Conversational English is one of the most underestimated requirements for anyone wanting to invest in an American franchise and apply for the E2 Visa. Franchisors require proficiency to approve a candidate — and the language is essential to operate the business day to day.

In this article we explain why English matters, at which moments it weighs, and two situations in which, even without full fluency from the investor, the business can still be viable.

The main point

The language is a requirement, not a detail. The franchisors Unike works with require conversational proficiency to approve the candidate. The good news: the requirement can be met by the applicant, the business partner, or the spouse.

The minimum expected: holding a conversation

As a general rule, a candidate for an American franchise needs to be able to hold a conversation in English, whether by email or phone. Understanding the information you receive isn't enough: you also need to express yourself.

Two situations where the investor doesn't need to be fluent

  • Someone in the family speaks English. When the investor moves with the family and a child or the spouse speaks English, that's usually more than enough: the franchisor directs communication to that person, who translates and shares with the others. The investor remains the one who applies for the visa and signs the agreement.
  • A business partner speaks English. In that case, communication is directed to the partner. If both are foreign nationals and both apply for the E2, each needs 50% of the business — which franchisors actually view well, since the person leading the relationship is committed to the franchise.

English at three different moments

1. Selection and first contact

At the start, the candidate needs English to read the information franchises send (almost always in English) and to communicate with the brands of interest. The first contact is usually an introduction call — you need to talk about yourself, your goals, and your experience, and understand what the franchisor explains about the business model.

2. Training

After choosing the franchise and signing, comes the training. Here you don't need to express yourself as much, but you need to absorb the content, because it makes the difference in the company's daily life.

3. Operation

Running the business means talking with customers, suppliers, employees, and the network itself. This is where conversational English stops being a formality and becomes a work tool — and also why it counts at the consular interview.

Where Unike comes in

We prepare you for the conversations with franchisors and, when the family's English is still developing, we help structure the communication — who leads, who translates, how to present the group. Treat English as a planning priority: it raises your approval odds with the brands and strengthens the visa case.