In this article, you will be able to find out why business immigration to the United States is a better option for moving compared to political asylum.
Political asylum is a working option that has existed for decades. If you are being persecuted in your country based on religion, political opinions, belonging to a particular group (for example, sexual minorities) – this option is for you.
Cruel reality: Why is political asylum not the best option?
- To apply for asylum in the United States, you must be in the United States. Recently, there have been lots of problems related to obtaining tourist visas. The queues are terrible (although people, of course, do get visas).
There are visa-free ways of entering the country. For example, the most popular way to enter the United States is through Mexico. But you must understand the risks associated with crossing the border. You can read of successful cases on the forums. However, the company of Elizaveta Samorukova advises clients who chose this option, and most of them say that this is their biggest mistake.
That is why you need to consult a lawyer so you can understand that you do not need to have a Nobel Prize. You do not need to have millions of dollars. There are real and legal ways to move to the USA without risking your life.
- Timing. This is the most painful topic. Immigration services are completely unpredictable. Elizaveta has clients who have been waiting since 2014 and have not even received an asylum interview yet. At the same time, you cannot leave the United States when applying for asylum. Everything is very complicated and completely different from what people say on the forums. Of course, there are exceptions, but they are rare.
- Relatives. You can create a petition for your family members. For example, you jumped here through Mexico or arrived on a visa, stayed, and filed a petition for asylum. And you're waiting to bring relatives here.
In business immigration, when you apply for a green card for relatives who are in another country, you include them immediately in the petition. Once you have received approval after a year or two, your relatives are sent to the embassy, receive documents, and enter the United States.
How does this happen in the case of political asylum?
Yes, you will receive your documents here, but most likely not very soon. If there is a family left in your country, they will not be able to come once you have been approved for asylum. You must file a special I-730 petition for them. However, processing time can extend to a year, two, three, or even more. Elizaveta has clients who are still under consideration even though they submitted documents before the pandemic.
Today, almost all categories of business immigration visas are awarded by mail without an interview. At one time, they were routinely granted without an interview, but after a change in administration the interviews were assigned to individual business categories. These days, interview appointments are not required again. All of our clients who bought restaurants, invested money, became makeup artists, and ballerinas in the US who applied have received a green card by mail without an interview.
What about asylum?
You will have an interview for sure. There will be an officer who is completely unaware of the situation that has developed in your country. He might not even have heard of the existence of your country. The officer must look at your documents, believe that you are not lying and that you were persecuted. At the interview, you are completely in the hands of an officer who can flunk you. Failing the interview process will be followed by deportation. Indeed, in the case of asylum, refusal is deportation. You will have a second chance, but the case can hang indefinitely. If this happens, you will not be able to go anywhere.
If you are in business but immigration would not grant a visa or a green card the first time you applied, you can reapply without any harm to yourself.
People think asylum is the cheapest option.
Let's say you don't need to buy a business. But in the future, keep in mind that if you immigrated through asylum, you will always have refugee status. Even if you have a brilliant education and build a successful business in the US over time, you will still carry the refugee status.
Therefore, it is very important to sign up for a consultation with a lawyer who will find out all the necessary information from you and put together an effective strategy. If you have an idea of all the options for moving to the US and understand the complexities of each, you will be able to determine the best option for you. The main thing from the very beginning is to plan your immigration steps correctly. Find out about all types of business immigration to the USA to make the right choice for yourself.
Moreover, Elizaveta Samorukova works with the best team of business brokers -INVMAG - who will help you find the right business for you. An alliance of such professionals will allow you to legally move to the US in just a couple of years. Learn about the role of brokers in buying a business in our article.
