U.S. Work and Investor Visas: Move Sooner, Without Waiting for a Green Card
For founders, investors, company owners and people with a strong record who want to work in the United States soon and want to know, before filing, which visa fits. Since 1991, AIA has guided 25,000+ clients, and independent U.S. attorneys handle the filing.
since 1991
- E-2, L-1 and O-1 are temporary U.S. visas that can start sooner than a green card.
- E-2 fits treaty-country investors. L-1 fits owners and managers moving a company. O-1 fits people with proven talent.
- Buying a franchise is one common way to build the business an E-2 needs. It does not change the legal test, and it is not a promise of approval.
- Spouses on E-2 and L-1 can work. O-1 spouses cannot.
- AIA is not a law firm. Independent U.S. attorneys give legal advice and file for you.
Why do people pick the wrong U.S. work visa?
Most people pick a work visa by what a friend used, not by what they own or can prove. E-2 needs treaty citizenship and an investment, L-1 needs a related company and one year of service, and O-1 needs sustained acclaim and a U.S. petitioner (USCIS). A visa that does not fit its test can be refused, and USCIS filing fees are generally not refunded.
Here is how it usually goes wrong. You commit funds to a business before checking your passport against the treaty list. You set up a U.S. company before counting your year of service. Or you assume you can file an O-1 for yourself.
Underneath, the feelings are real. You feel eager, because a visa lets you move. You feel unsure, because each one has its own rules. And you feel rushed, because a lease or a deal may have a date.
None of that means you made a mistake. It means no one put the three visas next to each other. The sections below do.
Who is behind your visa plan, and why trust them?
Amir Ismail & Associates has guided 25,000+ clients since 1991, from offices in Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. We help you pick your visa and plan your move, and independent U.S. attorneys handle the legal work and the filing. We also tell you straight when a visa or a franchise does not fit.
Empathy: We know how much rides on a move where your business, your family and your savings travel together.
Authority: Amir Ismail has worked in immigration since 1991. Over 35+ years, our team has guided 25,000+ clients from Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. That includes many people choosing between the United States and Canada.
Philosophy: We believe you should check the rules before you spend a dollar. We believe a good advisor tells you when a route is wrong. And we believe you should know exactly who files your case and who pays whom.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
Since 1991, AIA has guided 25,000+ clients from offices in Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. We help you pick your U.S. route, and independent U.S. attorneys handle the legal work and the filing.
Honest route check
We tell you when a route does not fit, before you spend money.
A plan for your profile
We look at your record, citizenship and capital, not a template.
Clear on who does what
AIA organizes your plan. Independent U.S. attorneys give legal advice and file.
A two-country view
We know the Canada and U.S. sides, so you can compare both.
Built for your passport
We check your citizenship first, so you never plan around a visa you cannot use.
Since 1991
35+ years in immigration, 25,000+ clients guided, and the 2026 Canadian Choice Award.
Which U.S. work or investor visa fits you?
The visa that fits you depends on what you own and what you can prove. Start with the first card if you want to buy a franchise, and read across if two fit. Each card links to its page.
- E-2 franchise visa: you hold citizenship in a treaty country and want to buy and run a franchise. A franchise gives you written costs and a defined business model. It does not change the E-2 test. See the E-2 franchise visa.
- E-2 treaty investor visa: you hold citizenship in a treaty country and want to start a business or buy an existing one. See the E-2.
- L-1 intracompany transfer: you own or manage a company abroad and want to work in a related U.S. office. See the L-1.
