What we handle
New units, resales and multi-unit plans.
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E-2 franchise applications
New units and resales, with the franchise agreement and business plan.
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EB-5 direct franchise investments
Usually several units, to reach 10 full-time jobs per investor.
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Agreement review
The franchise agreement and disclosure document, read for what the visa requires.
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Escrow and contingencies
Purchase terms that release funds only if the visa is approved.
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Multi-unit plans
Development agreements and the hiring that comes with them.
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Source of funds
The investor’s funds traced to the franchise fee, buildout and working capital.
How an E-2 franchise case works
Five steps, from choosing the unit to the visa.
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Check the fit
We confirm the investor’s treaty nationality and review the franchise terms for the investor’s role in running the unit.
Who: the firm
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Plan the investment
Franchise fee, buildout, equipment and working capital. The total must be substantial for this business.
Who: the investor, with the franchisor’s figures
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Commit the funds
Funds are spent or placed in escrow tied to the visa. A signed lease and agreement show the business is real.
Who: the investor
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Prepare the business plan
A plan built on the franchisor’s figures and the local market, with a hiring schedule.
Who: the firm and the investor
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Apply and open
The application goes to the consulate, or to USCIS for a change of status. After approval the investor opens the unit.
Who: the firm prepares; the consulate or USCIS decides
Three ways in
Each changes the evidence the application needs.
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New unit
Open a new location
The franchisor’s plan helps, but the investor must show the unit is near opening, with a lease and buildout under way.
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Resale
Buy an operating unit
An existing unit has records and staff. We review the sale terms and the business’s history.
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Multi-unit
A development agreement
Several units over time. Suits investors planning EB-5, where each investor needs 10 full-time jobs.
Representative matters
A few recent franchise matters, described without client names.
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Resale
E-2 visa for a British investor buying an operating fitness franchise from its retiring owner.
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New unit
E-2 visa for a French investor opening a children’s education franchise, with funds in escrow until issuance.
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Multi-unit
EB-5 direct investment in three restaurant franchise units, documenting more than 10 full-time jobs.
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Renewal
E-2 renewal for an investor who added a second unit of the same franchise.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case turns on its own facts.
Common questions
Is a franchise easier to approve than an independent business?
Not automatically. A known franchise helps show the plan is realistic, but the application is judged on the investor’s own unit.
Can I be an absentee owner?
Not on an E-2. The investor must develop and direct the business.
Can one franchise unit support an EB-5 case?
Rarely, because each investor needs 10 full-time jobs. Multi-unit plans are more common.