It is not that easy for a Bulgarian citizen to get a US visa. We cannot stand the ocean between us any longer. The ocean of bureaucracy, long-waiting visa procedures, and the inability to be with our children anytime we want.
Schedule a meeting at one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.
Aleksandar needed visa-free access to the US for his family, as he and his wife Viktoria often visit their children in the US. Miroslav and Violeta are currently studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In this case, we will tell you how Immigrant Invest helped Aleksandar and Viktoria travel to the US whenever they wanted.
Our Clients
Aleksandar, 47, the CEO of a retail chain company
Viktoria, 44, his wife
Miroslav, 21, their son
Violeta, 20, their daughter
Why did the investor need second passports
First, the parents are tired of undergoing lengthy procedures to get visas to the US and waiting for them. Aleksandar and Viktoria are from Bulgaria, and they live there. They wanted to visit their children in the US at any time they wanted — buy plane tickets and in ten hours be in Boston.
Secondly, the investor wanted his children not to worry about US visas after graduation. Currently, Miroslav and Violeta are living in the country on student visas. Aleksandar did not want them to be in a hurry trying to find a job. He wanted his children to take their time and settle in the US gradually.
Aleksandar,
The CEO of a retail chain company
We want our children to have solid ground under their feet after graduation. No doubt, they’ll find a job. They can build their lives independently. I believe in them. But in this rapidly changing world — remember the coronavirus pandemic? No, I won’t leave them without a backup plan.
Alexander wanted to get a passport that would allow his family to go to and live in the United States without long bureaucratic procedures and time restrictions. He learnt that citizens of some countries are eligible for visa-free access to the US.
On October 18, 2022, Alexander turned to Immigrant Invest on friends' recommendations and positive feedback.
Preliminary Due Diligence
Before signing the contract with the investor, Immigrant Invest lawyers carry out the preliminary Due Diligence. The check helps identify all the potential risks of the investor application’s rejection.
Vladlena Baranova,
Head of Legal & AML Compliance Department, CAMS, IMCM
Our internal compliance department conducts a comprehensive preliminary check on the investor before we start collecting the documents required for participation in a citizenship program. Immigrant Invest lawyers study the investor’s situation in detail and warn them about potential risks.
Alexander has no criminal record or instances of his visa denials. His source of income is legal, and he pays taxes on time. Immigrant Invest lawyers were 99% confident that the investor could participate in any government citizenship program.
Choosing a passport with free access to the US
The main investor’s criterion for a second passport was free access to the US. Immigrant Invest experts told Alexander about all the countries with citizenship programs, whose citizens can enter the US without a visa or have a simplified procedure for obtaining a visa.
Citizenship of Malta gives visa-free access to the US. The minimum amount of investment is €690,000. It takes at least one year to obtain a passport.
A Portuguese residence permit makes it possible to obtain a country’s passport after five years of maintaining status. With a Portuguese passport, an investor can travel visa-free to the US. The minimum amount of investment is €250,000.
Citizenship of one of the Caribbean countries allows its holders to obtain a 10-year tourist visa to the US. With this visa, an investor can stay in the States for up to 180 consecutive days during the year — travel and attend conferences. The minimum investment amount is $100,000.
Grenada citizenship is the only Caribbean country with a citizenship program whose citizens can get an E‑2 visa to the US, along with a 10-year tourist visa. On the E‑2 visa, the investor can live in the US for an unlimited time. The visa covers the investor’s wife and their children up to 21.
Citizenship programs Alexander chose between
Program conditions
Maltese citizenship
Portuguese citizenship
Citizenship of a Caribbean country
Visa-free entry to the USA
B‑1/B‑2 visa to the US for 10 years
E‑2 visa to the US
Minimum investment amount
From €690,000
From €250,000
From $100,000
Date of receipt
From 1 year
From 5 years
2—6 months
Only Grenada citizens can obtain an E‑2 visa to the US, among the other Caribbean countries with citizenship programs.
To get an E‑2 visa, the investor opens or buys a company in the US. The US law does not set a minimum investment amount. According to the Immigrant Invest experience, an investor needs to put from $100,000 into a company. The investor’s family can stay in the country until the company generates income that exceeds the cost of living in the US for the investor and his family.
Most tourists call Grenada a country of relaxation. People come to the islands for a secluded vacation in the tropical jungle. Cosmopolitans relax on snow-white beaches, swim under waterfalls and walk along the paths that Christopher Columbus walked on
US visa E‑2 is non-immigrant. But the investor can change the visa category five years after obtaining it. For example, to switch to an immigrant EB‑5 visa. To do this, an investor should increase investment in the business.
Alexandar came up with the idea that the US E‑2 visas would be helpful for his children. Miroslav and Violeta are currently participating in exhibitions and conferences for entrepreneurs to look for investors to raise money for their IT startup. The children want to register their company in the US.
The investor chose the Grenada citizenship program as it demands fewer costs than other programs with access to the US. Moreover, the investor liked the possibility of getting an E‑2 visa to the US with a Grenada passport.
Aleksandar,
The CEO of a retail chain company
I saw my children’s project, and I think it’s worth putting the money in. I’m sure it’ll pay off. But if other investors don’t see it, I can be their first investor, giving them money to launch their company. They open a company in the US and get E-2 visas. Me and my wife we’ll go to them on tourist visas. They’ll live in the US on E-2 visas and with good motivation to grow their company.
