Areas of Practice

The U.S. immigration system is essentially divided into three categories for those seeking permanent residency:

• Close Family Ties: such as spouses, parents, brothers and sisters or adult children.
• Education: those with at least a bachelor’s degree and preferably a master’s degree or those with no less than 12 years of work experience or equivalence.
• Money: those with no less than $100,000 to invest in a commercial enterprise.

The E-2 program was created as a job creation and foreign investment program specifically to encourage individuals to migrate to the U.S., stimulate the U.S. economy and make a valuable contribution to society.

Florida Immigration attorney Larry J. Behar has created an E-2 team that helps foreign investors across the country with the creation and administration of commercial investments and franchises. The team and attorneys provides comprehensive services, including:

• Legal advisement in connection with business creation
• Preparation of consular applications and accompanying documents
• Exclusive processing of E-2 visas investors
• Administration of Team + Business plan.

The E-2 program was created as a job creation and foreign investment program specifically to encourage individuals to migrate to the U.S., stimulate the U.S. economy and make a valuable contribution to society.

The BLG team consists of top legal attorneys and business professionals who, each in their own realm, are able to advise clients and provide written reports for the creation of E-2 submissions.

Together, the team provides expertise and hands-on guidance at both the initial stage and throughout, for both the investor and the sponsor as needed. The team provides investors with a ‘one stop shop‘ of economists, business plan writers, marketing and IT experts, corporate attorneys, and U.S. E-2 immigration authorities — all under the direction of Larry J. Behar, a Florida immigration lawyer with more than four decades of experience in business and immigration law. The team has assisted investors across the United States and has pending applications at numerous U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Each submission is created with the uniqueness that lies behind each project and spreads across a vast range of uses, which include tourism resorts, shopping centers, land development projects, restaurants, multi-use retail franchises throughout the country.

Are you a foreign investor seeking to live and work in the United States? Are you an investor seeking new sources of US investment? If so, the E-2 program might be your answer.

The Behar Law Group helps foreign investors and developers benefit from the congressionally mandated E-2 program. U.S. immigration laws now encourage investors to create companies that are designed to boost the U.S. economy through job creation.

Foreign investors who are making a substantial investment may be eligible to receive an E-2 investor visa, a wonderful path toward a non-immigrant visa. A foreign investor applying for an E-2 visa may live anywhere in the U.S., and over time, an E-2 visa holder may be eligible to apply for US residency through multiple options.

Initially, the firm helps investors establish a US entity. Once the entity is created, the firm then acts as the exclusive visa processor for foreign investors seeking an E-2 visa. From there, the Behar Law Group offers comprehensive immigration services on behalf of the visa applicant throughout the road to approval.

Florida immigration attorney Larry J. Behar has been practicing US immigration law for more than 40 years. He is the author of “How to Immigrate to the USA,” a step-by-step immigration guide, and “EB-5 United States Immigration Through Investment,” which has helped thousands of people seeking to enter and live in the United States. Mr. Behar cares about his clients and works diligently to find solutions to complex immigration challenges.

The E-2 immigration program is an opportunity for qualified foreign nationals to become long term visa holders of the United States. The E-2 franchising (a form of independent investment) option, allows foreign non-immigrants to invest into a franchise bringing down the overall investment risk. E-2 franchising allows foreign investors to be “hands on” from beginning to end.

• Recognized brand names both in the U.S. and abroad;
• Locations in urban and rural areas;
• Increased chances of business success because you are associating with proven products and methods;
• Low risk inventory, many are non-perishable;
• Recognized job creation levels;
• Business in a box model. Support from the franchisor in training, consulting, bookkeeping (accounting services), technology, property and equipment, product distribution, advertising support
• Projected return of principal in the business plan;
• Fair rate of return during investment period;
• Live, work, and attend any school in the U.S;
• Education for all minor children below 21 years of age;
• Personal and Family Security in America;

• Royalty arrangement- pay the franchisor based on your store’s gross profit.
• Making the investment
• Step-by-step timeline- Learn the steps to joining a franchise business- from the application to taking over stores in a few months.
• Discovering the best franchise- Figure out what the best franchise is for you and decide if it is a good fit.

To be considered as a candidate for a franchise, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be 21 years of age or older;
• Have Retail, Management and/or Customer Service–related business experience;
• Not have filed for bankruptcy within the last 7 years;
• Have excellent credit.

• Apply;
• Sales manager interview;
• Qualification testing;
• Store selection;
• Business selection;
• Business planning;
• Final interview;
• Agreement signing;
• Training.

The E-2 visa preference category, created by Congress is available for non-immigrants seeking to enter the United States by investing into a legal entity, which in turn benefits the U.S. economy and creates jobs. The E-2 independent investment allows the investor to be “hands on” from start to end. Investors have the liberty of starting a legal entity or investing in a U.S. franchise of their choice.

1. Form a legal entity:

• Limited Liability Company
• Limited Partnership
• Sole Proprietorship
• Incorporation

2. Investment in a new or established commercial enterprise;
3. Secured by personal property, or investment (active, not passive);
4. Substantial completion of payment of investment;
5. Investment made or funds committed in concrete business activity;
6. Investor E-2 compliant comprehensive business plan;
7. Job description of each position, salary, title, U.S. lawful of employees:

• I-9 (employment eligibility verification form)
• W2 (tax form issued by employers);

8. Critical path jobs ramp up, dates of future employment;
9. Description of investor management duties, time, policy formation, day-to-day business activity, title;
10. Proof of employment, I-9, pay stubs, pay roll records, W2;
11. Congressional intent;

• Job creation;
• Foreign direct investment;

12. No criminal record;
13. Spouse and children considerations;
14. Attorney narrative:

• Integrate all components of case

15. E-2 Application

If all qualifications fit, an application for immigration investor status will be available through the completion and filing of the application. Included in the filing are: extensive documentation recognizing the commercial investment, the E-2, business plan, forms, supporting documents, which are then submitted to the Embassy or Consulate of home or nationality country.