It is highly recommended that you prepare a detailed business plan. Business plans are often requested by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the U.S. Department of State, which runs the U.S. consulates and embassies abroad. Business plans are also inherently useful for ensuring sustainability of your business, and are useful for raising capital from outside investors and banks.
If you have prepared a business plan already, please attach a copy. If you have not yet prepared a business plan, we can refer you to consultants who specialize in your area, or you can prepare one yourself using readily available commercial software. We recommend, however, that even if you prepare it yourself, that you have a consultant or accountant review it. There are many books in the library or bookstore that can be helpful in drafting your business plan.
We also recommend that an organizational chart for the U.S. entity be prepared, if you have not already prepared one. Additionally, if you have an entity abroad that will continue to function during your stay in the United States, please provide us with the organizational chart for the foreign entity. Visualization of corporate structures often facilitates USCIS’s understanding of certain elements in business cases, especially managerial and executive roles.
Please attach your résumé, which should include a detailed chronology of your education, work history, special achievements, articles published by you or about you or your business, awards received, and professional and trade memberships.
Please attach any trade references you may have.
Finally, we recommend that you consult with tax counsel that is familiar with international tax issues. Taxation plays an important role in determining the type of entity you may want to set up; your personal and business tax liability in the United States and abroad; and your desired annual physical presence in the United States and the consequences of maintaining nonimmigrant or resident status. We work with several tax attorneys and accountants if you need a referral.
