The E-2 Investor Visa is geared toward investors who plan to start or run a US-based enterprise. The E-2 Investor Visa is one of the most popular visas in the U.S. Not only have E-2 Visa issuances increased by 80% over the past 10 years, but the E-2 Visa also has an overall approval rate of 89%, which is one of the highest among U.S. issued visas.
It depends on the treaty agreement with your country of citizenship. It can range anywhere from three months to 5 years. You can use this government site to confirm how long your E-2 visa will be valid for.
Yes. You are required to run, direct, and develop the E-2 business. This often entails living near the business, frequenting it regularly, and ensuring it is your sole occupation in the U.S.
Your business can be based in any U.S. state. Thus, you should select a location that makes the most sense for your business. Consider factors like where you'd like to live, the local employment market and workforce, taxes, real estate prices, and cost of living.
There is no minimum required time period. However, one of the E-2 visa requirements is that you must actively be running a business in the U.S., so the more time you spend stateside, the better. (It should be no less than 6 months).
You are required to staff at least 5 employees by the end of 5 years. If you have a large business or a business that needs many employees, you will need to employ more than 5 people.
Yes, all your employees must be citizens or green card holders.
No. You are certainly allowed to, but it is not a requirement. If you do have a partner, you must maintain at least 51% ownership in the country, though it is better if you have more.
There is no government-mandated minimum, but we suggest a minimum of $150,000 for small businesses. The larger the business, the more you will need to invest. Per the requirements, the investment must be large enough to ensure the investor’s financial commitment to the business and support the likelihood that the investor will successfully develop and direct the enterprise.
Yes. This is a common source of funds, particularly among young investors.
You must first invest the capital in the business and hire your U.S. based employee(s). Then you submit your application, and upon invitation, do an interview.
The investor, the spouse, and kids ages 14-20.
Yes, so long as they are unmarried and under 21 years old.
Yes, until they turn 21.
Yes, after they meet certain conditions. Namely: being approved for the E-2 visa at the U.S. consulate, arriving in the U.S., filling out the government form I-765. Upon receipt of the approval, your spouse is eligible for any employment, including working for your E-2 business or starting their own business.
No. The E-2 visa is a non-immigrant visa and therefore does not lead to a green card. The good news is that the E-2 visa can be renewed indefinitely, as long as the investor and business continue to meet the program requirements.
You will lose your E-2 visa status and you will likely need to leave the U.S.
You can re-apply for another interview.
It depends on why and when you were denied, and which visa you applied for.
No, you must have citizenship in an E-2 visa country in order to apply. If you do not currently have citizenship in an E-2 visa country, you could obtain citizenship by investment in Turkey, Grenada, Bulgaria, or Montenegro, and then apply for the E-2 visa.
Both visas, the E-2 visa, and the E-1 visa are non-immigration visas, which means that they will not lead to a green card; however, both will allow you to reside in the U.S., along with your spouse and children under 21. The E-1 visa purpose is more of carrying out international trade of goods, services, and banking. The E-2 visa is an investor visa. The individual investor must demonstrate that their sole purpose for entering the U.S. is to run or develop an enterprise.
Interested in applying for the E-2 visa but don’t know what kind of business to invest in? There are hundreds of vetted options that run the gamut from a carwash to a boutique hotel. Depending on your expertise and background, we can suggest the right investment option for you. Set up a free initial consultation to learn more.
If you don’t currently have citizenship in a country eligible for the E-2 visa waiver, there is a solution. We can assist you by obtaining a citizenship by investment in one of the following countries which have E-2 visa treaty status with the U.S.:
Contact us to schedule your free initial consultation. We are happy to answer any questions, help you find the right E-2 visa investment opportunity, and assist you throughout the entire process.