Immigrating to the US, need help. - Worth Reading

[pugnaq 1]

Hey there, I'm a 21 year old man interested in moving to the USA. At the moment I live in Venezuela with a huge descontrol of the government, my parents are Lebanese but I was born here, my father owns a somewhat famous Arab restaurant for 16 years. With the situation in which we live, my father decided that we should go to Lebanon. We traveled to Lebanon in May but first went to the United States for a few days, stayed at Leb for 4 months and then returned to the United States and then to Venezuela, we are planning on what to do with the store in the meantime I am looking to immigrate To another country (do not get me wrong) Lebanon is a very good place to live, but I feel too young to live that quiet life, I even used to run at 3 in the morning, I preferred to explore other opportunities and maybe one day Lebanon, right now I would only go to Lebanon to visit my family) my father does not want my brother or me to stay in Venezuela, since he would never sleep peacefully knowing that we are in danger, I am trying to figure out what to do.

I really liked the United States, good economy, I felt safe and I felt great with the way people behave. I would never think of moving to the United States Ilegally using my b1 / b2 visa I am trying to find a way that I could move and get everything done legally. I was in New York during that transit (round trip) and opened a bank account as a tourist. I was studying Economics at a local university but I was going to be there now and I know I can not finish my career here, my father told me that I would help me and my brother start a business wherever we choose to go. Can I open a shop using my B1 / B2 visa and hire US citizens to run the shop? What are my options for legally immigrating to the United States? To study in a university? Unfortunately I do not have $ 500k to invest in anything and get a Green Card, but I could get about $ 100 / 150k or $ 100 / 200k and open a store, I've been reading about an L1 visa or something, All the paperwork would ask for around $ 30k for the rates and that's too much. My father owns the Restaurant company and he has been doing so for over 15 years, if we decide to he can transfer the company to me and my brother maybe president and vice-president as my father wants to retire and live happily with his brothers and his family in Lebanon.

I don't want to marry any US citizen to get my green card, I wouldn't lie to myself and cheat my way through risking my permission to enter the US even as a tourist. I'ts not about not marrying a US citizen, who knows if one day I fall in love and get married in the US but first I feel too young to think about doing so and second I still want to be "free" lol

I don't want to ask for political assylum because I may be denied so I don't want to risk my permission to enter the US as a tourist either. At the other hand I don't want to ask for assylum as I would still want to come to Venezuela even if it's only for a week and visit my friends and the lovely country I was born in.

I would never think about doing any illegal stuff not here nor in the US or any other country, whatever the country I move in I plan to respect every single law, to respect every single citizen and do my best to improve the country that gave me her hand when I needed it the most. And if one day shits go down and someone tries to hurt the people of that country I would be the first one to wear the boots and defend the flag even if I risk my life. My life is already in danger right now, tomorrow i'll go to the store and I don't know if i'll make it home alive at the end of the day so...

I learned English thanks to Al Pacino, Rober De Niro and a lot of other actors. (Huge fan of Midnight Run, The GodFather, Scarface, Without License to Drive) so i'm sorry for any typos you may find.

Some stuff about me and my current life;

Working with my father Monday to Saturdays, 11am to 7pm.

Saturdays night I go to my cousins house and have a bbq with my group, Sundays we go out do something and latenight smoke hookah and play cards. That's pretty much all I do besides playing Videogames to kill time, we can't risk ourselves and hang out in the streets as there is no safe zone in Caracas (at the time i'm writing this I just read that the son of a very well known franchise named King David has been killed in one of his own stores in one of the "safest" places in Ccs". Search for Renny Teixeira in Google for more info).

I workout a lot and have a healthy lifestyle. I began to lose my hair back in September and can't find Propecia, Folister, Finasteride or any other medication to stop DHT. It's pretty ###### up!

Lenguages; Spanish, Arabic, English.

Been working with my father since I was 10, I'm not registered as a worker but I own somepart of the company. Studied Economy for two semesters and stopped.

I've been a victim of armed robberie few times and it just doesn't make sense to work and give everything to a man pointing a gun at you wanting you to do anything he doesn't ask you to do so he gets to pull the trigger. What's the point of a law that prohibits citizens to hold guns an all the assasins and robbers have grenades and assault rifles?

[aaa2zzz 27]

Neither Lebanon nor Venezuela are treaty countries for purposes of the E-1 or E-2 visas. You cannot immigrate by buying a business in the USA unless you are a citizen of one of these countries.

