Visa for those who engage in substantial trade with the United States.
Important Travel Document Information – Please Read
The E-2 Treaty Investor visa is available to citizens of nations with which the United States has a commerce and navigation treaty. It allows a person to enter the United States after investing a significant amount of money in a U.S. company. This classification has the advantage of allowing foreign nationals to create and operate businesses in the United States. Furthermore, certain employees of such a person or a qualified organisation may be eligible for this categorization as well.
A treaty investor, whether an individual or a corporation, must be of the treaty countrys nationality. The nationality of the individual owners who make up an E-2 corporation is used to determine the companys nationality. Nationals of the treaty countries must own at least half of the business in question. In a corporate structure, the government frequently considers the nationality of the stockholders. If a company owns another company, nationality of ownership can be traced back to the parent company.
For E-2 reasons, US immigration regulations do not specify a minimum monetary amount that must be invested in order for the investment to be considered substantial. However, a significant amount of cash is required for E-2 purposes:
If the company is brand new, please include the following information:
As well as this, you should also provide the following supplementary evidence:
The eligibility determination is the first step in the application process. To be eligible for E-2 status, a treaty investor (whether a company or an individual) must meet the following requirements:
The principal E-2 applicants spouse and unmarried children (under 21 years of age) may also accompany or follow the primary holder in the same status. They dont have to be of the same nationality as the main applicant. Spouses and children are allowed to attend school, and spouses can apply for work permits in the United States.
If the treaty investor is currently in the United States in a lawful nonimmigrant status, they can request a change of status to E-2 status by filing Form I-129. If the intended employee is currently in the United States in a lawful nonimmigrant status, the eligible employer may file Form I-129 on the employees behalf to request a change of status to E-2 status.
If you are physically outside the United States, you cannot request E-2 classification on Form I-129. For more information on applying for an E-2 nonimmigrant visa in another country, visit the US Department of States website. Following the issuance of a visa, the individual may apply for admission as an E-2 nonimmigrant at a United States port of entry.
The first stay of qualified treaty investors and personnel will be limited to two years. Requests for extensions of stay in E-2 classification or transfers of status to E-2 classification may be granted in two-year increments. An E-2 nonimmigrant may be given an unlimited number of extensions.
To have a successful E2 visa application, the applicant should be willing to spend at least $100,000 US dollars in the business. The exact amount needed will be determined by the sort of company chosen by the investor. Some low-cost start-up enterprises may be eligible for investments of less than $100,000.
The E-2 Investor Visa enables a foreign national to enter and work in the United States in exchange for a financial investment in a U.S. company. The E2 visa is valid for three months to five years and may be extended indefinitely (depending on the country of origin).
An E2 visa might take anything from two weeks to four months to complete, depending on the Consulate. The Consulate will schedule an interview with the applicant when the first evaluation is completed. It may take up to a week for the E2 visa to be granted once it has been accepted.