Grenada citizenship program terms
Applicants must pass a Due Diligence check, make a non-refundable contribution of $150,000 or more to a government fund, or buy real estate in the country for $220,000. An investor also pays the Due Diligence, the application, notarial, bank and certificate fees.
$158,270
Minimal investor’s expenses in Grenada citizenship program
Alexandar chose a non-refundable contribution to the Grenada state fund over real estate purchasing. The investor did not want to deal with subsequent responsibility that real estate imposes: its maintenance and further exploitation.
The contribution to the Grenada fund increases if the investor adds family members to the application.
Who can apply for a Grenada passport:
an investor with a proven legal source of income;
an investor’s spouse;
children aged up to 30, financially dependent on the investor or his spouse;
parents and grandparents: of both the investor and his spouse;
siblings: of both the investor and his spouse, over 18, unmarried.
Applicants for Grenada Citizenship by Investment program do not need to take exams on the country’s language or history, live in Grenada or even visit the country. But the applicants take an oath of allegiance in the nearest Grenada consulate.
After meeting the conditions, an investor and his family members are eligible to apply for Grenada passports.
$227,180 — Alexandar’s expenses under the Grenada citizenship program for a family of four
$175,000 — Fund investment
$11,500 — Due Diligence
$722 — Passport fee
$500 — Application fee
$200 — Bank fee
$100 — Issuance of two naturalization certificates
What stages the investor went through to obtain Grenada citizenship
1. Preparation of documents. Immigrant Invest lawyers prepared a list of documents for Alexandar and attached it to the application for participation in the program.
Documents the family provided
Alexandar, 47
• Copy of the passport • Police clearance certificate • Bank statement • HIV test result
Viktoria, 44
• Copy of the passport • Police clearance certificate • HIV test result
Miroslav, 21
• Copy of the passport • Police clearance certificate • Birth certificate • HIV test result
Violeta, 20
• Copy of the passport • Police clearance certificate • Birth certificate • HIV test result
The lawyers also helped get health insurance for the entire family and fill out government forms and questionnaires. They then prepared an English translation and certified copies of the documents. It took three weeks to prepare.
Alexandar paid $20,000 for Due Diligence and $6,000 for the application. Immigrant Invest lawyers submitted the documents to the program unit: they uploaded scans of the documents and receipts to the program’s online portal and sent the originals by mail.
2. The Due Diligence in the program unit took five months. The approval for the program came in the form of an official letter to the Immigrant Invest email. Immigrant Invest lawyers forwarded the letter to Alexandar.
3. Fulfilment of the investment condition of the program. The approval letter serves as the basis for transferring the investment.
Under the Grenada program, the investor can transfer money from his or his company’s bank account. Alexandar transferred $200,000 to the program unit from his account.
4. Taking the oath of allegiance. The parents chose the Honorary Consulate of Grenada in Budapest as the nearest one. They bought tickets to Hungary and took the oath before the Honorary Consul of Grenada on the day of their arrival.
The children went from Boston to New York and took the oath in Grenada Consulate in New York.
5. Obtaining second passports and naturalisation certificates. Alexandar and his family received documents by mail on May 2, 2022.
Unforeseen circumstances during Due Diligence: how Immigrant Invest managed to organise the name change procedure
After Immigrant Invest lawyers had submitted the documents to the program unit, the investor called the lawyers to ask if it was possible to issue his son’s passport in another name.
Miroslav wanted to change his name to Max, as it is well-known for Americans. Miroslav wished to integrate into the US culture completely.
Immigrant Invest lawyers contacted the head of the Grenada Migration Department for clarification on this issue and received the following reply.
Vladlena Baranova,
Head of Legal & AML Compliance Department, CAMS, IMCM
Amendments to documents for the investor’s family members are possible until the final decision for the investor’s application is made. The requirement is that the family member remains financially dependent on the investor.
Miroslav’s situation fully matched these requirements. Immigrant Invest lawyers began to prepare the documents for a Deed Poll procedure that confirms the change of name. They applied the Deed Poll document to the Grenada Migration Department before the new passport was issued so that the new document contained the desired new name.
The procedure went smoothly and without unnecessary delays. Miroslav received his new Grenada passport already under the new name, Max.
6.5 months to obtain Grenada passports
1
18 October 2021
Alexandar turned to Immigrant Invest
2
+ 1 day
Preliminary Due Diligence
3
+ 3 weeks
Preparation of documents, filing of the application
4
+ 5 months
Due Diligence
5
18 March 2022
Approval of the application
6
+ 4 weeks
Preparation and forwarding of passports
7
2 May 2022
Obtaining passports
1
18 October 2021
Alexandar turned to Immigrant Invest
2
+ 1 day
Preliminary Due Diligence
3
+ 3 weeks
Preparation of documents, filing of the application
4
+ 5 months
Due Diligence
5
18 March 2022
Approval of the application
6
+ 4 weeks
Preparation and forwarding of passports
7
2 May 2022
Obtaining passports
Life with Grenada passport
Aleksandar,
The CEO of a retail chain company
My wife and I have already applied for B-1/B-2 visas to the US on Grenada passports. The procedure was straightforward and took less time and effort, comparing how we did it with Bulgarian passports. And I may not worry about my children. Now they have a solid ground in the form of an E-2 visa which they can obtain anytime.
The parents are happy that soon they can see their children more often and help them with accommodation after their graduation. Also, Alexander and Violeta plan to visit key US cities this summer. They will start their journey in New York.
Max’s graduation is this summer. Violet finishes her studies next year. They are continuing to work on their startup.
Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for government programs in the European Union and the Caribbean.
