F1 to E2, Facing a tough immigration situation and looking for advice.

[Eman Asghar 0]

Hi everyone, I'm a student in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. I came here in Aug 2024 (a year ago), but my wife, who is in Pakistan, has been rejected for her F-2 visa three times.
 

Now, I have a new opportunity to start a business with investment from my Aunty. I’m trying to figure out the best way forward:
 

- Should I try to change my visa status to an E-2 (investor) visa while I'm here in the U.S.?
 

If I do that, will my wife be able to get her E-2 dependent visa?
 

I'm really worried about going back to Pakistan to apply because I might get stuck there, and get my student visa canceled. 
 

Has anyone gone through a similar process or successfully changed from an F-1 to an E-2 status with a dependent applying from abroad? Any advice or insights would be incredibly helpful!

[JeanneAdil 7,234]

https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/e-2-treaty-investors

[appleblossom 4,864]

1 hour ago, Eman Asghar said:

Hi everyone, I'm a student in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. I came here in Aug 2024 (a year ago), but my wife, who is in Pakistan, has been rejected for her F-2 visa three times.
 

Now, I have a new opportunity to start a business with investment from my Aunty. I’m trying to figure out the best way forward:
 

- Should I try to change my visa status to an E-2 (investor) visa while I'm here in the U.S.?
 

If I do that, will my wife be able to get her E-2 dependent visa?
 

I'm really worried about going back to Pakistan to apply because I might get stuck there, and get my student visa canceled. 
 

Has anyone gone through a similar process or successfully changed from an F-1 to an E-2 status with a dependent applying from abroad? Any advice or insights would be incredibly helpful!

 

You can apply to change your status, but E-2 is also non immigrant, so your wife's chances aren't any better with that. Why has she been refused?

 

What's the business you're buying/starting, how many US citizens will you employ, and what's the long term plan? Just spend a couple of years in the US getting the business going and then return to Pakistan? Or are you hoping to stay in the US longer term? 

 

P.S. Thread moved to Work Visas sub forum, as you're not adjusting to LPR status.

Edited 1 hour ago by appleblossom