U.S. immigration attorney Marcelle Poirier hosted a sold-out seminar at the Hyatt Paris-Madeleine on 26 October 2025, advising French entrepreneurs on obtaining E-2 treaty-investor visas and EB-5 green cards. Interest soared after the euro regained parity with the dollar, lowering capital thresholds for French investors.
Speakers outlined the new $800,000 minimum investment for targeted-employment-area EB-5 projects and the administrative processing times, currently averaging 18 months. For the E-2 route, Poirier recommended budgets of €150,000–€200,000 to demonstrate a “substantial” investment in a U.S. start-up or franchise.
France ranks eighth globally for E-2 visa issuance, but demand has outpaced 2019 levels as start-ups eye the U.S. market post-Brexit. Attendees included executives from fintechs raising Series A rounds and SME owners seeking to relocate with families. BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole gave presentations on escrow arrangements and currency risk.
Global mobility managers should note that U.S. consular interview slots in Paris are stretching to ten weeks. Poirier advised starting dossiers six months before the target move date and warned that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services scrutinises ‘remote-managed’ businesses more closely than pre-pandemic.
Speakers outlined the new $800,000 minimum investment for targeted-employment-area EB-5 projects and the administrative processing times, currently averaging 18 months. For the E-2 route, Poirier recommended budgets of €150,000–€200,000 to demonstrate a “substantial” investment in a U.S. start-up or franchise.
France ranks eighth globally for E-2 visa issuance, but demand has outpaced 2019 levels as start-ups eye the U.S. market post-Brexit. Attendees included executives from fintechs raising Series A rounds and SME owners seeking to relocate with families. BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole gave presentations on escrow arrangements and currency risk.
Global mobility managers should note that U.S. consular interview slots in Paris are stretching to ten weeks. Poirier advised starting dossiers six months before the target move date and warned that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services scrutinises ‘remote-managed’ businesses more closely than pre-pandemic.
