For London-based start-ups and tech founders, “breaking America” is often seen as the logical next step in their growth trajectory. Filings are made complicated by an array of legal requirements across the Atlantic that can seem daunting for the busy chief executive. Two specific categories typically float to the top of search results when you start researching the best way for you or your business operations to move to the States: The E-2 Treaty Investor visa and the L-1 Intracompany Transferee (often called “IntraCompany Transfer”) visa. Picking between the two is a major strategic decision, one that can affect your company’s structure, and shape your family’s future. Determining which path best fits into your particular business model will often start with consulting a US immigration lawyer in London.
The E-2 Treaty Investor visa: This is a popular visa for UK citizens as the United Kingdom and the United States has had a trade treaty for many years. In order to qualify, you must be a national of a treaty country and the purpose of your trip to the US is to develop and direct the operation and enterprise in which you have invested still other capital. For a London start-up, that often ensures the founders are risking their own — or the company’s retained earnings — in America. The great thing about the E-2 is that there are no specific minimum investment amounts (though whatever you invest has to make sense for the type of business you're creating).
A key benefit of the E-2 visa is that it can be renewable indefinitely, provided the business is still feasible and operating. This gives founders who want to build in the US long term a modicum of security for the long term. But one US immigration lawyer working in London will probably tell you that the E-2 is a “non-immigrant” visa. That is, it does not directly result in a Green Card. It lets you live and work in the US, but fast forward to when your visa status ends or you close a business: You are only meant to ever maintain an intent to leave. This can be a major disadvantage compared to others if you are looking for something more long-term.
Conversely, the L-1 visa can be attained with an enterprise having a physical office in London looking to move over an executive, manager, or employee with specialized knowledge to work at either the same company or one of its subsidiaries within the United States. Usually, the L-1A executive visa is the gold standard for any London startup that has been trading for a minimum of one year and is large enough in team size. It gives the company the ability to relocate its executives to America to regulate the expansion. Whereas the E-2 is based on a specific “investment” of personal funds, there are no such requirements for an L-1 visa, but it will be necessary to demonstrate that the London office is active and intends to continue to operate post-transfer.
One of the most attractive aspects of the L-1 visa is that it is a "dual intent" visa. This is a technical way of saying that US government allows you to have this visa as you apply for permanent residency. For many founders, the L-1A leads them directly to an EB-1C Green Card — a far less tedious journey than entering the lengthy ~25 month labor certification process. Many tech founders in East London’s Silicon Roundabout opt for this route—as long as their company is big and has enough revenue to transfer an international employee—because it streamlines the path to residency.
But the L-1 has its own challenges. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has gotten stricter about what qualifies as a “managerial” or “executive” role. This sort of work is fine, and indeed often desirable, in a small company; but if your London startup is literally tiny — maybe just you and your co-founder — it may not be easy to prove that you are operating the business rather than performing the technical workday to day yourself. This is why obtaining the services of a US immigration lawyer in London can help you immensely. So, they may assist you in documenting your corporate structure and job descriptions to satisfy the high standards of American immigration authorities.
Another thing to keep in mind is your spouse and family. Both visas allow your spouse to join you in the US, and at present both E-2 holders and L-1 holders have their spouses automatically granted “work authorized” status while in temporary residence. This means your partner is free to work anywhere in the US without needing a dedicated work visa. For family households in London, this flexibility is an acceptance, providing for a two-income household and additional (smoother) transition into American life.
In general, whether to go the E-2 or L-1 route is often a function of your long-term intentions and where things currently stand with your London business. If you have a decent pile of capital to invest and want the option of having your visa renewed multiple times indefinitely, the E-2 might be for you. If you already have a strong team in place in London and you want your Green Card as soon as possible, the L-1 will very likely be the preferred option. Because every startup is different, sitting with a US immigration lawyer in London to go through your balance sheets, hiring plans and personal aspirations is the best way to make sure your American dream doesn’t get caught up in a tangle of paperwork. The recommended size for such spaces is 1 ton split ACs to cool a standard Indian bedroom (12x12, around 144 sq. Consider the season of intense summers in India, where temperatures frequently soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius. A 1 ton unit is designed to cool a space with this area so it emerges as the most popular choice when you are contemplating your options on which Split AC would be best for home office or medium-sized bedroom.
So why does a 1 ton split AC works so effectively in a 12×12 room? If the unit is undersized it will run at full power the entire time and never shut off, leaving you with a room that doesn’t cool down and big energy bills. If the unit is too large, it cools down the room too fast and shuts off before it can remove humidity. The 1 ton model has the right performance to keep air cool and dry.
Technology inside the 1 ton unit is one of the key factors that come into play when looking for the most energy efficient ACs. Newer models from manufacturers including Dakin tend to use inverter technology, which adjusts the compressor speed rather than just turning it on and off. In a 12x12 room, the instantaneous heat is already gone and inverter ac can cruise on low power. This is especially useful in India, where ACs frequently operate for ten to twelve hours daily.
Before you finalize your purchase, there are several local factors to keep in mind. If your bedroom is on the top floor of a building and directly under the roof, the heat load will be much larger. Likewise, a big west-facing window that catches the afternoon sun can hold in unwanted heat. Even if the room is 12x12, you might need very good 1 ton high ambient model to ensure it is cold in May and June in these cases.
Additionally, split ACs allow much better airflow for a square-shaped space, over raw cooling power. Coanda airflow is among features that allow the cold air to travel along the ceiling and fall down evenly. That way, every corner of your 12x12 will be at the same temperature without “hot spots.” Therefore, with a star rated 1 ton split unit you can make sure that your bedroom feels like a dream come true while keeping the monthly "bijli" bill reasonable.
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