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/treaty.html

There is one other slight chance.

If you are in the US for two years on a student visa or other, AND Arabic is still a language on the Army critical list, you could enlist in the Army and (unless the President declares the post 9/11 hostilities have ceased) and get citizenship

http://www.defense.gov/news/MAVNI-Fact-Sheet.pdf

[Starkilla09 366]

Most people who immigrate to the U.S. permanently on immigrant visas do so through family petitions by relatives here who are U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents as other options are difficult and narrow. Your best bet will be through a student visa, however; you can't use use a non immigrant visa for the sole purpose of getting residency in the U.S. as that's fraud. Since you've visited a few times it should be easy to get one provided you also meet financial requirements which seems like you guys do. Along the way you can eventually graduate and try to apply for residency ( depending on your major) though it will be a long challenging process. Military wise only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible. Other exceptions include some non immigrants who hold valid visas and have been in the U.S. for atleast 2 years, and possess vital skills of military interest such as language (Arabic being one of them). These non immigrants can enlist through the MAVNI program in a few military branches and become citizens through service.

[milimelo 4,166]

Diversity visa? Over for this year but there's always the next year.

[pugnaq 1]

So it is kind of impossible? what about that company transfer visa or something like that? Unfortunately I can't risk a full year to enter the DV program. I have to act soon :/

I could immigrate to Europe but i'd rather stay in América.

[Roel 7,191]

I really liked the United States, good economy, I felt safe and I felt great with the way people behave. I would never think of moving to the United States Ilegally using my b1 / b2 visa I am trying to find a way that I could move and get everything done legally. I was in New York during that transit (round trip) and opened a bank account as a tourist. I was studying Economics at a local university but I was going to be there now and I know I can not finish my career here, my father told me that I would help me and my brother start a business wherever we choose to go. Can I open a shop using my B1 / B2 visa and hire US citizens to run the shop? What are my options for legally immigrating to the United States?

Unless you have 500k (or 1mil $, not sure, but it's a lot) to invest and prove that you will hire USC, you cannot gain anything from opening the buisness in the USA.

To study in a university?

Sure, if you have money to prove that you can afford the aducation and get the student visa.

I don't want to marry any US citizen to get my green card

Good. Because its a fraud.

Working with my father Monday to Saturdays, 11am to 7pm.

Saturdays night I go to my cousins house and have a bbq with my group, Sundays we go out do something and latenight smoke hookah and play cards. That's pretty much all I do besides playing Videogames to kill time, we can't risk ourselves and hang out in the streets as there is no safe zone in Caracas (at the time i'm writing this I just read that the son of a very well known franchise named King David has been killed in one of his own stores in one of the "safest" places in Ccs". Search for Renny Teixeira in Google for more info).

I workout a lot and have a healthy lifestyle. I began to lose my hair back in September and can't find Propecia, Folister, Finasteride or any other medication to stop DHT. It's pretty ###### up!

Unfortunately, USCIS doesnt care about stuff like that.

I've been a victim of armed robberie few times and it just doesn't make sense to work and give everything to a man pointing a gun at you wanting you to do anything he doesn't ask you to do so he gets to pull the trigger. What's the point of a law that prohibits citizens to hold guns an all the assasins and robbers have grenades and assault rifles?

USCIS doesnt care either. None of your personal stuff will help you with immigration.

Truth is, there are millions of people like you who wants to move to the USA but can't. Answer yourself why. This might be harsh, but I don't like sweet talking people and telling them they have a chance when they don't.

You can try DV. Or student visa if you have money. No work visa or business visa for you.

And I'd strongly advice against using the tourist visa to move to the USA illegally. Check what Trump wants to do to people who abuse the tourist privileges. And USA is not as safe and wonderful place as you think, lol. If you have a chance, move to Europe.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Roel

[pugnaq 1]

Truth is, there are millions of people like you who wants to move to the USA but can't. Answer yourself why. This might be harsh, but I don't like sweet talking people and telling them they have a chance when they don't.

You can try DV. Or student visa if you have money. No work visa or business visa for you.

And I'd strongly advice against using the tourist visa to move to the USA illegally. Check what Trump wants to do to people who abuse the tourist privileges. And USA is not as safe and wonderful place as you think, lol. If you a chance, move to Europe.

First thinga first, this forum aint no USCIS so doesn't really matter what I say!