- O-1 extraordinary ability: you have proven talent in your field and a U.S. employer or agent can file for you. See the O-1.
| E-2 (incl. franchise) | L-1 | O-1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who files | You apply, usually at a U.S. consulate | A related U.S. company, on Form I-129 | A U.S. employer or agent, on Form I-129 |
| Money needed | A substantial investment in a real, active business, with no fixed minimum | None, but you need a related U.S. office | None |
| Citizenship limit | Treaty countries only | None | None |
| Spouse can work | Yes | Yes | No (O-3 status) |
| Stay | First stay up to 2 years, extensions of up to 2 years each with no limit on the number | L-1A up to 7 years, L-1B up to 5 | First stay up to 3 years, extensions of up to 1 year |
Treaty status comes from the State Department list. Canada and Pakistan are on it. India, mainland China, the UAE and Nigeria are not (U.S. Department of State, USCIS).
Who this is not for. If you want permanent residence first, look at the green card options. If you are Canadian, see U.S. immigration for Canadians, which also covers TN.
How our process works
You take three steps: answer the short form, get your route review, and meet an independent U.S. attorney. AIA helps you pick the visa and organize your plan, and the attorney handles the legal work and the filing.
Step 1: Answer the short form
Tell us your citizenship, your business or company, your record and your budget.
Step 2: Get your route review
If your answers fit a visa, we call you to go over it and your next steps. For a franchise, we also walk through the checks.
Step 3: Meet an independent U.S. attorney
They confirm your eligibility, advise you on the law, review any franchise agreement, and file for you once they are engaged under your signed agreement.
Find my U.S. route
Answer a few questions. A member of our team will contact you. No obligation.
AIA is not a law firm. U.S. legal services are provided by independent, licensed U.S. immigration attorneys we arrange for you under a signed agreement.
Questions about cost, time and results
Most people ask three things before they start: what it costs, how long it takes, and whether they will qualify. The answers below are honest and short. If yours is missing, the short form lets you ask.
Which U.S. work visa is the fastest?
There is no single fastest visa. The quickest one is the one you already qualify for. Owners of a foreign company often use L-1, treaty-country investors use E-2, and people with proven talent use O-1.
These visas skip the green card line. Timing still depends on your filing path and how busy USCIS or the consulate is. Anyone who promises you an exact date is guessing.
Which U.S. visas let my spouse work?
Spouses of E-2 and L-1 holders can work without a separate permit, because USCIS treats them as work-authorized incident to status (USCIS). O-1 spouses hold O-3 status and may not work, though they can study. Children on all three can study but cannot work.
Does buying a franchise make the E-2 easier?
Not in the law, because the same test applies to every business. A franchise can make your plan easier to document, since costs and the business model are written down in the franchise disclosure document. We cannot tell you that franchises are approved more often, and no one should promise that.
Judge a franchise on whether you can run it well and prove the plan.
What does a U.S. visa cost, and who do I pay?
You pay different parties for different things: the government, your attorney, and the cost of the business, company or evidence behind your visa. Government fees are set by USCIS and the State Department, and each attorney sets their own fees. For a franchise, the franchise fees and startup costs are listed in the franchise disclosure document.
We do not quote fees on this page.
A wrong filing costs more than a good plan, because government fees are generally not refunded. Picking your visa first is the cheaper path.
Will I qualify?
No one can promise you will qualify. The short form and route review tell you honestly where you stand, including when a visa or a franchise does not fit. If a route is a poor match, we say so before you spend money.
A better-fitting route beats a hopeful filing.
What happens if you wait, and what does success look like?
If you wait, you keep guessing, and a deal, a lease or a franchise seller’s deadline may decide for you. If you pick your visa first, you move forward with the right plan and the right attorney. The short form takes a few minutes.
If you stay stuck: another year of comparing visas. Funds and records sit unmapped. A filing that does not fit costs you months and fees you will not get back.
If you act now: you know which visa fits, you know what to gather, and you know who files your case. You feel relieved and confident, because the next step is clear. That is what we help you reach.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
U.S. legal scope. AIA is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in the United States. U.S. legal services are provided by independent, licensed U.S. immigration attorneys, chosen case by case for fit and cost, whom we arrange for you under a signed agreement. Any attorney-client relationship is between you and that attorney. AIA’s Canadian immigration services are separate. This page is general information, not legal advice.
