VISA is, im 18 and from Belleville ONT looking to move to California and i know i need a GreenCard to get a citizen ship, but generally i would like to know if i traveled down there and stayed if i could get a job, then get a job then a greencard.also would i need a VISA?or is that for business purpose.
thorvspheonix: I've been trying to advise you, but now that I see your background (18Y/O No previous college, no assets) I'd advise you to just give up. Unless you can get a student visa and can afford go straight through school for 6 years--WITHOUT WORKING, because you cannot legally hold a job on a student visa outside the post-school OPT training--to get a MS, there is pretty much ZERO chance of you being able to immigrate under today's broken system. Unless you marry a US citizen, that is.
gnetcanada: Sorry, I didn't realize the L1 required that the company needed to maintain operations in the home country. Are you sure that's the only option? I remember doing a little research once, and I seem to recall an option to invest 100K in a US-based company could get you a kind of "investor's visa." Unfortunately, the processing times for those are on the order of a 15-20 year backlog. You can check the wait times (and get more info) from the US government here: USCIS Home Page
And yes, your girlfriend can't come. Unless you GIFT her an additional 100K and have her apply for the same visa. (Maybe bring her in as a partner or something else creative?) Even were she your wife and you got a green card, as a "resident alien" you could only bring her into the US after a 3-4 year wait. So it's basically a non-starter. I mean, you could get married, have kids, and plead "extreme hardship" or some other clause, but that's getting into the realm of ridiculousness.
This just goes to show you how messed up our immigration system is and why so many people cross the border or overstay their visa. But instead of fixing it, some citizens would just prefer to penalize those who violated an asinine system and keep all the foreigners out.
Maybe a better bet for you would be to spread the word how difficult legal immigration is for hardworking successful people. If we convince enough people maybe we can get the law changed to allow more legal immigration and you can come and add to our society. Best of luck to you.
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