Moving to the USA with children: what is at stake at 21

With the popular E-2 investor visa in particular, children receive a derivative status as family members (E-2 dependents). That status ends automatically on their 21st birthday. After that they lose their right to stay, even if their parents continue to live and work in the USA legally.

The options:

1. Switch to a green card before the 21st birthday, for example through:

   • Building or buying a business with EB-5 potential

   • An L-1 transfer with a later green card strategy

   • An EB-1/EB-2 petition for those who qualify

2. The child gets a visa of their own, e.g.:

   • F-1 student visa for a college degree

   • J-1 exchange visa

   • H-1B work visa after graduation, with sponsorship

❗ Important: without proactive planning, your child faces an involuntary return to your home country at 21, despite their schooling and family ties in the USA.

Many parents ask: "Should my child go to college in the USA, or in Europe after all?"

💰 The cost factor: US vs. Europe

A four-year degree at a renowned US university such as NYU, Juilliard or Stanford easily costs over $80,000 a year, including housing and fees. Without a scholarship, the total can easily reach over $300,000.

By comparison, a bachelor's degree costs:

• Scotland (with residency): approx. 1,820 GBP a year

• England: up to 9,535 GBP a year (as of 2025/26)

• Germany or Austria: almost free (administrative fee only)

The bottom line: studying in Europe can save over $200,000 compared with a US degree, at equal or even better academic quality.

👔 Career prospects: any downsides?

No. Children with US citizenship in particular are fully employable on the US job market, wherever they studied.

A bachelor's in Europe + master's in the USA is often the smartest route, strategically and financially. America loves international résumés with experience abroad, especially in tech, media, design and science.

US citizens with a European option: back to Europe for college?

A special case: children born in the USA automatically hold US citizenship, and often a European passport as well.

In practice, that is a big advantage:
they are completely free to choose where they study and later work.

✅ The advantages of studying in Europe:

• Savings of over $200,000

• Access to renowned European universities (ETH, LMU, Sorbonne, etc.)

• Bilingualism and cultural confidence

• Free to return to the USA at any time with their US passport

This setup is ideal for families who want to keep both worlds open for their children: American life, European education.

Many entrepreneurs who made a conscious choice to leave their home country want their children to stay in the USA for good. They see better prospects there, more freedom, less bureaucracy.

That is possible, but only with planning in good time:

• Think through green card strategies early

• Make career and study choices with visas in mind

• Apply for citizenship where possible, if they don't already have it

US colleges are selective, but open to motivated students. The chances of admission and scholarships are best with:

• Top grades + high SAT/ACT scores

• Volunteering / leadership (e.g. school newspaper, mentoring, politics)

• Athletic achievement (college scouting possible)

• Artistic talent (music, acting, film, e.g. Juilliard)

• Eagle Scout, robotics, competitions, student businesses

Many of our clients invest deliberately in:

• Private high schools with strong college placement

• Summer programs at elite universities (e.g. Harvard, Columbia)

• Professional application coaching

That works too, and in the US it is a perfectly respected choice.
Possible alternatives to a university degree:

• Community colleges: a two-year, hands-on start with the option to transfer to a university

• Technical/vocational schools: for example in IT, nursing, mechanics, design, media or the trades

• Military service (for US citizens and green card holders): with access to education benefits and, for green card holders, a fast track to citizenship

🛂 Important: community colleges and vocational training also require valid F-1 student visa status. Without a visa, a green card or citizenship, this route is not an option either.

So even if your child isn't aiming for an elite university, you still need a solid visa strategy.

It happens all the time:

Children of entrepreneurs fall in love at school or in college and marry a US citizen at 20 or 21.

That, too, is a legal and realistic path to a green card.

An example from our practice:
The daughter of clients of ours married her American college boyfriend at 20. Today the couple lives in Austin with a green card and runs their own start-up.

Of course, nobody should ever marry just for visa reasons, but marriage can be a legitimate part of a long-term solution.

Many students start out on an F-1 visa. After that, there are several routes:

• OPT (Optional Practical Training): 12 to 36 months of work authorization

• H-1B work visa: with a qualifying job offer

• Green card: through an employer, a spouse or family

👩⚖️ Our advice: don't leave these questions until the final year of college. Your visa strategy starts with the choice of studies and should be part of your family planning.

How spouses and children come along on an E-2 visa is explained on our page on spouses and children on the E-2 investor visa. You'll find more articles under News.

Mount Bonnell Advisors in Austin, Texas specializes in European entrepreneurs who want to live, invest or stay long-term in the USA with their families.

We help you with:

• strategic visa planning for your children

• study and career decisions in light of residency status

• tax-optimized US structuring

👉 Contact us for a personal initial consultation.

Consultation & implementation

If you'd like to find out what this means for your own situation, the best step is to book a consultation.