Yes I can afford studying 2 careers but what are my chances of staying in the US after graduating? As i've stated before can't I create a company using my b1/b2 visa and then try to apply for an L1? If I wouldn't be able to do that cause im the owner, maybe my father would open the company and I would just apply for that L1 visa? Tbh I do have the 500k to invest in the US but I won't invest 500k only to get myself a green card and my family up so don't know what to do. I had almost everything ready to move to Germany but I'd rather stay in America.

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

Military I do not think is an option to "fast track" to citizenship anymore.

The military was downsizing already 4-5 years ago again. I got out of the Army after 6 years of active duty service almost 6 years ago now.

Some 7-8 years ago it would have been an option. Illegal immigrants were allowed to serve even and after 2-3 years get US citizenship through service (I know cause I had a good friend do that in my squad).

So student visa seems like the most likely scenario for you, or perhaps a J-1 visa? If you have a special skill/talent/education already; but again probably student visa.

As to what happens after wards in regards to staying permanently, as stated you could try to apply for permanent residency; but not a guarantee... and like you said though, perhaps you could study here for 2-3 years and maybe you'd meet that special USC person.

Glad to know you're looking to do this all legally too.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Ben&Zian

[Roel 7,191]

If you don't want to use the money to invest and hire USC then no, you can't open business in the US and stay there permanently based on that. You can't eat the cake and have the cake at the same time.

Also L1 visa? As in https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/l-1a-intracompany-transferee-executive-or-manager ? You want to open the business there and then transfer yourself? Uh.. Or you meant https://www.uscis.gov/eb-5 ?

Ask yourself why people from all over the world won't open business in the US and then move there.

Also student visa is a temporary visa.

Military I do not think is an option to "fast track" to citizenship anymore.

The military was downsizing already 4-5 years ago again. I got out of the Army after 6 years of active duty service almost 6 years ago now.

Some 7-8 years ago it would have been an option. Illegal immigrants were allowed to serve even and after 2-3 years get US citizenship through service (I know cause I had a good friend do that in my squad).

That's what I was thinking also. I was also sure that you actually need a green card to be able to enlist.

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

If you don't want to use the money to invest and hire USC then no, you can't open business in the US and stay there permanently based on that. You can't eat the cake and have the cake at the same time.

Also L1 visa? As in https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/l-1a-intracompany-transferee-executive-or-manager ? You want to open the business there and then transfer yourself? Uh.. Or you meant https://www.uscis.gov/eb-5 ?

Ask yourself why people from all over the world won't open business in the US and then move there.

Also student visa is a temporary visa.

That's what I was thinking also. I was also sure that you actually need a green card to be able to enlist.

Now a days I am pretty sure you need to be permanent resident to enlist as they are more picky also probably. Less waivers for admittance and such.

[Roel 7,191]

I found it

"First of all, in order to join the U.S. military as a non-citizen, you must be currently living permanently (and legally) in the United States. Tourist visas and student visas aren't good enough.

You must be categorized as a "legal permanent immigrant," with permission to work in the U.S. That means the individual must have an I–551 (Permanent Residence Card)"

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

I found it

"First of all, in order to join the U.S. military as a non-citizen, you must be currently living permanently (and legally) in the United States. Tourist visas and student visas aren't good enough.

You must be categorized as a "legal permanent immigrant," with permission to work in the U.S. That means the individual must have an I–551 (Permanent Residence Card)"

Well I highly doubt the OP wanted to join the US military; but at least we have that all sorted out now as to requirements.

[Boiler 43,391]

Diversity visa? Over for this year but there's always the next year.

Seconded.

[pugnaq 1]

The company is in my fathers name so it's not mine atleast not yet. I was asking if my father opens up the same company in the US maybe he could appoint me as a Manager? I'm looking forward to do everything as legal as possible. Venezuela is going through all this due to the illegall immigrants that came here and dried the country. We have all kinds of immigrants from Colombian paramilitars to narcos and robbers. I could let's say go for 5 months to the US and then return home for few months but that would not count as a tourist and I would be kind of cheating or comitting visa fraud? To be clear right now my only choices are;

- Study in the US and hope to get a job from a company?

- Invest $500k/1M to get my green card

- Falling in love and marrying a USC (I highly doubt so as I don't want to get married at this age)

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

DV seems like good option..

Can you apply for DV and do student visa simultaneously?