E-2 Case Study: Approval for Preschool Franchise at US Consulate in Sao Paolo, Brazil

Dual National Investor in Preschool Franchise E-2 visa approval for treaty investors opens the door to operating a U.S. business, and in this case, our client needed to demonstrate that her newly formed company represented a qualifying investment in an operational enterprise. Our client, a dual national of Brazil and Italy, had recently acquired a preschool franchise offering upscale childcare and advanced early education in Central Florida for children ages six weeks to five years. The franchise is among the first in the United States to incorporate a STEAM-based curriculum spanning Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Colombo & Hurd secured the E-2 visa approval through the U.S. Consulate in São Paulo, Brazil. The case was led by Colombo & Hurd Founding Partner and Immigration Lawyer Carlos Colombo, using a strategy built around establishing the substantiality of the investment and the active, operational nature of the business.

Although Brazil does not maintain an E-2 treaty with the United States, many Brazilian nationals hold dual nationality with a treaty country such as Italy or Spain, which qualifies them to apply for the E-2 visa. Our client’s Italian nationality made her eligible, and her approval reflects a path that other Brazilian investors may be able to pursue depending on their nationality. Colombo & Hurd represents investors from around the world who invest in U.S. businesses to obtain E-2 status, whether through purchasing a franchise, acquiring an existing business, or forming a new enterprise.